Junior Open Moves to Lost Springs
May 1, 2013 in Press ReleasesFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 11, 2013
Contact: Katie Wilson, AJGA
(678) 425-1743
Manuel Goncalves, KPMG
(201) 307-7735
KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior Open to be held at Lost Springs Golf & Athletic Club in June
BRASELTON, Ga. – KPMG LLP, the U.S. audit, tax and advisory firm, will once again team up with Stacy Lewis, the top-ranked American player in the Rolex World Rankings and American Junior Golf Association alumna, to host the second KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior Open. Held in the early part of the same week as the LPGA Tour’s Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Presented by P&G, the second KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior Open will take place at Lost Springs Golf & Athletic Club in Rogers, Ark., June 17-20, and will feature 132 of the top junior golfers, boys and girls, ages 12-18.
“At KPMG we pride ourselves on supporting the development of today’s youth and tomorrow’s future leaders,” said John Veihmeyer, Chairman and CEO of KPMG LLP. “Youth athletic programs are essential in allowing young people the opportunity to grow. They foster friendly competition, reinforce the importance of ethics and integrity, and can play a large role in developing leadership skills. We are delighted to support the AJGA and Stacy again this year in hosting the second KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior Open.”
“I really enjoyed meeting all of the juniors last year and look forward to attending another outstanding event,” Lewis said. “This is the only AJGA event where the juniors can play their tournament and then come watch the LPGA play at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G, so it makes it pretty unique. I am grateful to KPMG, the Bentonville CVB and Walmart for making this happen. I also want to say a special thank you to everyone at Bella Vista for their incredible support last year. I hope that some time in the future, our schedules will permit a return to your beautiful community.”
Thanks in large part to the tremendous support from the Bella Vista community, the 2012 hosting was awarded the AJGA’s Newcomer of the Year Award, which honors an event that displays the complete tournament experience in its inaugural year.
“The Bentonville CVB is thrilled to partner with the AJGA, KPMG and Stacy Lewis for the second annual event,” said Kalene Griffith, president / CEO of the Bentonville Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Last year was a huge success at Bella Vista and we look forward to building on that momentum.”
With the support of local sponsors Bentonville Convention and Visitors Bureau, Bella Vista Village Property Owners Association, the City of Bella Vista and Walmart, the inaugural KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior Open was the AJGA’s first tournament in Bella Vista, Ark., in the Association’s 35-year history.
“Bella Vista Village is proud to have been part of such an outstanding event,” said Tommy Bailey, Bella Vista Village general manager. “The membership and employees did an impeccable job preparing the course for the event as well as making the event memorable for all involved.”
“We look forward to continuing this successful championship at Lost Springs,” said Jason Etzen, AJGA chief business officer. “The tournament is one of the favorite events from our membership on the AJGA schedule.”
About KPMG LLP
KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm (www.kpmg.com/us), is the U.S. member firm of KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”). KPMG International’s member firms have 152,000 professionals, including more than 8,600 partners, in 156 countries.
About the American Junior Golf Association
The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships, and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,500 junior golfers from 49 states and more than 40 countries. To ensure scholarship opportunities for all junior golfers who have the skill, the AJGA created the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant program to provide financial assistance to young players in need.
Titleist, the AJGA's National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association's success since 1989. Rolex, which is in its third decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Ralph Lauren became the AJGA's second Premier Partner.
AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 500 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Inbee Park and Morgan Pressel.
For more information, please contact Katie Wilson in the AJGA Sponsorship Department at (678) 425-1743 or visit the AJGA website at ajga.org.
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