AJGA Wyndham Invitational presented by Truist Named AJGA Invitational of the Year

BRASELTON, Ga. – – The American Junior Golf Association’s Wyndham Invitational presented by Truist was named Invitational of the Year for the 2020 season. The Wyndham Invitational is played each summer at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.
The Invitational of the Year is selected based on the overall tournament experience including elements of hospitality, volunteers, sponsor involvement, community impact, social and traditional media and overall excellence among AJGA Invitational events. The Wyndham Invitational presented by Truist, known in 2020 as the AJGA Invitational at Sedgefield, was the AJGA’s first event of the summer after COVID-19 shut down all of golf for most of the spring.

The AJGA’s 2020 health and safety plans were developed using recommendations from global health partners and working in conjunction with the Back2Golf plan, an industry-wide collaboration of the PGA TOUR, PGA of America, USGA, LPGA, IAGA and allied golf associations. The Wyndham Invitational, an all-boys tournament, also won the 2007 Volunteer Award and 2014 Superintendent of the Year, which was presented to Keith Wood who is now the Director of Green and Grounds at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

The 2020 event enjoyed significant contributions from multiple committee members, including tournament chairs Mark Brazil and Bobby Powell, who run the PGA TOUR’s Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield. Brazil, who worked for the AJGA from 1993-2001 and is now the Wyndham Championship tournament director, continues to be heavily involved with the event focusing on fundraising and hospitality. Powell, the former AJGA Vice President of Operations, joined Brazil’s Wyndham Championship staff as the operations director in 2005 after spending the previous eight years at the AJGA.

“It’s an unbelievable accomplishment and milestone for the Wyndham Invitational,” Wyndham Championship tournament director Mark Brail said. “It is a testament to the committee’s hard work, the support of the membership and community, and we are proud to be involved with the event. The committee’s goal is to make this one of the best junior events in the country with a unique experience for them with the same set up as our PGA TOUR event. We are committed to giving them an opportunity to test their game at the highest-level year in and year out.”

Despite navigating the COVID-19 protocols, the 2020 event successfully secured volunteers for every position needed to stage a successful AJGA event with water rovers, timing stations and spotters. Players had the opportunity to try FlightScope’s Mevo+ unit for the first time during play. This system sends launch monitor data directly to the players’ phones. FlightScope staff was on-site to teach staff and players how to use the devices and help track swing data.

“Being able to say we kick-started the industry’s return to golf with this event is a huge honor,” AJGA tournament director Tyler Sumner said. “The AJGA was able to bring staff, players, parents, families and volunteers together safely after months of uncertainty. The new protocols and guidelines tested here paved the way to allow our season to continue and get back to doing what we do best.”

Each year, the AJGA recognizes top tournaments, committees, and individuals who produce outstanding work during the previous AJGA season in 15 categories. Awards distinguish the effort of local supporters who make each quality tournament experience possible.
AJGA tournaments are annually honored in the categories of hospitality, fundraising, charitable giving, volunteers, engaged media, and social media. The year’s most outstanding golf professional, superintendent and golf course executive are honored alongside the most game-changing overall event, best new event, and top honorees in each tournament ‘series’ (Preview, Junior All-Star, Open and Invitational). Awards are presented on-site during the tournament week.

The 2021 Wyndham Invitational presented by Truist was played at Sedgefield Country Club June 14-18. Seventy-two of the top-ranked boys in the AJGA Rolex Rankings competed in a 72-hole stroke-play tournament, with 2020 champion David Ford’s twin brother, Maxwell Ford of Peachtree Corners, Ga., taking the 2021 title at 7-under-par 273.

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