Grayhawk gears up for prestigious junior golf national championship, November 16-19, 2017
Eight All-Star teams from across the U.S. made their way through qualifying tournaments for an opportunity to compete at Grayhawk for the 2017 PGA Jr. League Championship presented by National Car Rental. Team Arizona, which happens to play out of Grayhawk, was almost one of them. Unfortunately, they came up a lousy half-point short. A very talented team, to say the least, congratulation on a great run!
Shoe’s Welcome
“We’re honored to host the PGA Jr. League Championship presented by National Car Rental for the second straight year,” said Grayhawk Golf Club Director of Golf and PGA Member Joe “Shoe” Shershenovich. “We welcome the competitors and their families back to Scottsdale and look forward to another great tournament. Growing the game of golf is a goal we all share. This program helps to accomplish that objective.
Final 8 Teams
The 10-player teams stepping into the national spotlight will represent their respective regions: Team New Hampshire represents the Northeast; Team California the West; Team Georgia the Southeast; Team Ohio the Mideast; Team Illinois the Midwest; Team New Jersey the Mid Atlantic; Team Arkansas the Mississippi Valley; and Team Texas the Southwest.
The Format The teams are divided into two divisions, and play each other in a series of round-robin, nine-hole matches, in a two-person, scramble format. Captains have the option to substitute players every three holes to ensure all team members participate.
 Madison Wu – Team California (2016) |
 Ethan Gao and Ryan Davidson – Team Georgia (2016)(Photo by Traci Edwards/PGA of America) |
PGA of America President Paul Levy
“The PGA of America is delighted to bring the PGA Jr. League Championship presented by National Car Rental back to the beautiful Southwest and Grayhawk Golf Club,” said PGA President Paul Levy. “Each year, participation in PGA Jr. League continues to grow significantly, along with our mission to connect boys and girls with the game in a fun and recreational environment.”
PGA Jr. League: Growing the Game
In its 6th year, PGA Jr. League is clearly one of the fastest growing programs in the game. In 2017, a record of 42,000 boys and girls participated on 3,400 PGA Jr. League teams – surpassing the 36,000 participants on 2,900 teams in 2016 – and they were led by 2,200 PGA and LPGA professionals who served as captains. Superstars Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Michelle Wie and Lexi Thompson serve as Official PGA Jr. League Ambassadors.
A key initiative of PGA REACH, the PGA of America’s charitable arm, PGA Jr. League is a fun, social and inclusive opportunity for boys and girls to learn and enjoy the game. Kids play on teams with friends and wear numbered jerseys, while learning the game through professional instruction.
Get Involved
Registration for the 2018 season takes place January and March with the regular season kicking off April through July. Arizona fielded 27 teams in 2017, and there’s always room for more. Visit PGAJLG.com to learn more about how you can get involved.
