Around the Green

Texas Junior Golf Alliance Set to Host LPGA Qualifier

DALLAS – The Texas Junior Golf Alliance partnered with the Volunteers of America Classic to give female junior golfers a chance to qualify for an LPGA tournament. Scheduled for Sept. 4-6, the 16-player match play qualifier will be played at the site of the LPGA tournament, Old American Golf Club in The Colony.

“One of our goals as an event is to impact the community in a meaningful way,” Octagon Senior Sales Director Brooke Lee said. “By allowing junior golfers from all over the region an opportunity to compete and win a spot into our tournament will continue to promote women’s golf in a positive light.”

The Volunteers of America Classic Girls’ Match Play Championship is for elite players that have distinguished themselves throughout Texas Junior Golf Alliance events in 2020. The qualifier will feature 16 female junior golfers graduating high school no earlier than 2021: seven from the Legends Junior Tour, four from the Northern Texas PGA’s All-American Tour, four from the Southern Texas PGA’s Prestige Tour and one from the Houston Golf Association’s Performance Series.

The LJT exemptions include the champions of the Texas Girl’s Invitational (Ashley Yen), Lanny Wadkins Junior Championship on June 29-30, Texas Junior Amateur on July 27-29, George Hannon Junior Invitational on August 10-11 and the top three players not already exempt on the Player of the Year Standings.

The NTPGA exemptions include the champions of The Challenge at The Tribute on June 8-9, #WHOSNEXT Championship on June 15-16, Fort Worth Junior Open on June 29-30 and Azalea Trail Junior Classic on July 20-21.

“As a junior golfer, to have an opportunity to qualify and compete in an LPGA event in your home state is a bucket list item,” NTPGA Executive Director Mark Harrison said. “Every young lady who plays junior golf in Texas on the All-American Tour, Prestige Tour or Legends Junior Tour should aspire to try and qualify to compete in the Volunteers of America Classic Girls’ Match Play Championship.”

The STPGA exemptions include the champions of the Girls Junior PGA Championship Qualifier on June 8-9, Mid-Summer Showcase on June 22-23, Aggieland Classic on July 12-14 and Shootout in the Hills on July 20-21.

“We are always focused on providing our junior golf members a roadmap but more importantly unique opportunities to play at the next level,” STPGA Executive Director Thomas Hutton said. “An exemption like this will clearly motivate young ladies to work on their game and gain valuable experience within our programs.”

The HGA exemption will be the champion of the Eddie Burke Sr. Young Houstonian on June 23-25 at Cypresswood Golf Club in Spring.

The single-elimination bracket will be formed by a random drawing conducted at the player’s dinner on Thursday, Sept. 3. The seven LJT qualifiers and HGA qualifier will be selected to fill one side of the 16-player bracket, while the four NTPGA and four STPGA qualifiers will fill out the other side of the bracket.

The first two rounds of the VOA Classic Girls’ Match Play Championship will be played on Friday, Sept. 4. The semifinal matches will take place on Saturday, Sept. 5, and the championship match will determine the LPGA exemption on Sunday, Sept. 6.

“The VOA Classic Girls’ Match Play Championship delivers on our vision of providing Texans with opportunities for world-class competition in their home state,” TGA Executive Director Stacy Dennis said. “Providing our juniors with an opportunity to experience an LPGA event is a unique opportunity to help inspire our players.”

Over the years, the Texas Junior Golf Alliance has produced many professional female golfers. Last year’s Volunteers of America Classic Champion, Cheyenne Knight of Aledo, played on the NTPGA All-American Tour and was a two-time LJT champion. Other Texas Junior Golf Alliance alumna include two-time U.S. Women’s Amateur champion, Kristen Gillman of Austin, and 12-time LPGA winner Stacy Lewis of The Woodlands.

The Texas Junior Golf Alliance extends its sincere appreciation to the Volunteers of America Classic for partnering to give these female junior golfers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Texas Junior Golf Alliance prides itself on growing the game and promoting women’s golf.

“The Volunteers of America Classic is excited to reward a young female athlete with the opportunity to play in a professional LPGA event and watch them learn from their experiences at our event,” Lee said. “We hope this will leave an everlasting impact on this young player and help them stay focused on their professional goals.”

The Volunteers of America Classic will be played one month after the qualifier at Old American Golf Club on Oct. 1-4. For more information on the VOA Classic Girls’ Match Play Championship, click here.

ABOUT THE TEXAS JUNIOR GOLF ALLIACNE: In 2012, the four most prominent junior golf tours in the state joined forces to create the Texas Junior Golf Alliance. The partnership between the Legends Junior Tour, Northern Texas PGA, Southern Texas PGA and Houston Golf Association strives to promote the game and give junior golfers greater access to top-tier statewide competition.

ABOUT THE VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA CLASSIC: The 2020 Volunteers of America Classic will return to Old American Golf Club in The Colony for the third consecutive year. The official LPGA tournament will feature 144 of the world’s best female golfers in a four-day stroke-play event vying for $1.3 million purse. The 2020 VOA Classic is scheduled for Oct. 1-4.

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