AJGA Blog

Egypt, to IMG, to OCU

The international influence within the membership of the American Junior Golf Association grows year after year, with more and more players who were born abroad competing in the United States’ premier junior golf organization.

That international influence had some noteworthy growth at the Preseason Junior at Sterling as Issa Abou el Ela, a native of Egypt who plays out of Bradenton, Fla., and the IMG Leadbetter Golf Academy, played in his first AJGA event.

The move to the United States came in part because of practice limitations back in Egypt.

“My parents knew that I loved golf, but in Egypt school ends at 4 p.m. and it gets dark at six, so by the time I got to the golf course it was almost dark,” Abou el Ela said. “We had heard of IMG, and once my parents saw in me that I wanted to play seriously, they let me go.”

Abou el Ela has been at the IMG Leadbetter Golf Academy since January of 2011. Since then he has decided to attend Oklahoma City University this coming fall, and this week he finished runner-up in his first AJGA event. All of that has made Abou el Ela very thankful to have the game of golf in his life.

“Golf has given me something that I know I want to do,” Abou el Ela said. “I’m going to play college golf, enjoy it as much as I can. If I get good enough where I can turn pro, I’d be lucky, but if not I’ll still play golf no matter what, so it’s all right.”

- by Jenna Galloway and Teddy Newton, AJGA Communications Interns

The Bangkok Connection

When they were seven years old, KK Limbhasut and Pailin Ruttanasupagid played golf together in Bangkok, Thailand. Nearly one decade later and 9,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean, the two were joined together again as champions of the Under Armour ® / Gary Woodland Championship.

Outside the clubhouse at Diablo Grande Golf & Country Club, the pair gathered for champions’ photos, while sharing with the AJGA staff how long they have been friends. After growing up in Thailand, KK, now 16, moved to the States just two years ago; Pailin about a year and a half ago.

Now residing in southern California, KK and Pailin live about 100 miles apart, with KK in Loma Linda and Pailin in San Diego. Sunday afternoon, as they patiently posed for photos, they stood just inches apart – their golf journey taking them from young kids in Thailand to AJGA champions in Patterson, California.

- by Rob Coleman, AJGA Communications

Friendly foes

Twelve of the opening-round matchups at the Polo Golf Junior Classic pitted Rolex Junior All-Americans against each other. In two of the matches, a pair of First-Teamers squared off.

The significance of these first-round matches, Emma Talley vs. Jaye Marie Green and Matthew NeSmith vs. Motin Yeung, weighed heavy on the outcome of the tournament, but also on the friendships between the players.

NeSmith and Yeung were Wyndham Cup teammates, while Talley and Green represented Team USA at this year’s PING Junior Solheim Cup. For the girls, the gravity of the pairing led the two to agree on silence during the round.

“We text each other every morning, so on the first tee I just acted like I didn’t know her because you don’t want to beat someone that you love,” said Green, who was the defending champion.

Predictably, the match went 19 holes, finally ending with a birdie by Talley. And almost as predictably, Talley said the win was bittersweet.

“It was weird, but I was really happy to pull out the win but it was also bittersweet because I didn’t want to play her, especially in the first round,” said Talley, who advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to Nicole Morales, the eventual champion. “We’ve been friends and teammates and it was really difficult.”

Above: Talley holed her bunker shot for birdie on No. 15 to bring her first-round match to all square versus Green.

-- Written by Chris Richards, AJGA Communications

Time to Sign

Wednesday, November 9 marked the beginning of the NCAA’s early signing period. This day signifies the success of the AJGA coming full circle taking the next big step in earning college golf scholarships, thus the AJGA mission is met. Over the course of the last few days, high school seniors signing National Letters of Intent were given the opportunity to let the AJGA know about their college decision through the AJGA Facebook page and twitter @AJGAGolf. Signees were encouraged to tweet or post a photo to the facebook wall sharing their success. As the early signing period continues through November 16, here are some of the thoughts from AJGA’s top-tier golfers expressing their thoughts about their long-aspired goal, college golf.

What three words describe the excitement you felt when signing?

“Proud, nervous, and excited! It was also very "unreal", since I committed in January it seems like years since then. I never thought this day would come!” — Samantha Marks, University of North Carolina

“Humble, thankful, and determined.”— Charlie Danielson, University of Illinois

“Accomplished, excited, and relieved.” — Otto Black, University of Toledo

What are you looking forward to the most about playing college golf?

“I’m looking forward to the team aspect and competitive atmosphere as I go off to college. I'm excited that I get to share my love for the game with girls who feel the exact same way I do. All in all I'm just so excited for my dreams of playing golf at a Division I school coming true.” — Jasmine Wade, Florida International University

“I look forward to getting better, and meeting, playing, and working with some of the best coaches and players in the country.”— Mariana Sims, Wake Forest

“I am really looking forward to the team atmosphere.  Washington is all about having a great time, which is what I am really looking forward to.  I will be able to improve my golf game with two great coaches and having the opportunity to play with some of the best kids in the nation will help to take my game to the next level.” — Jonathan Sanders, University of Washington

How has the AJGA helped you achieve your goal of earning a college golf scholarship?

“AJGA allowed me to compete in the country's top junior golf events which gave me a lot of exposure to college coaches. I would not have had as many opportunities to present myself on such a high level without the AJGA. For this outstanding organization, I am thankful. Words can't express how delighted and grateful I am to be a Stanford Cardinal!”— Mariah Stackhouse, University of Stanford

“AJGA helped me prove to college coaches that I could compete on a big stage in a national tournament scene and play well.”— Miles Death, University of South Dakota

“The AJGA is the most competitive junior golf organization in the nation, so I have played with some of the best competition.  Many college coaches look to the AJGA to recruit and I feel my good play in the AJGA greatly helped me in my commitment to play for UC Santa Barbara.  AJGA tournaments have prepared me for the fierce competition in college, but I feel confident that I can compete at the highest level.”— Lawrence Fu, UC Santa Barbara

For a complete list of the Class of 2012 signings visit the PING College Golf Signing Day website.

- by Denae Olberding, AJGA Communications

Stackhouse stacks up more honors

Mariah Stackhouse is a name seen often in golf media. It seems she’s always accomplishing something new, whether it be her LPGA debut or suiting up as a member of the victorious U.S. PING Junior Solheim Cup Team.

This time, however, Mariah has branched out to the fashion and beauty media as well, and has been named one of Glamour magazine’s Amazing Young Women of 2011.

Each year, Glamour recognizes 10 women who have made a difference, whether it be within popular culture, politics, or volunteerism. Honorees range from Jennifer Lopez to Laura, Barbara and Jenna Bush.

The magazine also recognized 21 young women who are making a difference in their communities, in science and research, as well as in athletics. Mariah was honored thanks to several accomplishments, namely being the youngest winner of the Georgia PGA women’s championship. She was also the only African American to qualify for the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open.

For more information on Glamour’s Amazing Young Women of 2011, visit their website.

Trendsetter

Webb Simpson, Adam Scott, and Keegan Bradley have all won with it, and Vincent Martino of Southlake, Texas, sees no reason why he can’t do the same this week at The PING Invitational.

In March, Vincent made the switch to the belly putter after his future college coach noticed he lifted his left shoulder through impact. The proposed solution: ditch the traditional short stick for the slightly longer short stick.

“I was always a good putter from inside five feet, so I almost use this for the opposite reason,” said Vincent, who has verbally committed to the University of Houston. “With a regular-sized putter, I don’t make good contact on lag putts and this has helped me with my speed and making more consistent putts.”

Since making the switch, Martino has notched three AJGA top 10s, including a win at the Signsational Signs Junior at The Woodlands in June. Vincent said he is one of only three players using a belly putter this week at Karsten Creek, but he expects it to gain popularity among his peers.

“You see a couple more, but not a lot have switched. A lot of kids in my area have seen how much better I’ve gotten since I switched and are starting to think about it,” he said. “I think people are going to try it out more (because of its popularity), not so much stick with it but just to try it. It used to be something only older guys would use to help with short putts, but it really helps all of your putting.”

-Chris Richards, AJGA Communications

From near and far

Now in its fifth year, The Junior PLAYERS Championship presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf has featured players from 24 countries, two of which will be represented for the first time in 2011 (Austria and Belgium).

The 18 international invitees in this year’s field bring resumes that include top finishes in some of the world’s best amateur events.

Robin Goger (Austria)

• Medalist, 2011 European Boys Team Championship

Thomas Detry (Belgium)

• Won 2011 Beligum National Match Play

Mads Sogaard (Denmark)

• 2nd, 2011 Danish Amateur

Frederick Hammer (Denmark)

• T10, 2011 Danish Amateur

Maximilian Rottluff (Germany)

• Won 2011 Junior Orange Bowl International

Gary Hurley (Ireland)

• Won 2011 Munster Boys Open

Gavin Moynihan (Ireland)

• T2, 2011 Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters

Richard Broadhurst (Italy)

• T3, 2011 Italian Boys U-18 Stroke Play

Edoardo Torrieri (Italy)

• Won 2011 Italian Boys U-18 Stroke Play

Takahiro Hataji (Japan)

• T3, 2011 Japan Junior Championship (15-17)

Emilio Maurer (Mexico)

• T8, 2011 Mexican International Amateur

Daniel De la Garza (Mexico)

• Three AJGA top-five finishes in 2011

Alvaro Ortiz (Mexico)

• Won 2011 AJGA Bass Pro Shops / Payne Stewart Junior Championship

Kristoffer Ventura (Norway)

• Won 2011 Norwegian Challenge

Joakim Carlsson (Sweden)

• T7, 2011 JSM Slag

Jamie Clare (United Kingdom)

• 2nd, 2011 English Amateur

Matthew Fitzpatrick (United Kingdom)

• 2nd, 2011 Carris Trophy

David Boote (United Kingdom)

• Won 2011 Welsh Boys' Championship

Shih collects golf balls for a worthy cause

At every AJGA event, all players in the field receive a dozen Titleist golf balls. At the Genesis Junior at White Beeches, one player did his best to give golf balls away.

 

After reading a letter on golf.com, Harrison Shih of Saddle River, N.J., made it his mission to support the troops in the best way he can.

“I read a letter from a staff sergeant stationed in Afghanistan talking about how he and his company like to relax by hitting golf balls into the mine fields outside of the base,” Shih said. “Obviously it is too dangerous for them to retrieve them, so he asked for a donation of used golf balls.”

Shih saw the Genesis Junior at White Beeches as an opportunity to amplify the impact from junior golfers by asking his fellow competitors in the field to participate.

“I’m not involved in any charities, but I figured that this one would be good because it is right up my alley,” Shih said. “This is something worthwhile that I wanted to get other people involved in. I got the members of my home club involved with it and I knew that this event was coming up.”

Shih encourages other players to realize that their used golf balls can serve a worthwhile purpose.

“I’ve got a bunch of golf balls just lying around the house, and I know that a lot of the other players in the field do as well,” Shih said. “I never know what to do with my old golf balls, because I don’t want to throw them away. So, I figured that this would be a good way to get them off of my hands while helping out the troops and supporting a good cause."

At the end of a competitive week at White Beeches Golf & Country Club, Shih was excited about the generous donations from his fellow-competitors.

“At the practice round, I was given two five-gallon buckets filled to the top with Titleist Pro-V1s and some really good golf balls,” Shih said. “I know another player donated about 60 golf balls by himself.

This is my first attempt at this project, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was hoping that it would be successful, and I’ve been proud of the support it has received. I can’t even imagine the stressful nature of being in Afghanistan. They do so much for us that the least we can do is give them our used golf balls.”

Over the course of the week, players at the Genesis Junior at White Beeches donated 1,200 golf balls, which Shih and his family will ship to Afghanistan.

To read Staff Sergeant Brandon Michael Edwards’s letter, and for more information on donating to this worthwhile cause, please visit the golf.com blog.

-Written by Andrew LeSaicherre, AJGA Communications

AJGA members battle in quarterfinal match at U.S. Women's Amateur

With the quarterfinal matches of the U.S. Women’s Amateur slated to be played Friday afternoon at Rhode Island Country Club, it is guaranteed that a current AJGA member will make it to the semifinals. Moriya Jutanugarn of Bangkok, Thailand will go up against fellow AJGA member Casey Danielson of Osceola, Wis., in the final pairing of the day.

Moriya and Casey, both rising high school juniors, have had busy summers that included a few major highlights for both. Moriya earned low amateur honors at the U.S. Women’s Open, while Casey was a member of the victorious Wyndham Cup East Team. They both notched their first AJGA victories, Moriya’s coming early in the year at the Winn Grips Heather Farr Classic hosted by Longbow Golf Club, while Casey’s was more recently at the W. Duncan MacMillan Classic at Rush Creek held in July.

As is the case with top-tier junior golfers, the two girls have competed against one another multiple times in 2011 at high-level events. In three such instances, they have both found themselves in the top 10 every time.

In June, at the Rolex Girls Junior Championship, Moriya finished in fifth, Casey in a tie for 10th. At the Rolex Tournament of Champions, Moriya was third, while Casey once again found herself in a tie for 10th.

Tables were turned in August however, when Casey had a third-place showing at the Junior PGA Championship, and Moriya finished in fifth.

Needless to say, these girls have seen one another. They know one another’s strengths and weaknesses and will surely draw on past experiences as they battle it out in their quarterfinal match, set to tee off at 1:15 p.m.

 

Bauchou, Cox set record for longest Boys’ playoff in AJGA history

After posting the same scores in all three rounds of the Cleveland HealthCare Foundation Junior (71-70-67), Zachary Bauchou of Forest, Va., and Chad Cox of Charlotte, N.C., competed in a record-setting eight-hole playoff at Deer Brook Golf Club. The two broke the seven-hole record that was held by Jesse Mueller of Mesa, Ariz., and Brett Tobyne of Lakewood, Calif. (1999 Aspen Junior Classic).

The memorable playoff took place on No. 18 and gave spectators in Shelby an exciting finish to a great tournament. On the 423-yard par-4, the hole was in the back left corner of the green just above a treacherous ridge. Both juniors had several looks at birdies, but weren’t able to convert on a tricky green.

“The first couple times around were really nerve racking,” Bauchou said. “After a few times around I got in my comfort zone.”

After both juniors made seven straight pars, the eighth attempt was the one that sealed the victory for Bauchou, though it didn’t come easy. He was able to stay in rhythm by making his eighth straight par for the win as birdies were nowhere to be found in the playoff.

“It (No. 18) was such a tough pin location,” Cox said. “I knew it was going to be hard to make birdies, however, I felt like I was striking the ball great and played pretty well.”

The lengthy playoff was not only an AJGA record but also the first AJGA victory for Bauchou. The Virginia native was shocked he won the playoff with a par but feels this win will give him the experience he needs to win more tournaments.

“I’ve never finished this high in an AJGA event,” Bauchou said. “It’s very special to win since it’s a great tournament with a great field. It gives me a lot of confidence knowing I can play and win at the highest level and it’s definitely a confidence booster.”

Written by Nick Moreland, AJGA Communications