2011 tournament begins Aug. 22
BRASELTON, GA -- Local organizers of the Randy Wise Junior Open, which took place at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club in Grand Blanc, Mich., Aug. 2-5, 2010, have earned the Most Improved Tournament Award from the American Junior Golf Association.
The Most Improved Tournament Award recognizes a tournament committee that has worked hard to develop and enhance the AJGA tournament experience for players and their families.
Each year, the AJGA presents awards to the tournaments with the best individual media coverage, Junior-Am fundraising, charitable giving, volunteer base and hospitality. The AJGA also recognizes its golf professional of the year, best new tournament, best Invitational, and overall tournament of the year.
One of the AJGA’s longest-running events, the Randy Wise Junior Open has been a staple on the AJGA’s schedule since 1985. The Randy Wise Automotive Team joined as the title sponsor in 2007, raising the tournament to the next level.
The tournament has been held at several courses in the Flint area, but moved to Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club in 2010. Host to the Buick Open for 51 years, Warwick Hills provided a PGA TOUR-quality course for the players and had Buick Open memorabilia on display throughout the week. Juniors received an experience similar to that of the professionals with locker room access, a players-only lounge and a course setup similar to the Buick Open. Each player was also given the opportunity to take a photo holding the Buick Open trophy.
Off the golf course, players were treated to activities that included a trick shot show, lawn games and complimentary root beer floats.
The rich history of the tournament starts with its tournament chairman. Dr. Howard Foote has been part of the tournament from the start, playing in the Junior-Am at the first event in 1985. He continued to volunteer and take on growing roles with the tournament until assuming the tournament chairman position.
“I think it’s a great organization,” Foote said of the AJGA. “Being a golfer and loving the game so much, I’ve enjoyed watching these juniors play all these years in it. My son played in it. It’s a labor of love.”
Foote credits much of the recent success to the tournament title sponsor, Randy Wise. Wise previously supported the event by participating in the Junior-Am. When the event needed a sponsor, Wise stepped in stating that he liked what the event stood for and did not want to see it leave the community.
“I’m honored,” Wise said. “We are trying to put out the best tournament we can. We are glad to be recognized, but that’s not why we do it.”
The Tournament Committee will accept its award at the AJGA's Annual Meeting, which will be held March 11-13 at Château Élan Resort in Braselton, Ga.
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 5,000 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.
Titleist, the AJGA's National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association's success since 1989. Rolex Watch USA, which is in its third decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Polo Ralph Lauren became the AJGA's second Premier Partner.
AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 400 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.
2010 AJGA Tournament Awards
Tournament of the Year Winn Grips Heather Farr Classic hosted by Longbow Golf Club
Longbow Golf Club (Mesa, Ariz.)
Invitational of the Year ANNIKA Invitational
Reunion Resort (Reunion, Fla.)
Newcomer of the Year Erie Junior Golf Classic
Kahkwa Club (Erie, Pa.)
Most Improved Randy Wise Junior Open
Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club (Grand Blanc, Mich.)
Media Mayakoba Junior Golf Classic
El Camaleón Golf Club (Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico)
Charitable Giving Erie Junior Golf Classic
Kahkwa Club (Erie, Pa.)
Junior-Am HP Boys Championship at Carlton Woods
The Club at Carlton Woods (The Woodlands, Texas)
Volunteers Evitt Foundation RTC Junior All-Star
WindStone Golf Club (Ringgold, Ga.)
Hospitality Rolex Girls Junior Championship
Long Cove Club (Hilton Head, S.C.)
Golf Professional Jack Gaudion, Co-Owner – The Legend Clubs
McArthur Towel & Sports Future Legends (Hartland, Wis.)
