CARRABASSETT VALLEY – Over 200 of the best junior golfers in the nation are gathered at the Sugarloaf Golf Club this week for the 2014 American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Coca-Cola Junior Championship and Coca-Cola Junior All-Star.
The tournament kicked off Monday with a qualifying round serving as a final chance for a few young golfers who had yet to capture a spot on the three-day tournament roster. Competitors have traveled from as far away as China to compete this week at Sugarloaf.
Of the eight spots up for grabs in today’s qualifying round, the only girl to advance in to the tournament field was Chelsea Liu, of Shanghai, China, who shot an 87. The remaining seven spots were claimed by Charles Sun who fired a 79; Tianlin Zhang, from Concord, MA with 83; Eric Ganshaw of Greenwich CT, and Peter Richards from Westport CT, each shooting an 84; Patrick McGinley of Bedford, NH, and George Mead of Wayland, MA who each shot an 85; and Eric Lifson, of Sudbury, MA with an 88.
Representing Maine in this week’s tournaments will be Macarthur Kim of Paris and Wynne Cushing of Freeport competing in the Junior Championships tournament, and Eric Dugas of Pittsfield and Carter Pearl of Newport in the Junior All-Star tournament.
The AJGA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. Many of the top golfers on the PGA and LPGA are former AJGA members, including Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Tiger Woods, Bubba Watson, Davis Love III, and many others.
“It’s such an honor to host this tournament for the second year,” Steve Niezgoda, Sugarloaf’s head golf professional said. “The course is in the best shape of the season, and it will be a exciting to see these young golfers tackle challenging pin placements.”
Following Monday’s qualifying round, the championship will run for three days, during which time the course will be closed to the public; the first second and final rounds will take place on Aug. 19, 20, and 21, respectively. The tournament field will be cut to a minimum of 50 percent of the field following the second round.
