The Junior Presidents Cup will act as a true curtain raiser for the main event in 2019 when some of golf’s brightest young stars fight it out at Royal Melbourne just days before the big boys.
Following a successful inaugural event in New Jersey last year, the junior teams event will take place Sunday, December 8 and Monday, December 9, 2019 at Royal Melbourne.
The 24 best junior boys from the US and around the world, excluding Europe, will reunite Down Under for a two-day competition between two teams of 12 to kick off Presidents Cup week.
Three days later, the Presidents Cup kicks off and will see Tiger Woods and Ernie Els face off as rival captains.
The US PGA Tour – co-organiser of the tournament alongside the American Junior Golf Association – revealed the date and location of the 2019 Junior Presidents Cup at a function at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday night.
Former Masters champion Trevor Immelman – captain of the 2017 Internationals team at Plainfield Country Club which featured Australian youngsters Karl Vilips, Josh Armstrong and Fred Lee – told Australian Golf Digest the 2019 edition would do wonders for golf’s next generation.
“It is a chance for these young kids to rub shoulders with their idols whom they regularly watch on TV competing at majors and the big events,” Immelman said on Friday.
“Last year, they had a chance to mingle with guys like Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and see how the practice and prepare. It was probably the most excited I saw them all week.
“Playing at Royal Melbourne just days before the Presidents Cup will give them a huge confidence boost as they think about taking golf on as a full-time career.
“I take my hat off to the PGA Tour and the American Junior Golf Association for making this possible at Royal Melbourne next year.”
Canberra native Armstrong said the likely increase in crowds at Royal Melbourne would be great exposure for the 2019 junior competitors.
“It was a great experience in 2017; I learnt a lot out of it,” said Armstrong.
“Having the 2019 edition at Royal Melbourne is a great initiative to keep everyone at the same venue and it’ll draw some more crowds for the juniors, which would be a great thing and be a great build it up to the Presidents Cup.”
Added Lee: “When you get chosen to represent your country and play against the world’s top juniors, you really identify the weaknesses as well as the strengths in your game,” he said.
“For me it was a real eye opener and encouraging knowing that I had some game against the top juniors in the world.”
