BRASELTON, GEORGIA – Seven-time PGA TOUR winner and 2016 Olympic Gold medalist Justin Rose will continue his support of the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) in 2017 at the Justin Rose Junior All-Star Invitational at Reynolds Lake Oconee. Rose began his support of the AJGA in 2015 with AJGA National Sponsor TaylorMade-adidas Golf, at the TaylorMade-adidas Golf Junior at Innisbrook hosted by Justin Rose.
"Justin has been a longtime friend of Reynolds," said John Gunderson, president of Daniel Communities, the asset manager for Reynolds Lake Oconee. "With our relationship with Justin and our commitment to grow the game of golf, having an international player of his caliber makes for a natural partnership for us to come together to support the AJGA and host the world's finest up and coming juniors at our Great Waters course this October."
The Justin Rose Junior All-Star Invitational at Reynolds Lake Oconee will become a Columbus Day tradition through 2020. The Invitational will be the season-culminating tournament of the AJGA’s American College Development Services (ACDS) Junior All-Star Series for players ages 12 to 15, capping a season-long “Road to Reynolds” sequence of events showcasing the future of the game.
“I am proud to continue my relationship with the AJGA and support the Justin Rose Junior All-Star Invitational at Reynolds Lake Oconee,” Rose said. “I look forward to recognizing and encouraging outstanding performances of junior golfers throughout the year. The Road to Reynolds is just a starting point for how they will grow throughout their AJGA and amateur careers.”
Starting Columbus Day weekend in 2017 and continuing through the fall of 2020, 84 of the top male and female junior golfers will compete in a 54-hole, stroke play tournament at Reynolds Lake Oconee. The international field will be determined by the AJGA Rankings, a proprietary system that provides a worldwide barometer of the top players using wins and top finishes in national junior golf events.
“All roads will lead to Reynolds Lake Oconee,” said Stephen Hamblin, executive director of the AJGA. “This Invitational promises to become one of the premier junior golf events in the world, given Justin Rose’s support, the level of competition, the world-class caliber of the golf at Reynolds, and the resources available to junior golfers.”
Reynolds Lake Oconee earned the Invitational of the Year and Media Awards after hosting the 2016 Rolex Tournament of Champions. The Justin Rose Junior All-Star Invitational at Reynolds Lake Oconee and Rolex Tournament of Champions are among the most significant AJGA events aimed at the next generation of golfers and hosted by Reynolds Lake Oconee.
Other notable events include the Linger Longer Invitational, featuring an elite field of NCAA men’s golf teams, is contested each March, while local qualifying rounds for the Drive, Chip and Putt National Championships are held on Reynolds’ renowned Landing Course each June.
The ACDS Junior All-Star Series has college and professional alumni including Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Morgan Hoffmann, Peter Uihlein, Bud Cauley, Patrick Reed and Alison Lee.
ACDS Junior All-Star Series
The ACDS Junior All-Star Series is a collection of events specifically-designed for boys and girls, ages 12-15. The competition provides an opportunity for younger members to develop their skills and build Performance Based Entry status to earn entry into Open tournaments.
About ACDS
American College Development Solutions (ACDS) assists junior athletes develop into college-bound student-athletes, helping to expand their academic, athletic, personal and cultural skill-sets, while guiding them towards their ultimate goal of joining the ranks of the NCAA. ACDS provides student-athletes with structured development and training programs according to authentic education and athletic preparation guidelines for college admissions, and opportunities for junior athletes to get exposed to college coaches. Operating in various countries, ACDS has become one of the world's leading college athletics development companies, pioneering a grassroots effort to educate international junior athletics communities of the realities of College sports in America. By focusing on long-term results, ACDS helps student-athletes live a more fulfilled and successful life at College and afterwards.
About Reynolds Lake Oconee
Reynolds Lake Oconee, located between Atlanta and Augusta, Ga., is situated along more than 350 miles of Lake Oconee shoreline and features six championship golf courses, dining, swimming pools, pedestrian trails, marinas, a tennis center and a wellness campus. Reynolds is also home to The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee, a 251-room lakefront resort and spa, which was named a 2015 AAA Five Diamond Lodging and 2014 Forbes Four-Star resort. The community is located about an hour and a half drive from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. For more information, visit reynoldslakeoconee.com.