Mizuno Junior at Innisbrook set for March 20-23, 2008
BRASELTON, Ga. – For the first time in the 15-year history of running an event in the Southeast during Easter Weekend, the American Junior Golf Association will be conducting the tournament outside the metro-Atlanta area. This year’s event, once again sponsored by Mizuno, will move to Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club in Palm Harbor, Fla., March 20-23.
The Mizuno Junior at Innisbrook, a 54-hole stroke play competition, will bring together the largest collection of the junior golfers at one event in the AJGA’s 30-year history. In total, 216 boy and girl junior golfers between the ages of 12-18 will compete on the Copperhead and Highlands North Courses, respectively.
Historically, the event garners one of the strongest fields in junior golf, as evidenced by its impressive list of past champions. Both Ryuji Imada and Charles Howell III won this event as teenagers before ascending to the PGA TOUR ranks. Currently on the LPGA Tour, Beth Bauer, Virada Nirapathpongporn and Brittany Lincicome were all awarded tournament titles during their days as junior golfers.
“The AJGA is the premier junior golf association in the United States, and we are proud and honored to again be sponsoring this prestigious event taking place this year at Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club,” said Dick Lyons, Vice President and General Manager, Mizuno USA Golf Division. “Mizuno has a long history of supporting junior golf, and many of the best juniors in the game rely on the quality and craftsmanship of Mizuno products to help them perform at their best.”
This year’s tournament field will be filled through the AJGA’s Performance Based Entry system and will be officially announced March 4. Numerous spots will be held for those participating in an AJGA Qualifier taking place on Innisbrook’s Highlands North Course Wednesday, March 19.
Player practice rounds will take place Thursday, March 20. Tournament play will begin Friday, March 21 and run through Sunday, March 23. An awards ceremony will immediately follow play March 23. Spectators are welcome to attend and admission is free of charge.
Mizuno USA, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mizuno Corporation, one of the largest specialty sporting goods manufacturers in the world. Mizuno USA, Inc. manufactures and distributes golf, baseball, softball, running, track & field, and volleyball equipment, apparel, and footwear for North America. Mizuno USA, Inc. is based in Norcross, Ga.
Situated on 900 wooded acres of rolling hills and 70 acres of lakes on Florida’s Gulf Coast near Tampa, Florida, Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club is located just 30 minutes from Tampa International Airport. Innisbrook features 72 holes of championship golf, 620 spacious guest suites and rooms, four restaurants and three bars, the Innisbrook Golf Institute, 11 tennis courts, fitness and racquetball center, six heated swimming pool complexes, a nature preserve, and three conference halls with 65,000 square feet of meeting space. Innisbrook is owned and managed by Salamander Hospitality, a privately owned and operated company based in Middleburg, Va., just outside Washington, D.C. and built upon a uniquely entrepreneurial approach to the hospitality business. For additional information call (727) 942-2000 or visit www.innisbrookgolfresort.com.
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, the largest Association of its kind, has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 50 states and 30 foreign countries.
AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. More than 160 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 300 wins. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Davis Love III, Cristie Kerr, Pat Hurst, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel and Julieta Granada.
For more information, please contact Steve Ethun (sethun@ajga.org) in the AJGA Communications Department at (678) 425-1786 or visit the AJGA Web site at ajga.org.
Contact:
Iver Maple
Mizuno USA
770-453-7832
iver.maple@mizunousa.com
