Junior PLAYERS Championship Begins Friday

Arguably one of the most diverse fields of the year will begin play on the famed THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass Friday. Included in this year’s Junior PLAYERS Championship are 78 of the world’s top junior boys from 12 foreign countries and 18 states.

Stay up to date with this AJGA Invitational field by visiting the tournament Web site or checking out FootJoy Live Scoring, which will include AJGA Video Blogs, Blog entries from the AJGA on-site communications staff and a other useful information that will make you feel like you’re in beautiful Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Newsmakers: August 26

Danny Lee

Danny Lee, Cristie Kerr and Scott Piercy are among the AJGA alumni who had big weekends.

Read about Lee's record-setting performance at the U.S. Amateur and Kerr's and Piercy's professional victories in this week's Newsmakers.

My Scotty Cameron Moments

Each week, the AJGA honors the boy and girl junior golfers who shoot the lowest round during the final tournament round. Each of these players will be presented with one of this year's new Scotty Cameron putter covers in silver or gold. In this feature, we hear from the players each week who take home this honor as they tell us about their "Scotty Cameron Moment." More...

Sportsmanship Award Nominations Sought

The Jerry Cole Sportsmanship Award is presented annually to an AJGA golfer who displays integrity and respect for the game. Golf is a game rich in tradition and the AJGA believes it is important to promote honor and sportsmanship among golf’s next generation.

Is there an AJGA golfer who you would like to nominate for the Jerry Cole Sportsmanship Award? Past recipients of the award have displayed sportsmanlike behavior on the golf course and in life. This can be seen in the way they overcome adversity, serve their communities, live their lives with integrity, and impact others with their positive attitudes.

Last year’s recipient, MacKinzie Kline of Encinitas, Calif., represented all these ideals. Kline is an ambassador of the game of golf and for the Children’s Heart Foundation. Born with a severe congenital heart defect, Kline found that golf was one of the few sports she could play. She has not only played, but excelled. In addition, she has raised more than $1 million for research at the Children’s Heart Foundation. For the positive effect she has had on so many others around the world, Kline was given the 2007 Jerry Cole Sportsmanship Award.

In an effort to promote the ideals of golf, the AJGA wishes to honor another deserving individual in 2008. To submit a nomination, please send the following information to award@ajga.org (the deadline for nominations is Sept. 12):

• Name and hometown of nominee
• Detailed explanation supporting your nomination
• Your name and contact number

The recipient will be honored at the Rolex Junior All-America Banquet November 23 at Ginn Reunion Resort. The player will also be invited to participate in the Polo Golf Junior Classic, November 22-28.

Past recipients include Jonathan Moore, Jennifer Tangtiphaiboontana, Virada Nirapathpongporn and Jason Gore.

AJGA Juniors Excel off the Course

AJGA juniors Zach Herr of New Hope, Pa., and Smylie Kaufman of Birmingham, Ala, were recently featured on Golf Digest.com. Both players work hard on the course and still find time to raise money for cancer research.