PGA Junior League Championship Held At Cog Hill

Six teams of kids ages seven to 13 will be competing for the first-ever PGA Junior League Golf Championship at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club outside of Chicago, Sept. 14-16. Teams from Atlanta, Boca Raton, Houston, San Francisco, Western New Jersey and the home city of Chicago will play a series of 9-hole matches to determine the champion.Coordinated by The PGA of America and LEJ Sports, the PGA Junior League Golf is a new team concept for aspiring young golfers, similar to “Little League Baseball.” More than 1,800 children competed on more than 120 teams from 22 markets participating in league play throughout June and early July. Following the regular season, teams competed in City Championships and then Regional Championships. The five Regional champions, plus the team from Chicago, will compete for the championship two weeks prior to the Ryder Cup.  “Just as the world’s best players are gathering in Chicago to compete for the Ryder Cup, a great group of junior players of all skill levels will be coming together to crown a champion at the junior level,” said PGA of America President Allen Wronowski. “The PGA is dedicated to growing the game and we are proud to implement a team concept for kids just like soccer, baseball and other sports. This type of program goes a long way toward getting more families involved in golf.”

The teams will arrive at Cog Hill for a practice round on Friday, Sept. 14. They have been divided into an East Conference (Atlanta, Boca Raton, New Jersey) and West Conference (Chicago, Houston, San Francisco) with teams playing two matches within their conference on Saturday, Sept. 15, and one inter-conference match on Sunday, Sept. 16. They play 9-hole matches with points awarded based on number of holes won. Coaches can substitute players every three holes ensuring all team members play. The championship trophy will be awarded at a closing ceremony following play on Sunday. 

“This championship is the culmination of a great first year,” said Wronowski. “We certainly salute the players and their families for their success. We have built a great foundation for the PGA Junior League Golf and expect to see incremental growth in this program in the years to come as more and more parents and kids discover golf as a great team sport and family activity.”