This week the AJGA and China Junior Golf Tour (CJGT) have joined forces in Yorba Linda, Calif., for one world-class tournament: the AJGA / CJGT Junior at Yorba Linda.
In an effort to expand their impact globally, the CJGT has brought golfers and staff to the United States. CJGT Chief Executive Officer Sam Yang spoke at the AJGA Players Meeting about junior golf in China. Mr. Yang provided even more insight about the CJGT with communication staff member Rick Palermo in this brief Q&A:
RP: What is the CJGT?
SY: We currently run over 15 championship junior golf tournaments throughout China which are officially sanctioned with the China Golf Association, which is part of the Ministry of Sport. Our goal is to provide a platform for juniors to play high quality and well organized competitive golf to help develop the next generation of both college and professional golfers. We currently focus on China and we are in the process of expanding our championship tournaments to include other Asian countries like Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam and even as far as the Middle East too.
RP: Why has the CJGT come to America?
SY: To expose and introduce our best junior golfers from China to competitive golf, educational and professional opportunities in America. In addition to the AJGA, this summer we are working very closely with various organizations like Southern California PGA and The Yang Foundation. We have organized coaching clinics at the Riviera Country Clun, UCLA and USC as well. We are also very happy to be back with our friends at the Yorba Lina Country Club again for our tournament. They are always very generous and an excellent host.
RP: What is the relationship like between the CJGT and the AJGA, and what do you hope to build accomplish with this sponsorship?
SY: We at the CJGT are very proud of our association and partnership with the AJGA. This is our second year and third tournament that we are sponsoring. We are constantly learning a lot from the AJGA to help make our CJGT tournament in China more like the AJGA in terms of organization, professionalism, and especially with its core values of proper etiquette, pace of play, care for the course and saying thank you to all the sponsors and supporters. At the moment, we are currently focused on bringing our players from China over to America, but eventually we plan to o the reverse and invite of the best American Junior golfers to play and compete in our championship tournaments in China and throughout Asia.