Rolex AJGA Rankings

The Rolex AJGA Rankings is the proprietary system created by the AJGA to identify and rank the top junior players who have competed in the premier junior golf tournaments in the U.S. The specific purposes for which the AJGA uses the Rolex AJGA Rankings are:


1. to guide the Rolex Junior All-America selection process
2. to select or round out AJGA Invitational fields
3. to determine AJGA Wyndham Cup teams, the PING Junior Solheim Cup team, the Junior Presidents Cup team, the AJGA Junior All-Star team, and other international tournament selections

• The information on this page is valid for the 2018-19 Rolex AJGA Rankings year (begins with the 2018 Bobby Chapman Junior Invitational (October 19-21, 2018) and concludes with ranked tournaments the weekend of October 11 - 14, 2019 and is subject to change in 2019-20.

• The rankings are calculated on a 52-week rolling points cycle. Only the most recent 52 weeks are counted in the rankings.

• The rankings are typically updated within 2 business days following the end of a Rolex AJGA-ranked tournament.

• Players are ranked on an "average points per tournament basis." A minimum divisor of six (6) is set, meaning that players who play in six or fewer tournaments will have their point total divided by 6 to determine their ranking. Players may be ranked if they have played in fewer than six tournaments, but they must play at least six tournaments in order to receive the full value for each performance. Players that play more than six tournaments will have their point total divided by the total number of tournaments played.

• All starts in ranked tournaments will count towards a player's ranking. Any withdrawals, disqualifications, etc., will count as a tournament played once a player begins said tournament.

• The system rewards players who compete against strong fields by assigning a point value to each tournament included in the rankings. The point value assigned to a tournament is based on the strength of field for that tournament, discussed below.

Tournaments included in the rankings are the following AJGA tournaments:

• Invitationals*
• Open tournaments*
• Senior Events
• Junior All-Star Series (JAS) tournaments
• Junior Golf Hub Preview Series tournaments

* see Bonus Points section for recognition of Team Events

and the following Non-AJGA tournaments:

• Bobby Chapman Junior Invitational (Boys)
• Boys Junior PGA Championship (Boys)
• Bubba Conlee National Junior
• Girls Junior PGA Championship (Girls)
• IMG Academy Junior World Championship
• Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship (Girls)
• Jones Cup Junior Invitational (Boys)
• Junior Invitational at Sage Valley Golf Club (Boys)
• Junior Orange Bowl International Golf Championship
• Kathy Whitworth Invitational (Girls)
• Scott Robertson Memorial
• Southern Junior Championship (Boys)
• U.S. Girls’ Junior (Girls)
• U.S. Junior Amateur (Boys)
• Western Junior Championship (Boys)

A tournament included in the Rolex AJGA Rankings is assigned points ranging from 10 - 150 based on the strength of field once the tournament has concluded. Strength of field is measured by the cumulative number of quality points earned by that tournament field. Each tournament point level has an associated quality point range that is used to determine a tournament’s point value. Quality point ranges are not available to view online. Please note, a tournament’s point value is not a direct 1 to 1 correlation to the quality points a tournament field has earned over the past 52-weeks. For example, a tournament field that has earned 90 quality points does not mean the tournament point value will be 90 points.

Once an initial tournament point level has been established, a tournament has the ability to rise in value through the remainder of the current rankings season, up to the 150-point level, but it will not decrease in value. Minimum Value tournaments listed below also have the ability to rise in value.

There are also tournaments at the 200-point level. This value is locked-in and will not change after the tournament is played.

In all, there are 20 different tournament point levels in the Rolex AJGA Rankings (10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 90, 100, 120, 150, and 200).

Strength of field is calculated as follows:

• Cumulative number of quality points a given tournament field has earned in all Rolex AJGA Golf-ranked tournaments over the past 52 weeks
• Quality points, based on tournament type, are determined as follows:

Boys Quality Points based on Tournament Type
Invitational - 1st place earns 15 points down to 1 point for 15th place
Open/Senior - 1st place earns 10 points down to 1 point for 10th place
Junior All-Star - 1st place earns 5 points down to 1 point for 5th place
Junior Golf Hub Preview - 1st place earns 1 point

Girls Quality Points based on Tournament Type
Invitational - 1st place earns 10 points down to 1 point for 10th place
Open/Senior - 1st place earns 5 points down to 1 point for 5th place
Junior All-Star - 1st place earns 3 points down to 1 point for 3rd place
Junior Golf Hub Preview - 1st place earns 1 point

Notes:

• Quality points at the AJGA Junior All-Star Invitational at Reynolds Lake Oconee and the KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational will be calculated at the "Open" level
• Quality points at Non-AJGA tournaments that are NOT locked at the 200-point level will be calculated at the "Open" level
• Quality points at Non-AJGA tournaments that are locked at the 200-point level will be calculated at the "Invitational" level

The following tournaments are locked at the 200-point level:The 200-point level is reserved for AJGA Invitationals (with the exception of team events, the AJGA Junior All-Star Invitational at Reynolds Lake Oconee, and the KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational) and select non-AJGA tournaments.

AJGA Tournaments

• AJGA Simplify Boys Championship at Carlton Woods (Boys)
• ANA Junior Inspiration (Girls)
• ANNIKA Invitational USA presented by Rolex (Girls)
• Buick Shanshan Feng AJGA Girls Invitational (Girls)
• The Junior PLAYERS Championship (Boys)
• The PING Invitational
• Polo Golf Junior Classic at Liberty National
• Rolex Girls Junior Championship (Girls)
• Rolex Tournament of Champions
• Swinging Skirts AJGA Invitational (Girls)
• Thunderbird International Junior
• Wyndham Invitational presented by BB&T (Boys)

Non-AJGA Tournaments:

• Boys Junior PGA Championship (Boys)
• Girls Junior PGA Championship (Girls)
• Junior Invitational at Sage Valley Golf Club (Boys)
• U.S. Girls' Junior (Girls)
• U.S. Junior Amateur (Boys)
• Western Junior Championship (Boys)

The minimum point value based on tournament type is listed below:

• Open tournaments* = 35 points
• Senior Events = 20 points
• ACDS Junior All-Star Series tournaments = 20 points
• Non-AJGA tournaments = 20 points
• Junior Golf Hub Preview Series tournaments = 15 points
• Junior Golf Hub Preview Series tournaments (Ages 12-15) = 10 points

*see Bonus Points for recognition of Team Events

Below is a complete listing of individual tournaments that have earned a higher minimum point value for the 2018-19 Rankings year.

120 Points
Bishops Gate Golf Academy Junior Championship (Boys & Girls)
PING Heather Farr Classic (Boys & Girls)
AJGA Girls Championship (Girls)

100 Points
Bobby Chapman Junior Invitational (Boys)
Jones Cup Junior Invitational (Boys)
Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship (Girls)
Kathy Whitworth Invitational (Girls)
C.T. Pan Junior Championship (Boys & Girls)
Justin Thomas Junior Championship (Boys & Girls)
Scott Robertson Memorial (Boys & Girls)
IMG Academy Junior World Championship (Boys)
AJGA Junior All-Star Invitational at Reynolds Lake Oconee (Boys & Girls)

90 Points
IMG Academy Junior World Championship (Girls)

80 Points
Hunter Mahan Junior Championship presented by Baylor Scott & White Sports Performance Center at The Star (Girls)
Sergio and Angela Garcia Foundation Junior Championship presented by Callaway Golf (Boys & Girls)
Callaway Golf / Ollie Schniederjans Junior Classic presented by UHY LLP CPA’s (Girls)
Bubba Conlee National Junior (Boys & Girls)

75 Points
Callaway Golf / Ollie Schniederjans Junior Classic presented by UHY LLP CPA’s (Boys)
Southern Junior Championship (Boys)

70 Points
Foley Performance Academy @ EaglesDream Junior Championship (Boys)
KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational (Boys & Girls)
Under Armour® / Jordan Spieth Championship presented by American Campus Communities (Boys)

65 Points
Hunter Mahan Junior Championship presented by Baylor Scott & White Sports Performance Center at The Star (Boys)
AJGA Junior at Yolo Fliers (Boys)
Rome Junior Classic presented by State Mutual Insurance Company (Boys)

60 Points
Junior Orange Bowl International Golf Championship (Boys & Girls)
Foley Performance Academy @ EaglesDream Junior Championship (Girls)
AJGA Vista Valley Junior presented by Genesis (Boys)
ClubCorp Mission Hills Desert Junior (Girls)
Under Armour® / Alison Lee Championship presented by Irvine Technology Corporation (Boys & Girls)
Billy Horschel Junior Championship presented by Zurich (Boys & Girls)

55 Points
AJGA Junior at Yolo Fliers (Girls)
Rome Junior Classic presented by State Mutual Insurance Company (Girls)

50 Points
ClubCorp Mission Hills Desert Junior (Boys)
Under Armour® / Jordan Spieth Championship presented by American Campus Communities (Girls)
Killington Junior Golf Championship (Boys)

45 Points
AJGA Vista Valley Junior presented by Genesis (Girls)
the Memorial Junior(Boys)
Scott Stallings Junior Championship presented by Pilot Flying J (Boys)
Circle K Junior Championship hosted by Otter Creek (Boys)
Enagic Junior Championship (Boys)
Bass Pro Shops / Payne Stewart Junior Championship (Boys)
UHY LLP CPA's Detroit Junior at Forest Lake (Boys)

40 Points
Natural Resource Partners Bluegrass Junior presented by BrickStreet Insurance (Boys)
Insperity Invitational / Patrick Reed AJGA Junior Championship (Boys)
Killington Junior Golf Championship (Girls)

The links below show the points distribution at each tournament point level based on a player’s tournament finish position:

• Boys Point Levels
• Girls Point Levels

For boys, at a minimum the top 30 receive points. Players finishing in the top 50% of an event or making a cut (whichever is the greater number of players) are also guaranteed points. (Exception: Boys division at the KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational will recognize top 50% only).

For girls, at a minimum the top 10 receive points (top 15 for 100 point events, top 20 for 120 & 150 point events, and top 25 for 200 point events). Players finishing in the top 50% of an event or making a cut (whichever is the greater number of players) are also guaranteed points.

Ties at any finish position receive the same points as a solo finish at that position.

Tournaments that complete half or less of their originally scheduled number of holes will receive 75% of their point value.

An AJGA Girls tournament field that has less than 12 girls start the tournament will receive 75% of its point value.

Bonus points are awarded to the following players:

15 Bonus Points

• Jimmy Walker Challenge Participants (Boys)

30 Bonus Points (20 points in previous years)

• U.S. Girls’ Junior - Stroke Play Medalist (Girls)
• U.S. Junior Amateur - Stroke Play Medalist (Boys)

35 Bonus Points

• Junior Presidents Cup Participants (Boys)
• PING Junior Solheim Cup Participants (Girls)
• Wyndham Cup Participants

Bonus points will be added to each players’ total points in the next revision of the Rolex AJGA Rankings following the conclusion of the tournament. Team events, such as the Jimmy Walker Challenge, Junior Presidents Cup, PING Junior Solheim Cup, and Wyndham Cup, do not increase a player’s tournament divisor.

Each AJGA Invitational has specific entry criteria. Please click here to view the AJGA Invitational Criteria.

Players who meet the criteria for an Invitational will receive an invitation to that tournament. Alternate spots are filled via the Rolex AJGA Rankings. Ties will be broken by best individual standing on Golfweek or Junior Golf Scoreboard Rankings.

After the initial application deadline for each invitational, a Priority List will be available on the Rolex AJGA Rankings homepage to view a player’s current alternate status. Please note that alternate status can fluctuate with each Rolex AJGA Rankings update. Players who earn an invitation based on the Rolex AJGA Rankings will be contacted with entry information for that tournament.

Players must have competed in a minimum of six Rolex AJGA-ranked tournaments, and be a current AJGA member, to be eligible for year-end Rolex Junior All-America honors*.

AJGA team events (Wyndham Cup, PING Junior Solheim Cup, Junior Presidents Cup, and the Jimmy Walker Challenge only) count, if needed, for the purpose of reaching the six-tournament minimum, but they do not increase a player’s divisor.

All starts in ranked tournaments will count towards a player’s ranking. Any withdrawals, disqualifications, etc., will count as a tournament played once a player begins said tournament. Graduating seniors are eligible for Rolex Junior All-America honors as long as they have met the above criteria.

Format of the Rolex Junior All-America Teams:
First Team: Top 12 eligible boys and top 12 eligible girls in the Rolex AJGA Rankings

Second Team: Next 12 eligible boys and next 12 eligible girls in the Rolex AJGA Rankings

Honorable Mention: Next 24 eligible boys and next 24 eligible girls in the Rolex AJGA Rankings

The 2018-19 Rolex AJGA Rankings year, as it relates to naming the Rolex Junior All-America Teams, begins with the 2018 Bobby Chapman Junior Invitational (October 19-21, 2018) and concludes with ranked tournaments the weekend of Columbus Day (October 11 - 14, 2019). A priority list for the Rolex Junior All-America Teams is typically available on the Rolex AJGA Rankings homepage in early September to show updated standings as the Rankings year nears completion.

* Due to the cancellation of the 2019 PING Invitational, the minimum number of tournaments required for Rolex Junior All-America consideration will be reduced to five, and the minimum number for 2019 Rolex Junior Player of the Year consideration will remain at six.

Rolex Junior Players of the Year
Introduced by the AJGA in 1978, the Rolex Junior Player of the Year award recognizes one boy and one girl who had the most outstanding year in junior golf. The top eligible finisher in the year-end Rolex AJGA Rankings is the leading candidate for the award. The Rolex Junior Player of the Year honor recognizes not only an outstanding athlete but a well-rounded individual who has demonstrated a commitment to the goals and objectives of the AJGA while being a positive role model for other junior golfers.

Additional factors which may be included in the identification process:

• Rolex AJGA Rankings position

• Conduct at national junior competitions and functions

• Head to head competition

• Performance throughout the entire season

• Participation in top amateur and/or professional events

• Position in other national junior rankings