Braselton, GA - The American Junior Golf Association announced the Mizuho Americas Open received the Media Award and Invitational of the Year Award for 2023.
Each year, the AJGA presents awards to the tournaments with the best individual hospitality, Junior-Am fundraising, charitable giving and volunteer base. Awards are also given to the events with engaged media and social media participation. Finally, the AJGA recognizes the year’s most outstanding golf professional, superintendent and golf course executive, as well as the most game-changing event, best new event, best Preview Series tournament, best Ninja Junior All-Star Series tournament, best Invitational and overall tournament of the year. Tournament awards for the 2023 season will be presented on-site at the 2024 tournament.
The event in its first year had the top-24 girls in the Rolex AJGA Rankings compete alongside the 120-player LPGA field for their own individual title. The unique format marks the first time the AJGA and LPGA have partnered to showcase the stars of today competing inside-the-ropes with the future of the game, creating an unprecedented week of education and access to inspire the next generation of LPGA Tour players. Hosted by professional golfer Michelle Wie West, the 2023 event was contested at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey.
To elevate the experience for the juniors, each player participating in the event had access to their own personal locker throughout the week that was filled with TaylorMade golf balls, adidas crewneck, a customized Stanley tumbler, an AJGA tournament towel and additional gifting suite options with Supergoop, SPANX, and more.
On Monday, the girls enjoyed a welcome dinner provided by a local NYC taco spot, Dirty Taco, following their practice round. AJGA Executive Director Stephen Hamblin, Excel Sports Management Vice President Kevin Hopkins, Liberty National Golf Club's Dan and Paul Fireman, and LPGA Tour pro and tournament host Michelle Wie West all shared some wisdom for the girls before Wie West gifted the juniors Beats by Dre headphones.
After each junior was paired with a LPGA Tour player as a mentor, the girls were able to practice alongside the professionals on Tuesday. Many of the girls exchanged their contact information with their mentor and still talk to them to this day.
On Wednesday, Yana Wilson of Henderson, Nevada, Gianna Clemente of Estero, Florida, and Katie Li of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, all participated in a National Press Conference to discuss the event from the AJGA side. Following the press conference, all the juniors at the event were given the opportunity to use Liberty National's Ferry and visit New York City.
For Thursday and Friday tournament rounds, the AJGA girls competed together and were the last groups off after the LPGA Tour players. Following the LPGA cut on Friday, the AJGA girls were then paired with LPGA players for the final two rounds based on their stableford scores. This gave the juniors the opportunity to play inside the ropes alongside the LPGA Tour pros based on their performance.
When you think about the LPGA embracing our players, Liberty National Golf Club, this iconic venue, to open their arms to the junior golfers, for the Fireman to support this, it was just a phenomenal experience. We're giving the Fireman Family the Invitational of the Year for all the uniqueness that they give these girls and for giving them an opportunity to showcase their skills.
It’s been an incredible journey building Liberty National Golf Club over the span of 20 years, and we couldn’t be prouder to host the Mizuho Americas Open.
Liberty National Golf Club treated juniors and their families to an unforgettable experience, bringing together one of the strongest fields in junior golf. This award reflects the dedication the tournament committee, golf course staff and members of the club display continuing to give back to charity and junior golf and host high caliber events.
It truly is an honor to witness the best women’s golfers in the world play alongside the top AJGA juniors and closely aligns with our unwavering commitment to junior golf and growing the game for all.
The inaugural event also marked the first ever televised AJGA event with coverage on Golf Channel all four rounds. Rounds 4 & 3 coverage for the LPGA ranked in the top five telecasts of all telecasts for 2023 and were the top two highest-viewed telecasts for nonmajors.
Social content throughout the week was posted with the hashtag #MizuhoAmericasOpen so media outlets could join the conversation and interact with the AJGA. Media outlets including GolfWeek , the LPGA Tour , Sports Business Journal , NBC Sports , Mizuho Financial Group , Golf.com and Golf Digest covered the event on their websites and social media. The event was also a finalist for 2023 Best New Sports Event by SportsTravel Awards.
Two-time Rolex Junior All-American, Yana Wilson was crowned the AJGA champion and later in the year announced as the 2023 Rolex Junior Player of the Year. For the LPGA event, two-time Rolex Junior Player of the Year, Rose Zhang, became the first player to win while making their pro debut on the LPGA Tour since Beverly Hanson in 1951. Zhang, who was a Liberty National ACE Grant recipient, credits her ability to pursue her dreams and play golf at a high level to the Liberty National ACE Grant Program.
Gianna Clemente of Estero, Florida, won the 2024 Mizuho Americas Open while Nelly Korda won her sixth LPGA title of the year.
For more information about the AJGA Tournament Awards or the tournament, please contact Angela Ding (ading@ajga.org) in the AJGA Communications Department.