BESSEMER, ALABAMA (August 11, 2019) – Bent Brook Golf Course hosted eleven PGA Jr. League Section All-Star teams and their families on Saturday and Sunday for a fun weekend of competition.
It would be the All-Star Team from Huntsville led by PGA Professionals Mickey Wolfe (Canebrake Club) and Jay McClelland (Valley Hill CC) who took the title as Section Champion! The team will advance to the Regional at PGA National (Palm Beach Gardens, Florida) Sep. 7 & 8, where they will play for one of 12 spots in the 2019 PGA Jr. League Championship presented by National Car Rental at Grayhawk Golf Club (Scottsdale, Arizona) Oct. 11-14.
The PGA Jr. League Postseason presented by National Car Rental is designed to celebrate the recreational spring/summer season held in March through July, as well as provide a fun and welcoming environment for the 19 percent of PGA Jr. League players who identify as competitive golfers. Following the regular season, 10-player All-Star teams were formed from a combination of players in each local league.
PGA Jr. League brings friends and families together around fun, co-ed team golf experiences, all with expert coaching and instruction from PGA and LPGA Professionals. Kids wear numbered jerseys and play on teams with friends, using a scramble format for competition that encourages mentorship and promotes sportsmanship. A record 50,000 boys and girls participated in PGA Jr. League last year, growing from 42,000 players in 2017. For more information on PGA Jr. League, visit PGAJrLeague.com.
The competition began Saturday morning with an aggregate stroke play team-scramble format – the teams with the lowest four aggregate totals would qualify for the Section Championship. The All-Star team from the Hank Johnson School of Golf posted an early score of 2-under par, 103 which would be good enough to take the third qualifying spot while the Birmingham 1 team lost a playoff to retain the fourth seed going in to the Section Championship. The All-Star team from Auburn posted a 5-under par total of 100 to claim the second seed, and finally the Huntsville All-Star team posted an impressive 13-under par, 92 to take the top seed heading in to the Section Championship.
In the Semi-Finals, the Huntsville team got off to a quick start capturing all but one flag in their matches against Birmingham 1. Huntsvile would advance to the Championship match with a 10 ½ to 1 ½ victory. The Semi-Final matches between Hank Johnson School of Golf and Auburn eventually was cut short due to darkness Saturday evening and had to be resumed early Sunday morning.
Auburn rallied winning their final two holes to force a sudden-death playoff. The playoff would begin and end on hole number one, a par 4 where players can face a challenging up-hill, blind second shot. Auburn split the fairway with their tee-shot while HJSOG struggled from the left rough to get within thirty feet of the hole. Auburn chipped their third shot to about two feet while HJSOG missed a tricky seven-foot putt to force extra holes.
The Championship Match between Huntsville and Auburn began around mid-morning. Huntsville got off to a fast start capturing six of the first twelve flags, eventually leading to a 9 ½ to 2 ½ victory over the All-Star team from Auburn.
The Alabama – NW Florida PGA would like to extend its praises to Mickey Smith, PGA Director of Golf, and the rest of the Bent Brook Golf Course staff for hosting all PGA Jr. League Players, families and PGA Professionals. Additionally, a big thank you to National Car Rental for their support of the PGA of America and PGA Jr. League programs across the U.S. As the Official Partner of PGA Jr. League, National Car Rental is committed to growing future business leaders by growing junior golf. National Car Rental helps provide fun, engaging and welcoming experiences for PGA Jr. League golfers and their families all season and postseason long.
###
ABOUT NATIONAL CAR RENTAL
National Car Rental is a premium brand serving the daily rental needs of the frequent airport traveler throughout North America. With National, time-sensitive customers in the United States are able to quickly choose their own vehicles, based upon their advance reservation and requested car class, and then simply drive away from the airport.
ABOUT PGA JR. LEAGUE
PGA Jr. League is a game-changing opportunity for boys and girls to learn and play golf. The program brings family and friends together around fun, team golf experiences with expert coaching from PGA and LPGA Professionals.
ABOUT THE ALABAMA-NW FLORIDA PGA
The Alabama – NW Florida PGA is one of 41 Sections that make up the PGA of America. Our Section is headquartered in the Birmingham suburb of Pelham, Alabama at Ballantrae Golf Club. Established in 1969, the Section consists of over 400 Members and Associates in the state of Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. The Section exists to support its Members who are the driving force to growing the sport and business of golf.