The American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) is continuing to make one of the best ways to get started with the AJGA even better! Beginning in 2023, when a player qualifies into the tournament field via an AJGA Qualifier, the tournament fee will be reduced by the amount paid for the qualifier.
This initiative will result in over $100,000 dollars annually staying in the pockets of AJGA members and their families, offsetting a portion of tournament costs, and continuing our multi-year efforts to eliminate barriers into competitive junior golf (In 2022, the AJGA reduced Junior Membership, Qualifier, and Preview Series fees by nearly 10%). Our Preview Series entry fees dropped again in 2023 and are now 15% lower than 2021 levels.
Eighteen-hole AJGA Qualifiers allow juniors to put themselves in a position to perform and gain valuable experience on their journey through junior golf and beyond at the amateur, collegiate and professional level. Last year featured nearly 8,000 playing opportunities nationwide in 103 AJGA Qualifiers resulting in over 1,000 players qualifying into corresponding tournament fields.
Unlike various AJGA tournament series’, there is no limit to the number of qualifiers a junior can play within a year. With the goal of playing your way into the tournament field, players can also earn Performance Based Entry (PBE) Status by finishing in the top 50% of an AJGA Qualifier. Click here to view yardages and scoring averages to qualify and earn PBE status across different types of AJGA Qualifiers in 2022. Additionally, Qualifiers for the Preview Series are open to our entire membership, a new platform launched last year providing significant opportunities for players to get started in the spring.
Numerous professional golfers began their AJGA junior golf career playing in AJGA Qualifiers and utilized that foundational experience as they ascended to the heights of the game.
Below are several LPGA Tour and PGA TOUR Professionals who began their AJGA junior golf career at an AJGA Qualifier:
LPGA Tour
- Lilia Vu: 2010 Qualifier - Winn Grips Heather Farr Classic hosted by Longbow Golf Club
- Finish: 8th
- Cheyenne Knight: 2010 Qualifier - AJGA Houston Junior
- Finish: T9
- Pajaree Anannarukarn: 2015 Qualifier - St. Francisville Area Foundation Junior at The Bluffs
- Finish: 1st
PGA TOUR
- Joel Dahmen: 2004 Qualifier - Heather Farr Classic
- Finish: T10
- Max Homa: 2006 Qualifier - Las Vegas Founders Junior Golf Championship Presented by Meadow Gold Dairy
- Finish: T17
- Keith Mitchell: 2007 Qualifier - Ringgold Telephone Company Junior Classic
- Finish: T22
- Sahith Theegala: 2010 Qualifier - Las Vegas Junior Open presented by The Pacemaker
- Finish: T5
- Justin Thomas: 2005 Qualifier - Natural Resource Partners Bluegrass Junior
- Finish: T34
View more information about AJGA Qualifiers and contact the AJGA Player Services Department at ajga@ajga.org or 770-868-4200 with any questions as you get started this season!
About the AJGA
The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships, and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls, ages 12-19) of more than 7,900 members from 50 states and 51 foreign countries. Through initiatives like the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant, a financial assistance program, and Leadership Links, a service-oriented platform that teaches juniors charitable-giving skills, the AJGA fosters the growth of golf’s next generation.
TaylorMade and adidas are the AJGA’s National Sponsors, supporting the AJGA for more than 25 years. TaylorMade has served as the Official Ball of the AJGA since 2016. adidas has been the Official Apparel and Footwear of the AJGA since 2017. Rolex, in its fourth decade of AJGA sponsorship, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004.
AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 1,000 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Patrick Cantlay, Billy Horschel, Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Tiger Woods, Paula Creamer, Jessica Korda, Nelly Korda, Cristie Kerr, Stacy Lewis, Inbee Park and Lexi Thompson.