COURSE LAYOUT: A 64-inch-wide swath of intermediate rough will be set to 1 inch on either side of the fairways. The collars around the putting greens should be .325 inch. The 3-inch primary rough will be beyond the intermediate rough and around the collars of the putting greens. The primary rough is expected to be in the range of 3 to 3.5 inches, and will surround the fairways and around the collars of the putting greens. The greens will be set to run 11 to 11.5 on the Stimpmeter for the duration of the championship. WHO CAN ENTER: The championship is open to any amateur female golfers who will have not reached their 18th birthday by July 27, 2013, and who have a USGA Handicap Index® not exceeding 18.4.
ENTRIES: Entries will close at 5 p.m. EDT on May 29. The USGA received 1,070 entries for the 2012 championship, the third consecutive year that entries surpassed 1,000. A record 1,086 entries were accepted in 2011.
SECTIONAL QUALIFYING: Sectional qualifying, played over 18 holes, will be conducted at 32 sites between June 14 and July 2.
2012 CHAMPION: In a dramatic comeback, Minjee Lee, 16, of Australia, won four of the final six holes for a 1-up victory over Alison Lee, 17, of Valencia, Calif., in the 2012 U.S. Girls’ Junior conducted at Lake Merced Golf Club, in Daly City, Calif. Minjee Lee became the eighth USGA champion to hail from Australia, and the first since Geoff Ogilvy won the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club. She is only the third Aussie female to capture a USGA championship, joining Jan Stephenson (1983 U.S. Women’s Open) and Hall of Famer Karrie Webb (2000-01 U.S. Women’s Open).
For more information, please visit http://www.usga.org/ChampEventArticle.aspx?id=21474849054.
EXEMPT PLAYERS: A full list of exempt players will be available after the close of entries.
SCHEDULE: Practice rounds will be held July 20-21. The starting field of 156 players will play two rounds of stroke play, with the low 64 scorers advancing to match play. The schedule is as follows:
July 22 (Monday) – First round of stroke play
July 23 (Tuesday) – Second round of stroke play
July 24 (Wednesday) – First round of match play
July 25 (Thursday) – Second and third rounds of match play
July 26 (Friday) – Quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of match play
July 27 (Saturday) – 36-hole championship final
WHAT THE WINNER RECEIVES: The champion will receive a gold medal, custody of the Glenna Collett Vare Trophy for the ensuing year and an exemption from qualifying for all U.S. Girls’ Junior Championships prior to her 18th birthday. The champion also receives exemptions into the next two U.S. Women's Amateurs and the 2014 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship, if eligible.
THE USGA AT SYCAMORE HILLS GOLF CLUB: The 2013 U.S. Girls’ Junior will be the second USGA championship conducted at Sycamore Hills. The club hosted the 2009 USGA Women’s State Team Championship, won by the Georgia team of Dori Carter, Laura Coble and Mariah Stackhouse.
INDIANA AND THE USGA: The 2013 U.S. Girls’ Junior will be the 19th USGA championship conducted in the Hoosier State. The first championship was the 1935 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship at Coffin Golf Course in Indianapolis, won by Frank Strafaci. The most recent was the 2010 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at The Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame, won by Emily Tubert.
This will be the second Girls’ Junior conducted in the state. Jamie Koizumi won the 1992 Girls’ Junior at Meridian Hills Country Club in Indianapolis.
ADMISSION: Admission is free. Tickets are not needed for this USGA championship and spectators are encouraged to attend.
HISTORY: While victory in the U.S. Girls' Junior by no means guarantees a successful career in women's golf, Girls' Junior champions have won the U.S. Women's Amateur 11 times and the U.S. Women's Open 11 times. Furthermore, 19 Girls' Junior champions have gone on to represent the USA on the Curtis Cup Team through 2012.
Notable past champions include Amy Alcott (1973), JoAnne Gunderson Carner (1956), I.K. Kim (2005), Nancy Lopez (1972, 1974), Inbee Park (2002), Hollis Stacy (1969-71), Lexi Thompson (2008) and Mickey Wright (1952).
For information about the history of the championship, visit http://www.usga.org/press_room/media_guide/Media-Guides/ and click on U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.
PHOTO MEDIA SERVICE: The USGA will offer daily complimentary high-resolution photographs during the U.S. Women’s Open (Monday-Sunday) for news use only. For more information and to register, contact the USGA Photo Archives at photorequests@usga.org.
MORE INFORMATION: Please contact Christina Lance of USGA Championship Communications at clance@usga.org, 908-234-2300 (office) or 908-635-0413 (cell). Additional media information, including credential applications, can be found at http://www.usga.org/Media-Center/Media-Center/.