BRASELTON, Ga. – Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN), one of the world's largest hospitality companies, has become the Title Sponsor of the Wyndham Cup, the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) announced Monday. The Wyndham Cup brings together the nation’s top 40 juniors in an East-versus-West team match play tournament. The top 10 boys and top 10 girls east of the Mississippi River compete against their counterparts from the west. The teams are chosen based on the Polo Golf Rankings that reward top finishes in national junior golf events. This year’s event will be held July 25-28 at Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington, N.C.
“We are thrilled to be a part of this exciting event recognizing the tremendous talent and hard work of our nation’s top junior players,” says Alyson Johnson, vice president of marketing and corporate communications, Wyndham Worldwide. “Since 2007, we have been a proud title sponsor of the Wyndham Championship, one of the longest-standing tournaments on the PGA TOUR. Together now with the Wyndham Cup, Wyndham Worldwide is proudly supporting both the celebrated history and bright future of the game of golf.”
Notable past players from the East Team include Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar, Charles Howell III, Cristie Kerr and Morgan Pressel. Past participants from the West include Tiger Woods, Hunter Mahan, Rickie Fowler, Grace Park and Paula Creamer.
The 21st edition of the matchup in 2010 was an exciting event from start to finish. After a back-and-forth battle throughout four-ball, foursome and singles matches, the West used a victory in the final girls single match to secure the win, 25.5 - 24.5. The West Team leads the all-time competition with a 12-8-1 record. The East Team last secured a victory in 2004.
“The AJGA is pleased and excited to partner with Wyndham Worldwide for this prestigious event,” said Jason Etzen, AJGA chief business officer. “The support of such a trusted name is a perfect fit in regards to an event that has meant so much to so many juniors over the years.”
As one of the world's largest hospitality companies, Wyndham Worldwide offers
a wide range of hospitality products and services for leisure and business travelers through its premier global portfolio of world-renowned brands. The world’s largest hotel franchisor based on the number of properties, Wyndham Hotel Group is home to many of the world’s best-known hotel brands, with approximately 7,190 franchised hotels and 609,600 hotel rooms worldwide. Wyndham Exchange and Rentals is the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and the world’s largest serviced vacation rentals business, with approximately 97,000 vacation properties located in nearly 100 countries.The industry and timeshare ownership market leader, Wyndham Vacation Ownership develops, markets, and sells vacation ownership interests and provides consumer financing to owners through its network of over 160 vacation ownership resorts serving more than 800,000 owners throughout North America, the Caribbean and the South Pacific.
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 provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships, and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and more than 40 countries. To ensure scholarship opportunities for all junior golfers who have the skill, the AJGA created the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant program to provide financial assistance to young players in need.
Titleist, the AJGA's National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association's success since 1989. Rolex, which is in its third decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Polo Ralph Lauren became the AJGA's second Premier Partner.
AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 500 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Inbee Park and Morgan Pressel.
For more information on the Wyndham Cup, please contact Katie Wilson in the AJGA Sponsorship Department at (678) 425-1743.
