Alvaton, Ky., Junior Golf Tournament
Honored by the AJGA
Houchens Industries Junior Open receives AJGA Tournament of the Year Award

BRASELTON, Ga. — Local organizers of the Houchens Industries Junior Open, which took place at the Club at Olde Stone in Alvaton, Ky., June 12-15, 2006, were honored by the American Junior Golf Association Friday, Feb. 16, at its Annual Meeting. Tournament chairman Larry Beam was honored with the AJGA Tournament of the Year Award, given annually to the tournament that showcases the AJGA, its members, sponsors and host facility better than any other event on the Association’s 75-event schedule.

Each year during the Annual Meeting’s Digger Smith Awards Banquet – named after AJGA Chairman of the Board Jordan R. “Digger” Smith – the AJGA presents awards to the tournaments with the best individual media coverage, junior-am fundraising tournament, volunteer support base and hospitality. At this time the Association also recognizes its golf professional of the year, new tournament of the year, AJGA Invitational of the year, and overall tournament of the year.

Beam’s local committee raised an astounding $55,800 for junior golf through the Junior-Am Fundraising Tournament. All meals were free to players and their families, as well as the 90 volunteers who donated their time during the four-day event. Ten media outlets, including local newspapers and television stations, covered the tournament. Golf course superintendent Curtis James even had his staff sleep in tents to be ready to go at 3 a.m. so their work would be done by the start of play. These and many other touches, including a bagpiper playing at the beginning of each round, made the Houchens Industries Junior Open one of the most special events on the AJGA schedule.

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 largest Association of its kind, the AJGA has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of more than 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and more than 25 foreign countries.
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. 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 Stacey Whyte (swhyte@ajga.org) in the AJGA Communications Department at (678) 654-5201, or visit the AJGA Web site at ajga.org.