Idaho's BanBury Golf Club To Host 2005 U.S. Girls' Junior Championship
January 21, 2004 Far Hills, N.J. - BanBury Golf Club, Eagle, Idaho, has been selected by the United States Golf Association to host the 2005 U.S. Girls' Junior Championship. The championship is scheduled from July 18-23.

Located in the Treasure Valley north of Boise, Banbury was designed by John Harbottle and opened in 1999. BanBury ( www.banburygolf.com ) will host the first USGA championship contested in the state of Idaho. Idaho becomes the 47th state to conduct a USGA championship. Only Alaska, New Hampshire and Utah have not served as sites for a national championship.

"The passion and commitment to junior golf of the BanBury team assures that Idaho will be a world class host for this event," said general chairman Mike Mooney. "I believe Idaho's junior golfers will benefit from the examples set by our 150 participants. Our assignment is to build a motivated group of volunteers and supporters that will demonstrate Idaho has the resources to host many more USGA championships. Our goal is to create the best possible experience for the players in 2005."

BanBury, which has previously hosted the 2003 Idaho Men's Amateur, the 2003 Pepsi Idaho Open, the Idaho Junior and Girls Junior Championships in 2000, as well as USGA qualifying for the U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur and U.S. Amateur Public Links Championships, is considered one of Idaho's top layouts. The course has also served as the qualifying site of the Albertsons Boise Open in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

BanBury combines a Scottish links style with a natural setting and abundant wildlife along the Boise River. A unique feature is that the greens are usually hand-mowed every day of the week.

The Girls' Junior is open to female amateur golfers who will not have reached their 18th birthday and who have a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 18.4. Previous champions of the Girls' Junior include: Mickey Wright (winner of four U.S. Women's Opens), JoAnne Gunderson Carner (winner of eight USGA titles), U.S. Women's Open winners Amy Alcott and Hollis Stacy, and Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez.

The 2004 U.S. Girls' Junior will be played at Mira Vista Golf Club in Fort Worth, Texas, from July 19-24.

The USGA conducts 13 national championships each year, including the U.S. Open and the U.S. Women's Open. Ten of these championships are strictly for amateurs. Visit USGA Championships for more information.