Harbor Springs, MI—The Highlands, part of BOYNE Golf in northern Michigan, hosted the AJGA Coca-Cola Junior Championship for the 23rd time last week, July 1-4. The international junior event, contested on the acclaimed Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed Heather course, attracted 132 top junior boys and girls from 19 states and seven countries, including 32 Michigan natives.
Two international players captured both the girl’s and boys’ divisions. Mingyu Zhang of Beijing, China, won the girl’s division with a birdie on the second playoff hole. She shot a 2-under par 70 in the final round and a 54-hole total of even-par 216. This was Zhang’s third AJGA win, and she has committed to playing golf at The University of Michigan.
“I’m thrilled to have secured this tournament victory,” said Zhang. “This year, I set higher expectations for myself, and achieving this feels fantastic. I was well-prepared for the tournament and now feel more confident as I look forward to my college career.”
Spencer Shropshire of Ontario, Canada, won the boy’s division for his first AJGA victory. Shropshire opened the tournament with a first-round 67 (-5). He finished the event with 16 birdies and a 54-hole total of 8-under-par 208.
“Securing my first AJGA win has been a long-awaited milestone for me,” said an excited Shropshire. “It’s a huge confidence boost and I feel like I found my place with the top juniors in the AJGA.”
The Heather course at The Highlands started the golfing boom in northern Michigan in 1963 when resort founder Everett Kircher hired the number one golf course designer of the time, Robert Trent Jones Sr., to design the region’s first nationally acclaimed golf course which opened for play in 1966. The course has hosted four Michigan Amateur Championships, AJGA Championships, and The Celebrity Tour. The Heather was also recognized as the Michigan Course of the Year in 2018 and the National Course of the Year in 2019.
“Hosting the AJGA every year and seeing all of the families, not only from the U.S. but from around the world, come to northern Michigan is very exciting,” said Josh Richter, Senior Vice President of Golf Operations for Boyne Resorts. “It is amazing the talented players we see yearly and watch them play a great championship course like the Heather. Congratulations to both Mingyu and Spencer for their outstanding play and wins.”
About BOYNE Golf
Boyne Golf has been named one of North America’s “Premier Resorts” (Gold) by GOLF Magazine.
Bay Harbor Golf Club and the Inn at Bay Harbor are Boyne Resorts’ flagship Michigan properties, set along the stunning Lake Michigan shoreline. They feature 45-holes including three golf course combinations designed by Arthur Hills (Links/Quarry, Quarry/Preserve, and Preserve/Links), along with the scenic Crooked Tree Golf Club. The Inn at Bay Harbor is a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel combining luxe comfort with gracious hospitality.
The Highlands, rated the No. 1 Golf Resort for Value by Golf.com, features 72 holes of premier golf design. The Heather, the 2019 NGCOA Course of the Year, was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., while the Hills Course was crafted by Arthur Hills. The Donald Ross Memorial is a rendition of the legendary architect’s great holes from around the country, and The Moor course was recently updated. The Highlands is the perfect buddy trip destination for golfers who like to play as many holes as they can during the long summer daylight hours that northern Michigan features.
Boyne Mountain not only features two fun 18-hole courses (The Monument and The Alpine), along with the charming Mountain Grand Lodge and Spa, it is also the leading family-friendly golf destination in the region with the Avalanche Bay Indoor Waterpark, junior golf camps, and various kid golf programs. Golf Digest named Boyne Mountain one of its “Top-10 Destinations for Family Golf Trips.”
For more information, visit BOYNEGolf.com.
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Kevin Frisch
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