The 2007 Polo Golf Junior Classic will mark the 30th anniversary for the American Junior Golf Association. This special week is not only highlighted by one of the top events on the junior golf schedule, but also by the Rolex Junior All-America Awards Banquet, where the top junior golfers in the country will be awarded for their accomplishments throughout the year. The Rolex Junior All-America Awards Banquet marks the end of the 2007 season, allowing the Polo Golf Junior Classic to set the stage for the 2008 season.

This year, 156 junior golfers from across the country and across the world will gather in Reunion, Fla., for the Polo Golf Junior Classic at the Ginn Reunion Resort. They will challenge the Legacy (Palmer) & Independence (Watson) Courses and hope to take home one of the most prestigious awards in junior golf.

The list of past champions reads like a who’s who in the world of college and professional golf. In the Boys Division, six of the past champions are current PGA TOUR members including Tiger Woods, Hunter Mahan and Stewart Cink. Additionally, college standout Jamie Lovemark was victorious in 2005. In the Girls Division, 18 of the past champions have played on the LPGA Tour. Jenny Lidback, Vicki Goetze, Emilee Klein, Grace Park and Beth Bauer were all multiple winners during their time with the AJGA. Recent champions include Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel and Angela Park.

All the players in the field this week are looking to add their name to this prestigious history of champions.

In the Boys Division, defending champion Morgan Hoffmann of Saddlebrook, N.J., hopes to wrap up another AJGA victory and set the tone for 2008. Hoffmann defeated current college superstar Rickie Fowler 3 and 2 during the match play finals of the 2006Polo Golf Junior Classic. In 2007, Hoffmann went on to win the inaugural Junior PLAYERS Championship. Hoffmann has verbally committed to continue his golf career at Oklahoma State University.

The 2007 Rolex Junior Player of the Year Peter Uihlein of Bradenton, Fla., hopes to challenge Hoffmann and take home his first Polo Golf Junior Classic title. Uihlein won his first AJGA Invitational in 2007 at the FootJoy Boys Invitational. Solid performances at the Thunderbird International Junior and the Rolex Tournament of Champions helped Uihlein gain the No. 1 ranking in the Polo Golf Rankings. Uihlein previously earned Rolex Junior Player of the Year honors in 2005. He will join Hoffmann as a Cowboy golfer in the fall of 2008.

Jane Rah

In the Girls Division, Vicky Hurst of Melbourne, Fla., hopes to follow up her Rolex Junior Player of the Year honors with what could be her third AJGA Invitational victory. Hurst was previously victorious at the McDonald’s Betsy Rawls Girls Junior and The PING Invitational. Hurst also took home top honors at the Birks & Mayors Junior Championship at Mirasol.

Hurst will not be alone in her quest for the championship. Kimberly Kim of Pahoa, Hawaii, will challenge Hurst with hopes of coming home with her second AJGA Invitational of 2007. Kim started the year off with a bang taking home the trophy at the season-opening ReBath Heather Farr Classic over Easter Weekend. She followed that up with a win at the I.R.I./Srixon Mixed Team Championship hosted by Jim Furyk with partner Andrew Yun of Tacoma, Wash. Over Memorial Day Weekend, Kim was victorious at the prestigious Thunderbird International Junior where she recorded the tournament scoring record shooting a 10-under-par 206.

Like Kim, Jane Rah of Torrance, Calif., and Courtney Ellenbogen of Blacksburg, Va., are looking to earn their second AJGA Invitational title at the Polo Golf Junior Classic. All three girls earned victories over Easter Weekend as well.

With so many talented junior golfers on hand this week, it is impossible to predict who will come home with the victory. Stay tuned and check back throughout the event to find out who is soaring to the top of the leaderboard.