Inaugural Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship Poised to Tee Off at TPC Myrtle Beach
Junior Golfers from Eight Countries to Participate in PGA Tour Superstar’s Event
Myrtle Beach, S.C. — Elite juniors from across the globe are poised to descend on Myrtle Beach for the inaugural Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship, which will be held February 12-15 at TPC Myrtle Beach.
The event will feature a 90-player field, including boys and girls divisions, comprised of the game’s next generation of stars. Players from 12 states and eight countries will be participating in the 54-hole tournament.
After a practice round on Friday, tournament play will begin on Saturday.
Headlining the field are Eric Bae, a Wake Forest signee from Pinehurst, N.C., and future East Carolina Pirate Patrick Stephenson of Four Oaks, N.C., the No. 2 junior in the Tar Heel state. Bae and Stephenson are among the three top 100 juniors, according to Golfweek Magazine, participating in the tournament.
Overall, 8 of the top 12 boys from South Carolina and 6 of the top 10 from North Carolina will be playing, as will 7 of the top 10 South Carolina girls.
“Dustin is thrilled with the quality of the field we have attracted to TPC Myrtle Beach,” said Allen Terrell, Director of Coaching/Managing Partner of the Dustin Johnson Golf School. “Dustin wanted to make sure we took care of local and state juniors while ensuring a high quality international field, and we have met those goals. The experience for the players, from the time they check-in until the final putt drops, will be as good as any in junior golf.”
Among the countries that will be represented are Canada, China, England, Japan, Philippines, Scotland and Sweden. Nearly a quarter of the field will be comprised of international players.
A significant part of the event’s appeal is TPC Myrtle Beach, one of the Grand Strand’s most decorated layouts. TPC Myrtle Beach has hosted the Senior PGA Tour Championship and been ranked among “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” by Golf Digest, making it an ideal venue to test golf’s rising young stars.
With the support of Johnson, one of top 10 players in the world, the tournament will provide participants a PGA Tour-like experience, and the chance to challenge themselves against their peers from others parts of America and the world.
The Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship is being sponsored by Founders Group International, the Dustin Johnson Golf School, and Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday.
“FGI is excited to be co-sponsoring the inaugural Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship,” said Tom Plankers, general manager of Founders Group International. “An event like this — with its international field comprised of some of the game’s best junior golfers from across America and as far away as Scotland and China — shows our area to a new generation of golfers and golf fans around the world. It introduces their families to all that the Grand Strand has to offer. It’s good for junior golf and for our community. FGI is proud to own and operate 22 golf courses in this great golfing area and to have one of our courses, TPC of Myrtle Beach, serve as the venue for this exciting event.”
Johnson’s involvement with the tournament reflects his long-time commitment to junior golf, particularly in South Carolina, where he grew into one of the world’s best players. Through the Dustin Johnson Foundation, which is headquartered in Myrtle Beach, Johnson has donated more than $250,000 to junior golf, sponsoring numerous events throughout the state and helping cover entry costs for kids who need financial assistance.
“Myrtle Beach and the TPC are a perfect home for the tournament, and the field for the inaugural event is in for a treat,” said Chris Miller, Senior Director of the South Carolina Junior Golf Association. “The quality of play will be high based on the talent coming into town, and it should be a wonderful start to what I am hoping is a long-running event. Dustin has been a great ambassador for junior golf and the SCJGA, and having his input and support behind the event is invaluable.”
About Founders Group International
Founders Group International is the foremost golf course owner-operator company in the Southeast. Formed in 2014 through various purchases and the 2015 acquisition of National Golf Management, Founders Group International owns and operates 22 golf courses (423 holes) in and around Myrtle Beach, S.C., the world’s most popular golf destination. Founders Group International also has a division that does residential and retail development. And, it has partnered with one of the biggest travel agencies in China to bring golfers and wedding parties to Myrtle Beach, S.C.
About Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit trade association comprised of 79 championship golf courses and 99 golf package providers in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Founded in 1967, the organization continues to be the driving force behind the growth of the region’s thriving golf market. The originator of the “Stay and Play Package,” Golf Holiday provides non-biased information about accommodations and golf courses to assist golfers in making the most informed decisions when planning for their next vacation.
Golf Holiday also hosts seven events and tournaments annually to help to foster continued growth of the game. In addition to hosting the Hootie & the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament each spring, Golf Holiday also runs the Myrtle Beach World Amateur Handicap Championship – the world’s largest single-site amateur golf tournament, the Summer Family Golf Tournaments, the Palmetto High School Golf Championships, the Veterans Golf Classic, the Preseason Classic, the March Championship and the Myrtle Beach Fall Classic.
For more information about MBGH, visit www.MyrtleBeachGolfHoliday.com.
