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Junior All-Star of the Year

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The David Toms Foundation Junior All-Star has been named the 2017 Junior All-Star of the Year by the American Junior Golf Association. The AJGA recognizes this tournament for its ability to provide the best overall experience at an ACDS Junior All-Star Series event, which includes players ages 12-15.

Each year, the AJGA presents awards to the tournaments with the best individual hospitality, Junior-Am Fundraising Tournament, charitable giving and volunteer base. Awards are also given to the events with engaged media and social media participation. Finally, the AJGA recognizes the year’s most outstanding golf professional, superintendent and general manager, as well as the most improved event, best new event, best Junior Golf Hub Preview Series tournament, best ACDS Junior All-Star Series tournament, best Invitational and overall tournament of the year. Tournament awards for the 2017 season will be presented on-site at 2018 tournaments.

The David Toms Foundation Junior All-Star was one of 16 tournaments in the ACDS Junior All-Star series in 2017.

David Toms, a 13-time PGA TOUR champion, played in three AJGA events from 1982-1984 and currently competes on the PGA TOUR Champions. Three months prior to captaining the U.S. Team at the inaugural Junior Presidents Cup, Toms spoke to the field during the Players Meeting at Southern Trace Country Club. His foundation helps underprivileged, abused and abandoned children boost their character, self-esteem and career possibilities. 

“We love the fact that we’re very well represented internationally, nationally and locally,” said Tournament Chair Sheila Norman. “The kids just have a great time, and our community really goes all out for the tournament. It makes me proud to go out to the first tee and see the juniors introduced, especially the local ones.”

The event returned to Southern Trace Country Club in Shreveport, Louisiana, for the sixth time. The committee set an example for an ideal Junior All-Star by helping to secure donations for the tournament. Courtesy cars, water and meals were donated as well as fruit for players from local businesses.

“We have had some sponsors that have been very good to us with our AJGA tournament,” said Norman, the Director of Operations & Event Management at the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission. “Without all of our local sponsors, the event wouldn’t even be possible. Our community loves golf and Southern Trace, and our hotels really embrace everyone coming to our city.”

In addition to the community’s generosity with donations, the tournament was able to continue its history of charitable contributions. The Junior-Am helped to raise funds for both the AJGA’s Achieving Competitive Excellent (ACE) Grant and the David Toms Foundation.

“We look forward to the Junior-Am every year,” said Norman. “It’s an opportunity for our partners to see us put on an event firsthand and to play Southern Trace. Anything we can do to show off the AJGA to our partners helps us to tell the story of the ACE Grant on the local level.”

The AJGA will return to Southern Trace Country Club, for the seventh year of the David Toms Foundation Junior All-Star, June 11-14.