PING Phoenix Junior Relocates to ASU Karsten

AJGA to hold 22nd annual event at home of the Sun Devils, June 4-7

(BRASELTON, Ga.) – In 2012, the PING Phoenix Junior finds a new home at OB Sports-managed ASU Karsten Golf Course, home course of Arizona State University. The 22nd anniversary of the 54-hole stroke play event will feature 78 juniors, ages 12-18, from 16 states and Mexico.

Last year’s Boys Division champion Taylor Zoller of North Charleston, S.C., captured a win at his first-ever AJGA tournament after posting a 9-under-par 207. Zoller’s victory earned him entry into five additional AJGA events, including the Rolex Tournament of Champions. He now plays golf for Kent State University.

Jenny Hahn of Henderson, Nev., kicked off her 2011 season with a victory in the Girls Division after defeating local Scottsdale native Lindsey Weaver in a one-hole sudden death playoff. Hahn went on to post four additional AJGA top-10 finishes and currently ranks No. 18 in the Polo Golf Rankings. Weaver, who won the 2012 Winn Grips Heather Farr Classic hosted by Longbow Golf Club, will return to the 2012 PING Phoenix Junior at ASU Karsten field for her last appearance before starting college at Notre Dame in the fall.

Schedule of Events
A practice round will be June 4, with a shotgun beginning at 7 a.m. Tournament play begins June 5, with first- and second-round tee times from 6:30 – 8:30 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees. The final round will be played June 7, from 6:30 – 8:30 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees, with an awards ceremony to follow. All are welcome to attend and admission is free.

Prior to the event, an 18-hole TaylorMade-adidas Golf Qualifier will be June 3, at ASU Karsten with a 7 a.m. shotgun start. TaylorMade-adidas Golf Qualifiers give juniors an opportunity to “play their way in” to coinciding AJGA Open tournaments or build status for entry into a future event. The TaylorMade-adidas Golf Qualifier Series offers opportunities for AJGA juniors at approximately 50 AJGA Open events.

For more information on PING, visit www.ping.com. For more information on the ASU Karsten Golf Course, visit www.asukarsten.com or call (480) 921-8070.

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 12-18) of approximately 5,500 junior golfers from 49 states and more than 40 countries. To ensure scholarship opportunities for all junior golfers who have the skill, the AJGA created the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant program to provide financial assistance to young players in need.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 500 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Inbee Park and Morgan Pressel.

For information on the PING Phoenix Junior, please contact Kristi Bradley (kbradley@ajga.org) in the AJGA Communications Department at 678-425-1786 or visit ajga.org.

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