The Aaron Baddeley World Junior Championship (ABWJC) has announced the United States team for the 72-hole, stroke play competition to take place Dec. 6-9 at the Denarau Golf Course in Denarau Island, Fiji.

The U.S. team consists of Philip Francis of Scottsdale, Ariz., Daniel Lim of Gilroy, Calif., Jamie Lovemark of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., Robert Riesen of Pinehurst, N.C., Esther Choe of La Quinta, Calif., and Tiffany Joh of San Diego.

Jamie Lovemark

The players were selected based on their standing in the AJGA’s Canon Cup rankings system and will compete against teams of six players from five other countries: Australia, Canada, Fiji, Japan and New Zealand. In order to be eligible, players cannot be over 17 years of age as of Dec. 6th, 2004.

Francis and Jennifer Pandolfi of Navarre, Fla., won their respective divisions at the January 2003 event, thereby earning exemptions into the Australian Open and the Australian Women’s Open. The ABWJC was then moved to a December date, so was held again in December of 2003, with Amanda Blumenherst of Scottsdale, Ariz., coming away with the girls division title.

The winners of this year’s ABWJC will again be awarded exemptions into Australia’s men’s and women’s Open championships.

PGA TOUR player Aaron Baddeley will attend the event, as will AJGA Board of Directors President Gayle Champagne who will serve as team manager for the team during the tournament. The Golf Channel will also travel with the team and will air a one-hour feature on the tournament and the Fiji Islands.