AJGA, Symetra Tour extend partnership through 2020

The AJGA and Symetra Tour are partnering for a fourth year in three events in 2020.

The American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) and the Symetra Tour will continue their partnership in 2020, it was announced Monday.

For three years and an upcoming fourth, the Symetra Tour has joined select AJGA events which are hosted by former and current LPGA players to provide exemptions to Symetra Tour events.

“As we continue to grow the game of women’s golf, our working relationship with the AJGA gives more young women an opportunity to chase their dreams,” Symetra Tour Chief Business Officer Mike Nichols said. “Several of the AJGA qualifiers across the last few seasons have found success in their respective Symetra Tour event. We look forward to having three elite amateurs compete against their preceding generation of fellow future LPGA Tour stars.”

This year three events, the 2020 ANNIKA Invitational USA (Jan. 18-20), the Buick Shanshan Feng AJGA Girls Invitational (Feb. 15-17) and KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational (June 30-July 2), will serve as qualifiers for a Symetra Tour exemption to various tournaments.

This year’s winner of the ANNIKA Invitational USA will be contested on the Slammer & Squire Course at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida. The top finisher will then earn a spot in Florida’s Natural Charity Classic at the Country Club of Winter Haven in Winter Haven, Florida, March 6-8.

The winner of the Buick Shanshan Feng AJGA Girls Invitational at Stanford Golf Course in Stanford, California, will earn a spot at the Windsor Golf Classic in Windsor, California, April 2-4.

The winner of the final AJGA event during the 2020 partnership, the KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational at the Blessings Golf Club in Johnson, Arkansas, will receive an invitation to compete at the Garden City Charity Classic at Buffalo Dunes Golf Course in Garden City, Kansas, Aug. 14-16.

“The AJGA is excited to be able to offer Symetra Tour exemptions to some of our strongest all-female tournament fields,” AJGA Chief Business Officer Jason Etzen said. “We are proud to partner with the LPGA and Symetra Tour to help elevate these three invitationals to a new level and provide increased exposure and experience for our top girls.”

Retief Goosen, son Leo close with eight birdies for PNC Father/Son lead

Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen and his son Leo lead the PNC Father/Son Challenge at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando.

Tucked in the middle of the PGA Tour’s Silly Season is a family tradition featuring a first-rate field. Among the 20 teams playing this weekend’s PNC Father/Son Challenge field, 12 teams include a World Golf Hall of Famer.

After the first round at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen and his son Leo are at the top of the leaderboard. The back half of the Goosen scorecard was almost completely covered in red, which played a big role in the team’s rise to the top. The Goosens birdied their final eight holes of the day for a 14-under 58.

PNC Father/Son Challenge: Leaderboard

That was one shot better than Bernhard Langer and his son Jason Donald or David Duval and his son Brady could do in the opening round.

Asked to explain those birdies after the round on Golf Channel, Leo Goosen hesitated. His dad pointed a finger at the 16-year-old and offered a simple response.

“His putting.”

Turns out, Leo put a new putter in the bag for Saturday’s round after trying it out the night before. Retief hopes “he’ll hang on to this one for more than a week.” Leo did hole a 40-footer for par on No. 2 with the new flatstick.

Leo has played golf since he could walk, according to his dad, but his game has come a long way in the last six months, to the tune of 20 additional yards off the tee.

“I’d say that we just had each other’s backs,” Leo said. “I’d take one hole and then he’d take the next one, or I’d hit a good drive, he’d hit a good second.”

Behind the Duvals and the Langers at 12 under, Tom Lehman and his son Thomas combined for an 11-under 61 that was good for fourth. Jim Furyk and his father Mike had a 62 and landed in fifth.

Annika Sorenstam is playing the event for the first time, and as the first female professional to appear in what has been a male-dominated event. She and her father Tom had a 6-under 66.

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PNC Father/Son Challenge: Field list and how to watch

The Father/Son is a feel-good weekend in the middle of the so-called “silly season” of golf.

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All things considered, the PNC Father/Son Challenge field is remarkably strong. For one thing, the qualifications to get in are steep. Only major champions and winners of the Players Championship are eligible, and 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus headlines that category.

The Father/Son is a feel-good weekend in the middle of the so-called “silly season” of golf. This year, it overlaps the final round of the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.

In addition to Nicklaus, the field includes icons Gary Player, Lee Trevino and Tom Watson. Despite the Nov. 27 death of his wife Hilary, who had battled pancreatic cancer, Watson remains in the field for now along with his son Michael.

Twelve of the 20 teams include a World Golf Hall of Famer. Individually, the final field shares more than 700 worldwide titles as well as 192 Champions Tour wins, with the all-time Champions Tour wins leader Hale Irwin, returning to this event after a two-year hiatus.

There are also seven former World No. 1 players in the field. That category includes Annika Sorenstam, who is playing with her father Tom and will become the first female professional to compete in the tournament.

The event will be played Dec. 5-8 at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida.

The field

Darren Clarke/Tyrone Clarke (son)

John Daly/Little John Daly (son)

David Duval/Brady Duval (son)

Jim Furyk/Mike Furyk (father)

Retief Goosen/Leo Goosen (son)

Padraig Harrington/Paddy Harrington (son)

Hale Irwin/Steve Irwin (son)

Lee Janzen/Connor Janzen (son)

Tom Kite/David Kite (son)

Bernhard Langer/Jason Donald Langer (son)

Tom Lehman/Thomas A. Lehman (son)

Jack Nicklaus/GT Nicklaus (grandson)

Mark O’Meara/Shaun O’Meara (son)

Jerry Pate/Jenni Pate (daughter)

Gary Player/James Throssell (grandson)

Nick Price/Greg Price (son)

Vijay Singh/Qass Singh (son)

Annika Sorenstam/Tom Sorenstam (father)

Lee Trevino/Daniel Trevino (son)

Tom Watson/Michael Watson (son)

How to watch

All times Eastern

Friday, Dec. 6 

Golf Channel (Pro-Am Special): 5-6 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 7 

Golf Channel: 2-3 p.m.
NBC: 3-6 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 8 

Golf Channel (live): 11 a.m.- Noon
NBC (live): Noon – 3 p.m.

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