U.S. Girls’ Junior
The U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship was established by the USGA in 1949, one year after the equivalent U.S. Junior Amateur for young men. It’s a competition that comprises two days of 18-hole stroke play, with the leading 64 competitors then involved in match play ties to determine the winner. A medal is awarded to the golfer with the best stroke play aggregate for the 36 holes played by all competitors. Final matches have been decided over 36 holes since 2006.
With more than 1,500 golfers now applying for entry, pre-qualifying at approximately forty venues around the country takes place in advance of the actual event. It’s a far cry from the inaugural contest on the Bala course at Philadelphia Country Club, when only 33 girls from 17 states took part.
Marlene Bauer, who became a founder member of the LPGA (and later married her sister’s former husband, the architect Robert von Hagge) was the first person to claim the twin-handled sterling silver trophy donated by Glenna Collett Vare, the six-time U.S. Women’s Amateur champion between 1922 and 1935.
Since 2017, competitors under the age of nineteen are eligible to participate in the competition, which is an increase of one year on the previous limit. The champion also receives an exemption into the following year's U.S. Women's Open Championship.
Hollis Stacy won the competition a record three consecutive times, from 1969 to 1971, and she would go on in her professional career to capture four major championships during an illustrious career on the LPGA Tour.
Three girls have also triumphed in the final twice: Judy Eller (1957, 1958); Nancy Lopez (1972, 1974); and Seong Eun-jeong (2016, 2017). Inbee Park reached three...
The U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship was established by the USGA in 1949, one year after the equivalent U.S. Junior Amateur for young men. It’s a competition that comprises two days of 18-hole stroke play, with the leading 64 competitors then involved in match play ties to determine the winner. A medal is awarded to the golfer with the best stroke play aggregate for the 36 holes played by all competitors. Final matches have been decided over 36 holes since 2006.
With more than 1,500 golfers now applying for entry, pre-qualifying at approximately forty venues around the country takes place in advance of the actual event. It’s a far cry from the inaugural contest on the Bala course at Philadelphia Country Club, when only 33 girls from 17 states took part.
Marlene Bauer, who became a founder member of the LPGA (and later married her sister’s former husband, the architect Robert von Hagge) was the first person to claim the twin-handled sterling silver trophy donated by Glenna Collett Vare, the six-time U.S. Women’s Amateur champion between 1922 and 1935.
Since 2017, competitors under the age of nineteen are eligible to participate in the competition, which is an increase of one year on the previous limit. The champion also receives an exemption into the following year's U.S. Women's Open Championship.
Hollis Stacy won the competition a record three consecutive times, from 1969 to 1971, and she would go on in her professional career to capture four major championships during an illustrious career on the LPGA Tour.
Three girls have also triumphed in the final twice: Judy Eller (1957, 1958); Nancy Lopez (1972, 1974); and Seong Eun-jeong (2016, 2017). Inbee Park reached three finals (2002, 2003, 2005) but won only the first one.
Kay Cornelius won the 1981 edition of the tournament and joined her mother, Kathy, the 1956 U.S. Women's Open champion, as the only mother-daughter combination to win a USGA championship.
Only two clubs have hosted the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship on more than one occasion: Crestview Country Club in Wichita, Kansas (1980, 1991) and Somerset Hills in Bernardsville, New Jersey (1973, 1983).
The following venues where the championship has been held are not ranked in our Best in State listings so you will not find them listed below:
Banbury (2005), Brookhaven (1969), Carmel (2006), Crestview (1980, 1991), Del Rio (1976), Echo Lake (2002), Greeley (1982), Green Spring Valley Hunt Club (1999), Guyan (1977), Heather Downs (1956), Illahe Hills (1981), Indian Hills (2001), Jefferson City (1972), Lakewood (1957), Leavanworth (1964), Legends of Tennessee (1997), Manasquan River (1990), Manor CC (1959), Meadow Lark (1994), Meridian Hills (1992), Mesa Verde (1993), Mill Creek (1984), Peach tree (1986), Philadelphia Country Club Bala course (1949) now known as Bala Golf Club, St Clair (1985), Wanakah (1950), Westward Ho (1996) and Woolfer’s Roost (1963).
U.S. Girls’ Junior host courses
Augusta Country Club
11th
The club will always be overshadowed by its famous neighbour, but Silva’s work is undoubtedly artful and we’re sure Augusta Country Club will only rise higher in future rankings.
Boone Valley
6th
Venue for the US Junior Amateur Championship in 2007, the course at Boone Valley Golf Club is a P.B. Dye layout that also hosted the Boone Valley Classic event on the PGA Senior Tour from 1996 to 2000.
Broadmoor (East)
6th
Golf arrived at the Broadmoor Resort in 1918 when Donald Ross created an 18-holer which was split in two when Robert Trent Jones Snr added two 9-hole loops, forming the East course in 1952 and the West in 1964.
Columbia Edgewater (Macan)
17th
Columbia Edgewater Country Club was designed by Dublin-born Vernon Macan, who became one of the Pacific Northwest’s most prolific architects of the Golden Age of golf course design.
Country Club of Buffalo
24th
The golf course of the Country Club of Buffalo is a unique 1926 Donald Ross creation that makes full use of the Onondaga Formation...
Country Club of North Carolina (Dogwood)
23rd
The Dogwood course at the Country Club of North Carolina is an Ellis Maples and Willard Byrd design that comprises half the golfing challenge at a fine 36-hole facility.
U.S. Girls’ Junior Leaderboard
Rank | Name | Courses Played |
---|---|---|
1 | Paul Rudovsky |
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2 | Bill Vostniak |
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3 | Joseph Andriole |
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= | Bob McCoy |
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5 | James VanArsdall |
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6 | Joshua Asher |
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7 | Jon Gillman |
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= | Pam Allen |
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= | David Harak |
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10 | BAM |
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