PNGA Junior Amateur Championships being held at North Bellingham Golf Course
Bellingham, Wash. – The 68th Pacific Northwest Junior Boys’ Amateur and 67th Junior Girls’ Amateur championships are being held this week at North Bellingham Golf Course in Bellingham, Wash. The region’s premier championships for junior golfers traditionally attract top players from throughout the Northwest.
Championship Links:
Junior Boys’:
Junior Girls’:
The two championships are being held concurrently August 14-18, and are considered as counting events for the World Amateur Golf Ranking, as well as AJGA Performance Based Entry.
Both championships consist of 36-holes of stroke play qualifying (August 14-15) to determine seeding for the match play portion of the championships. For the Boys’ championship, 32 players will advance to match play; and for the Girls’, 16 players will advance.
All matches will be contested over 18-holes in a single-elimination format, with the exception of the two final matches, which will both be played over 36-holes on Friday, August 18th.
Players to watch for this year in the Junior Boys’:
- Baylor Larrabee(Ferndale, Wash.) – Won the 2023 WIAA 4A High School Boys’ State Championship. Won the individual title at the 2023 Eddie Hogan Cup.
- Ben Wilson (Burlington, Wash.) – Won the 2023 Washington Junior Golf Association State Championship.
- Braxton McDonald (Coldstream, B.C.) – finished runner-up at the 2022 PNGA Junior Boys’ Amateur.
- Trey Lambert (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho) – won the 13-14 age division at the 2023 Idaho Junior Boys’ Amateur.
The rich history of the PNGA Junior Boys’ Amateur Championship includes past champions such as World Golf Hall of Fame member Fred Couples, Korn Ferry Tour players Alex Prugh and Andrew Yun, and John Bodenhamer, the former CEO and executive director of the PNGA who now is a senior director of championships the USGA.
Players to watch for this year in the Junior Girls’:
- Amy Seung Hyun Lee(Langley, B.C.) – Won the 2023 B.C. Junior Girls’ Championship.
- Chelsea Truong (Victoria, B.C.) – Won 2023 B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship.
- Avery Bayer (Pinehurst, Idaho) – won the 15-18 age division at the 2023 Idaho Junior Girls’ Amateur.
The storied history of the PNGA Junior Girls’ Amateur includes past champions Jo Ann Washam, Peggy Conley, Joan Edwards-Powell, Mary Budke, and JoAnne Gunderson Carner, all of whom would later be inducted into the Pacific Northwest Golf Hall of Fame after storied amateur and professional careers. Other past champions include current LPGA Tour players Paige Mackenzie and Jimin Kang.
To be eligible for the PNGA Junior Boys’ and Girls’ Amateur Championships, contestants must have not reached their 19th birthday by midnight of August 18, 2023, and must have a Handicap Index or Factor not exceeding 8.4 for Boys’ or 12.4 for Girls’.
These championships are two of 11 major, regional, amateur championships for men, women, juniors and senior conducted annually by the PNGA throughout the Northwest.
About North Bellingham Golf Course
North Bellingham Golf Course in Bellingham, Washington, was opened in July 1995. The course has been designed to naturally integrate the open field qualities of the historic Wilder Ranch by Ted Locke. Golfers enjoy panoramic views of Mt. Baker while being challenged by the prevailing gale winds sweeping across the landscape of this “Real Scottish Style Links Course.”
