News

The inaugural LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship is underway at Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City, California.

The Tournament Chair of the Callaway Golf / Ollie Schniederjans Junior Classic, received the 2018 J.R. “Digger” Smith Award, which honors longtime service and dedication to junior golf.

The PGA TOUR, in partnership with the AJGA, announced that the 2019 Junior Presidents Cup will take place December 8-9, 2019 at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia.

Akshay Bhatia of Wake Forest, North Carolina, fought off a final-round charge from Frankie Capan of North Oaks, Minnesota, for the prestigious Junior Invitational at Sage Valley Golf Club title.

Check out this week's highlights from the world of golf across social media.

Alyssa Montgomery of Knoxville, Tennessee, won the Girl's Division with a birdie on the first playoff hole over Marissa Wenzler of Dayton, Ohio.

The American Junior Golf Association and the USGA are pleased to announce the 2018 USGA-AJGA Presidents’ Leadership Award candidates in the Honorable Mention category. These juniors have shown selfless effort and commitment to helping those around them through their volunteer work and fundraising efforts. It is with great honor that the AJGA and the USGA recognize their achievements. The USGA-AJGA Presidents' Leadership Award honors one male and one female junior golfer annually who demonstrate leadership, character and community service through their involvement with the Leadership Links program: a joint initiative founded by the USGA and AJGA in 2005 to further develop junior golfers through volunteerism. On Thursday, April 26, the finalists will be honored before announcing the 2018 USGA-AJGA Presidents’ Leadership Award recipients on Tuesday, May 1. The Honorable Mentions for the 2018 USGA-AJGA Presidents’ Leadership Award are: Honorable Mentions Boys Davis Billows, Lockport, Illinois, Class of 2021 Chandler Brewer, Tybee Island, Georgia, Class of 2019 Drew Doyle, Louisville, Kentucky, Class of 2020 Grant Drogosch, Windermere, Florida, Class of 2019 Christopher Gaeta, Lincroft, New Jersey, Class of 2018 Dawson Garrett, Fort Payne, Alabama, Class of 2020 Crosby Guercio, Frisco, Texas, Class of 2019 Derek Hitchner, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Class of 2018 Brock Hoover, Woodstock, Georgia, Class of 2020 Jay Kirchdorfer, Louisville, Kentucky, Class of 2018 Connor Murphy, Land O Lakes, Florida, Class of 2019 Lucas Palicki, Cincinnati, Ohio, Class of 2019 Jonathan Parker, Columbus, Georgia, Class of 2019 Thomas Salanito, Palm Harbor, Florida, Class of 2020 Evan Sitts, Oneonta, New York, Class of 2019 Jetty Sivongsay, Fullerton, California, Class of 2019 Zach Zawisny, Staten Island, New York, Class of 2019 Bob Zhu, Palo Alto, California, Class of 2020 Girls Isha Dhruva, Katy, Texas, Class of 2019 Mimi Hoang, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Class of 2023 Tiffany Hu, Cerritos, California, Class of 2018 Chloe Morrissey, Gurnee, Illinois, Class of 2020 Kennedy Noe, Knoxville, Tennessee, Class of 2021 Adrienne Rohwedder, Prospect Heights, Illinois, Class of 2019 Symantha Rohwedder, Prospect Heights, Illinois, Class of 2020 Kaylee Sakoda, Cypress, California, Class of 2019 Kimberly Shen, Johns Creek, Georgia, Class of 2022 Rebecca Skoler, Needham, Massachusetts, Class of 2020 Vanessa Wang, Rowland Heights, California, Class of 2018 About Leadership Links Since 2009, the Leadership Links program has helped more than 2,500 junior golfers make a difference in their communities by generating more than $2.2 million in charitable contributions to hundreds of charities and the AJGA's Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant. Leadership Links is a program that allows the AJGA to further its mission to help develop young men and women by teaching charitable-giving skills and service-oriented practices at an early age. This program gives juniors all the tools necessary to donate their time, talent and resources to local charities and the ACE Grant. Visit www.ajga.org/ll for more. About the USGA The USGA conducts the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open, as well as 10 annual amateur championships, two state team championships and international matches, attracting players and fans from more than 160 countries. Together with The R&A, the USGA governs the game worldwide, jointly administering the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, equipment standards and World Amateur Golf Rankings. The USGA’s reach is global with a working jurisdiction in the United States, its territories and Mexico, serving more than 25 million golfers and actively engaging 150 golf associations. The USGA is one of the world’s foremost authorities on research, development and support of sustainable golf facility management practices. It serves as a primary steward for the game’s history and invests in the development of the game through the delivery of its services and its ongoing “For the Good of the Game” grants program. Additionally, the USGA’s Course Rating and Handicap systems are used on six continents in more than 50 countries. For more information about the USGA, visit usga.org.

Local TV Coverage The Strategic Communications / Justin Thomas Junior Championship presented by Phocus takes place April 20-22 at Harmony Landing Country Club in Goshen, Kentucky.

The Pinehurst, North Carolina, native is set to host the 8th edition of the Carolina Cup benefiting the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation.

Luis Fernando Barco of Lima, Peru, emerged from a crowded pack to win the 2018 Terra Cotta Invitational by two strokes.