LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Jennifer Tangtiphaiboontana of Long Beach, Calif., regarded as one of the top junior golfers in the country, received a distinct honor Tuesday night when she was awarded the AJGA Jerry Cole Sportsmanship Award.
Tangtiphaiboontana was presented the honor by the American Junior Golf Association at the 26th annual Polo Golf Junior All-America Awards Banquet, held at the Walt Disney World Resort's Yacht Club.
"Jennifer possesses the qualities of a true competitor," said Peter Ripa, AJGA chief operations officer, who presented the award to Tangtiphaiboontana. "Despite the challenges she has experienced over the past two years, she always has a smile on her face and is very appreciative to her fellow competitors and the support staff."
The AJGA strives to impress upon young golfers the importance of respecting fellow competitors and the game of golf. One way to achieve this is the Sportsmanship Award. Each year, the AJGA selects one member who has displayed exemplary sportsmanship both on and off the golf course and honors this person at the annual Polo Golf Junior All-America Awards Banquet.
For the 26th consecutive year, the finest junior golfers in the world were recognized by the AJGA Tuesday evening for their outstanding accomplishments at the Polo Golf Junior All-America Awards Banquet held at the Walt Disney World Resort's Yacht Club.
The AJGA is dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. However, the overall growth and development includes more than just improving or mastering one's golf skills; it's to produce well-rounded, successful, honest and humble young adults.
Since its founding in 1978, the AJGA recognizes and rewards juniors for their impressive feats on the course, in the classroom, as well as for exhibiting sportsmanlike behavior. The sportsmanship award honors an individual who possess qualities such as integrity and true-heartedness and signifies the importance by living true to these virtues.
Others honored at the AJGA Polo Golf Junior All-America Banquet include the Polo Golf Junior Players of the Year -- Brian Harman of Savannah, Ga., and Paula Creamer of Pleasanton, Calif., the Polo Golf Junior All-America Teams and the HP Scholastic Junior All-America Team.
The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA, the largest Association of its kind, has a junior membership (boys and girls ages 13-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 50 states and 30 foreign countries.
AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Eleven of the last 13 U.S. Amateur champions and 15 of the last 17 U.S. Women's Amateur champions are AJGA alumni. More than 160 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 280 wins.
For more information, please contact Steve Ethun at (407) 824-2051 at Tournament Headquarters.