Houston, TX - For the third year in a row the AJGA supported the annual Mack Champ Invitational held at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas.
The event whose mission is to put on the best junior golf tournament for juniors from diverse backgrounds grew again in 2023. For the first time in its history, the Cameron Champ Foundation will host two events - one for the boys March 17-19 at Memorial Park and one for the girls April 13-15 at The Club at Carlton Woods - Jack Nicklaus Signature Course. Carlton Woods is home to the first LPGA major of the year, The Chevron Championship.
Cameron Champ was a highly accomplished junior golfer in his own right. He was named an AJGA Rolex Junior All-American in 2012 and 2013. Although never an AJGA champion, he did record six top-10 finishes and made 11 invitational appearances. He went on to play collegiate golf at Texas A&M University, before turning professional in 2017.
Named in honor of Mack Champ, Cameron’s late grandfather, the tournament’s mission has three main components. The first to provide a premier competitive experience for junior golfers from diverse backgrounds. The second to create an event where players and their families can connect with each other, share their journeys and build relationships that will last a lifetime. The last, to provide a springboard into top-tier junior tournaments and college scholarships.
This year's boys field included 84 players competing in two age divisions - 13 to 18 and 12-and-under. Of those 84 players, 48 are current AJGA members - 57% of the field. This number has more than doubled since year one of the event in 2021 where the field of 57 boys included 15 AJGA members (26%).
The AJGA was brought into the event to help with the golf operations side of the tournament. AJGA staff chose tournament hole locations and yardages, as well as served as rules/scoring officials.
The champion of each the boys and girls events in 2023 will earn fully exempt status with the AJGA. Fully Exempt status is the highest level of Performance Based Entry status and gives that player the highest priority for a tournament applied to.
Shiv Parmar of Selma, Texas, won the 13-18 division with a 54-hole tournament total of 4-under-par 212. He held off the defending champion of the event, KJ Ofahengaue of Lehi, Utah, by one stroke.
To learn more about the work of the Cameron Champ Foundation visit their website online here .