AJGA tournament set for The Greenbrier this weekend

By Debbie Schwarz Simpson
Register-Herald Reporter

August 25, 2008 11:47 pm

— WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS — Under the aupisces of the American Junior Golf Association, the inaugural Woodward Video Junior Tournament is set for Labor Day weekend at The Greenbrier.
Boasting a field of 99 players from 25 states and Canada, the roster includes nine young golfers from the Mountain State, including: Jay Woodward and Woody Woodward, both of Bridgeport; Aaron Barna, Sam Booth and Brian Anania, all from Hurricane; Marshall Hone, Wheeling; Jeremy Rodgers, Buckhhannon; Shayne Wilson, Tridelphia; and Brooke Bellomy, Ona.
The 54-hole stroke play tournament will be staged on The Meadows, one of The Greenbrier’s three championship courses, with an AJGA qualifier set for Thursday.
A Junior/Amateur fundraising tournament will be held Friday, with all proceeds going to the West Virginia Golf Association.
Official tournament play is slated for Saturday through Monday and will be followed by an awards ceremony.
“We are looking forward to hosting the top junior players in the country this weekend,” said Hill Herrick Jr., head golf professional at The Greenbrier.
“The AJGA has been the premier junior tour since it began in the early 1980’s,” explained Herrick.
The Woodward Video Junior is the second AJGA tournament staged in West Virginia. The tournament, designed for girls and boys in the 12-18 age bracket, took place at the Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport in 2002.
“Woodward Videos has been a supporter of junior golf in West Virginia for many years,” said Bryan Woodward, who heads the family-owned video rental business in Bridgeport.
AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel and Julieta Granda.
Titleist is the AJGA national sponsors while Rolex Watch USA and Polo Ralph Lauren are the Premier Partners.