AJGA returns to Steelwood Country Club

BRASELTON, Ga. (WALA) - The American Junior Golf Association is set to return to Loxley, Ala., June 7-10 for the AJGA Junior at Steelwood presented by AT&T. The 54-hole national junior golf event will be played at Steelwood Country Club and will feature 99 of the best junior golfers from Alabama, Florida and around the country.

In 2009, Connor Pratt of Birmingham, Ala., won the Boys Division by four strokes over Landon Lyons of Baton Rouge, La. Pratt would go on to win the AJGA Southeast Junior Open and sign a National Letter of Intent with Coastal Carolina University. Nicole Agnello of Longwood, Fla., claimed her first AJGA victory after a sudden-death playoff against A.J. Newell of Tampa, Fla. Agnello has signed a National Letter of Intent with Virginia.

Tournament practice rounds will take place Monday, June 7, at 2 p.m. with a shotgun. First- through final-round tee times will run from 7 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. off the No. 1 tee at Steelwood Country Club. Spectators are welcome to attend and admission is free of charge.

Prior to the start of the tournament, an 18-hole K12 Qualifier will be held at TimberCreek Golf Club, Sunday, June 6. K12 Qualifiers give juniors an opportunity to "play their way in" to coinciding AJGA Open tournaments or build status for entry into a future event. The K12 Qualifier Series offers opportunities for AJGA juniors at approximately 50 AJGA Open events.

During the tournament week, some of the top juniors who will be participating in the AJGA Junior at Steelwood presented by AT&T will also take part in the Junior-Am Fundraising Tournament, Monday, June 7. The Junior-Am will be an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start at Steelwood Country Club.

An excellent opportunity to entertain clients, reward employees or enjoy a tournament round with friends, the Junior-Am allows amateurs to play alongside the future stars of the game. Tiger Woods, Charles Howell III, Lucas Glover, Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel are just a few of the thousands of talented players who participated in AJGA Junior-Ams when they were teenagers.

Supporting golf at the grass-roots level, Junior-Ams allow the AJGA to make contributions to local junior golf charities and programs in hosting communities. In 2010, the proceeds of the AJGA Junior at Steelwood presented by AT&T Junior-Am will benefit the Junior Golf Association of Mobile, Inc., and the AJGA Foundation. To participate, contact Kevin Green (ptcleargolf@gmail.com) at (251) 433-1737.

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships, and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and 30 countries. To ensure scholarship opportunities for all junior golfers who have the skill, the AJGA created the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant program to provide financial assistance to young players in need.

Titleist, the AJGA’s National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association’s success since 1989. Rolex Watch USA, which is in its third decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Polo Ralph Lauren became the AJGA’s second Premier Partner.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 400 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Stewart Cink, Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel.