JERSEY CITY, New Jersey – Following the announcement of the creation of the inaugural Junior Presidents Cup on October 5, the PGA TOUR and American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) have finalized the official selection and eligibility criteria for the Junior Presidents Cup, which is set to take place Sept. 25-26, 2017, at Plainfield Country Club in Edison, New Jersey, just days prior to the start of the 2017 Presidents Cup at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Teams will be led by Honorary Captains Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, whose presence will ensure an unforgettable experience for each junior participant. Each honorary captain will be supported by a captain, who will handle the primary duties during the competition, including the creation of the daily pairings and conducting the draw of the matches. The U.S. Team will be captained by 2001 PGA Championship winner David Toms, while the International Team will be led by 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman.
Teams will consist of the top 24 junior boys from the United States and around the world, excluding Europe, split up into teams of 12. Participants for both teams must be at least 12 years old by the start of the tournament and must have not reached their 19th birthday or have yet graduated high school as of January 1, 2017.
Additionally, participants must be amateurs who have not yet started college and are not members of a competitive collegiate golf program in order to be eligible to play in the Junior Presidents Cup. The specific selection and eligibility criteria for each team is outlined below:
U.S. Team Selection / Eligibility Criteria
The U.S. Team will be made up of the leading 11 qualified players based on the AJGA Rankings as of August 3, 2017. In the event of a tie for 11th place, the selection will be decided by individual ranked highest on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) list at that time.
The 12th and final spot will be awarded to the leading player based on the AJGA Rankings as of September 6, 2017, who is not otherwise qualified. In the event of a tie, the selection will once again be determined by individual standing on the WAGR list.
For the August 3, 2017, selection date, the 52-week rankings window will include ranked events with a start date of August 1, 2016, and later, while the September 6, 2017, selection date 52-week rankings window will include ranked events with a start date of September 5, 2016, and later. The Junior PLAYERS Championship presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf will represent the final event where points can be earned toward qualifying for both the U.S. and International teams.
Each U.S. Team participant must also be a citizen of the United States and must be a current AJGA member in good standing.
International Team Selection / Eligibility Criteria
The International Team will be made up of the leading 11 qualified players based on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) as of August 3, 2017. The 12th and final spot will be awarded to the leading player on the WAGR list as of September 6, 2017, who is not otherwise qualified.
Each International Team participant must be a citizen of an eligible international Presidents Cup country (excludes European Ryder Cup countries).
About the Junior Presidents Cup
The Junior Presidents Cup is a two-day, spirited team match-play competition featuring 24 of the world’s top junior boys 19 years old and younger – 12 from the United States and 12 from around the world, excluding Europe – that takes place just days before the start of the biennial Presidents Cup. The Junior Presidents Cup was developed to give the world’s best non-European juniors a unique playing opportunity to compete in an international team match-play competition and showcase the global reach of junior golf. The next generation of Presidents Cup participants will take center stage when the inaugural Junior Presidents Cup matches take place at Plainfield Country Club on Sept. 25-26 in Edison, New Jersey.