Mariano Medico 2012 Junior Boys’ Champion

The Golf Association of Philadelphia has been conducting junior events in the Philadelphia area since 1914, the inaugural year of the Junior Boys' Championship.

Over the years there have been several additions to the junior tournament schedule leading to its present form.

In 1949, the Junior-Junior Boys' Championship was created to serve as a championship for juniors ages 10-14.

Both the Junior Boys' Championship and the Junior-Junior Boys' Championship feature a stroke play qualifying round followed by match play.

Additional junior championships offered are: the Junior Team Championship (run concurrently with the first round of the Junior Boys' Championship), the Jock MacKenzie Memorial, annually held at Sandy Run Country Club and the Francis X. Hussey Memorial, annually held at Rolling Green Golf Club.

With the enormous growth of the game of golf and its overwhelming popularity, the Golf Association of Philadelphia added the Christman Cup in 2000, pitting the top 60 players in the area against each other. Originally, the Christman Cup was open to 30 players but the field was expanded to 60 in 2007 to give more players an opportunity to compete under Championship conditions. This 36-hole stroke play event also serves as two of the four rounds that comprise the Harry Hammond Award.

The Harry Hammond Award serves as the junior stroke play championship of the Golf Association. The winner is the player with the lowest aggregate score total from the Junior Boys' Championship qualifying round, Jock MacKenzie Memorial (new in 2007) and two rounds of the Christman Cup.

In an attempt to further the junior program, a Player of the Year was created for juniors ages 14-17. Since its creation in 2000, the Player of the Year has had two back-to-back winners, Billy Stewart of Llanerch CC and, most recently, Robert Galbreath, Jr., of Huntingdon Valley CC.

In 2002, the Golf Association of Philadelphia joined Davis Sezna to create the Deeg Sezna Four-Ball. The event, in honor of Deeg, who lost his life in the Sept. 11 tragedy, matches a junior with a partner at least 21 years old and an age differential of 10 years. The event, a salute to mentors, is held annually.

Added in 2004, the Pre-Junior Tournament, for players 8-10, focuses on rules, etiquette and course conduct. Following that instruction, a six-hole shotgun tournament is held with an awards ceremony and lunch immediately following. The 10th Pre-Junior Tournament is set for Wednesday, July 3 at Philadelphia Cricket Club (St. Martins Course). The 56th Father & Son (Younger) Tournament will be held at St. Davids GC, in Wayne, PA, on Thursday, July 11th.