ROGERS -- Two of the top junior golfers in the world and a strong local contingent of boys and girls players highlight the field at the third annual American Junior Golf Association KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior Open at the Lost Springs Golf and Athletic Club in Little Flock.
The 54-hole tournament begins Tuesday and ends Thursday. The players will have a practice round Monday and tee times Tuesday through Thursday beginning at 7 a.m.
KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior Open
When: Tuesday through Thursday
Where: Lost Springs Golf and Athletic Club, Little Flock
What: American Junior Golf Association boys and girls 54-hole tournament for ages 12-18.
Maria Fassi of Pachuca Hidalgo, Mexico, is ranked No. 61 in the Polo Golf world girls rankings, and Kyler Tate of Winter Garden, Fla., is ranked No. 121 in the Polo Golf world boys rankings. Defending Overall and Class 7A champion Luke Long of Fayetteville is also on the boys field.
In all, there are golfers from over a dozen different states and five golfers from Mexico and one from Columbia. There are 18 Northwest Arkansas junior golfers in the field of 132 boys and girls.
Tate, a rising senior, has three top 10 finishes in AJGA tournaments this season, including a tie for second with a 72-70-70 212 at the Steelwood Open in Loxley, Ala. Long won the Class 7A title with an even-par 144 at Lost Springs and then won the Overall Tournament with a 1-under 71.
Fassi finished tied for sixth at this event last year and the rising junior has two top five finishes. Rising senior Alisa Chong of Carrollton, Texas, is also in the girls field, and she has six top 10 AJGA finishes in her career. Rising Rogers High sophomore Brooke Matthews has also tasted success at Lost Springs as she finished tied for third at the Class 7A Golf Tournament last fall.
"This is one of our stronger fields," said Chris Ceman of AJGA Communications. "It's a combination of where the tournament is and Stacy Lewis' involvement with the tournament. Stacy Lewis is such a role model for so many golfers, and that is a big draw. The fact that Stacy is ranked No. 1 again is also a big draw."
Ceman said Lost Springs, which is hosting the event for the second-straight year, is one of the more difficult stops on the AJGA schedule. Lost Springs has hosted Hooters Tour and Adams Tour men's professional events in the past.
"It is not an easy course by any means," Ceman said. "Last year, the boys winner was 3-over; that is fairly high for one of our events. We had a good field last year, too. The girls division actually shot a little better than the boys division last year."
Sports on 06/22/2014