Newsmakers: August 11, 2008

Junior Round-up

Current AJGA member Cameron Peck has proven himself a golf juggernaut this summer. Peck has won three AJGA events this season in addition to the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. Most recently, the rising senior received a sponsor’s exemption into this week’s PGA TOUR Wyndham Championship. The tournament is the final PGA Tour event before the FedEx Cup Playoffs. AJGA alum Jamie Lovemark also received a sponsor’s exemption for the tournament. Lovemark is a junior at USC and is currently ranked No. 5 in the Golfweek/Scratch Players World Amateur Ranking.

Amateur Round-up

Amanda Blumenherst topped off her amateur career this past Sunday when she won the U.S. Women’s Amateur. The AJGA alumna finished the tournament with a 2 & 1 victory over fellow alumna Azahara Munoz. Bluemenherst is a three-time first-team All-American, a three-time ACC individual champion, an 11-time winner at Duke and has been the No. 1 ranked female on the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings for the past three years.

AJGA Alum Zack Sucher took home his second Cardinal Amateur title this past Sunday. Sucher finished with a 2-under-par tournament total of 208, finishing three ahead of fellow AJGA Alumni Reed Darsie, Dustin Groves and Nicolas Geyger, who tied for second. Sucher is now currently ranked No. 10 in the Golfweek/Scratch Players World Amateur. The Cardinal Amateur was held at Cardinal Golf and Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.

Professional Round-up

The first eight selections for the 2008 Ryder Cup team have been made following the PGA Championship Sunday. Six of the eight current team members are AJGA alumni. They are Phil Mickelson, Stewart Cink, Jim Furyk, Anthony Kim, Justin Leonard and Ben Curtis. Kenny Perry and Boo Weekley round out the current team members. Captain Paul Azinger will select the remaining four players in the next three weeks to join the team, which will play against their European counterparts Sept. 18-21 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.