Junior PGA Championship explained

Junior PGA Championship
Establishment:1976
Org:PGA of America
Location:Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.
Month Played:August
Par:72
Format:72-hole Stroke play
Current Champion:Baylor Larrabee
Avery McCrery

The Junior PGA Championship is a leading annual junior golf tournament in the United States for amateur golfers under the age of 18.[1] [2]

Format

The tournament has been played since 1976 and is the flagship junior tournament of the PGA of America. The field consists of 156 girls and 156 boys. Half qualify through their PGA Section and the remainder of the field is based on national junior/amateur events and special exemptions.[3]

History

Several tournament winners have later gone on to success on the PGA Tour, such as Trevor Immelman, David Toms and Sam Burns. Jordan Spieth and Tiger Woods have finished runner-up.[4]

LPGA Tour major winners Jenny Lidback, Grace Park, Inbee Park and Cristie Kerr have all won the event. Heather Farr, Lexi Thompson, Ariya Jutanugarn, Beth Bauer and Aree Song have won twice, and Vicki Goetze is the only player to have won three times.[5]

In 2019, Jack Heath shot a final-round 62 to beat Chris Couch's previous lowest final-round score of 63, set in 1990.[6]

Winners

YearBoysGirlsVenueLocation
WinnerRunner(s)-up WinnerRunner(s)-up
2024 Maryland
2023 Hot Springs Country Club Arkansas
2022 Illionois
2021 Kentucky
2019 Connecticut
2018 Kearney Hill Golf Links Kentucky
2017 Country Club of St. Albans Missouri
2016 Rhode Island
2015 Miramont Country Club Texas
2014
2013 D.C.
2012 Ariya Jutanugarn (2) Indiana
2011
2010
2009 Lexi Thompson (2) Ohio
2008
2007 Westfield Group CC Ohio
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002 Inbee Park (2)
2001
2000 Aree Song (2) Naree Song (2) PGA National GC Florida
1999 Naree Song
1998
1997 Beth Bauer (2)
1996
1995
1994
1993 North Carolina
1992 PGA National GC Florida
1991
1990 Vicki Goetze (3)
1989 Vicki Goetze (2) Renee Heiken
1988 Bellerive CC Missouri
1987 PGA National GC Florida
1986 Tracy Nakamura
1985
1984
1983
1982 Heather Farr (2) Dottie Pepper
1981
1980
1979 Georgia
1978 Sharon Barrett
1977 Florida
1976 Michelle Jordan
Source:[4] [5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Former Junior PGA Championship winner content with turning down the PGA Tour 'grind' for YouTube career . Sportskeeda . October 14, 2024.
  2. Williams . Julie . There may be no hotter player in junior golf than Caleb Surratt, the recent PGA Junior champ now cruising through the U.S. Junior . October 14, 2024 . Golfweek . July 22, 2021.
  3. Web site: 2024 Junior PGA Championships . PGA of America . October 14, 2024.
  4. Web site: Girls Junior PGA Championship History . 8 July 2021 . PGA of America . October 14, 2024.
  5. Web site: Girls Junior PGA Championship History . 8 July 2021 . PGA of America . October 14, 2024.
  6. Kelly . Todd . Jack Heath shoots final-round 62, wins Boys Junior PGA Championship title . October 14, 2024 . Golfweek . August 2, 2019.