Lutherville, Md. — The Maryland State Golf Association will host the 100th Maryland Junior Amateur and 47th Maryland Girls’ Junior Amateur at the United States Naval Academy Golf Club from Monday June 24th through Wednesday June 26th. This will be the first time that the Naval Academy has ever hosted either one of the Junior Amateur tournaments. Three players from the Boys Championships division are members of the Naval Academy Golf Club.
The Junior Amateur is open to all male amateurs who are residents of Maryland and/or are members of MSGA member clubs. Players with an index of 4.0 or better were approved instantly. Players with an index of 4.1 to 7.1 were initially placed on a pending list, and the remainder of the field was filled by the players on that pending list 10 days prior to June 4th.
The Girls’ Junior Amateur is open to all female amateurs are residents of Maryland and/or are members of MSGA member clubs. Players also need to have an index of 18.0 or less.
Those who qualified for a 2023 USGA Championship, and/or made the cut at the previous year’s Maryland Open and Maryland Junior, and/or made match play at the 2023 Maryland Amateur were approved instantly.
This year’s Junior Amateur tournaments have gone under a format change. Before this year, both tournaments were 36 holes of stroke play with a cut after the first 18 holes. Starting this year, the boys and girls will play 54 holes of stroke play with a cut after 36 holes to determine champions. “The hope of making these changes, is to meet the USGA’s power ranking requirements so that future winners of these two Junior Amateur championships will earn an exemption to compete in future U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur Championships,” said Elisa Hermes, MSGA Director of Rules & Competitions. “It certainly would be a fantastic opportunity for these future champions to represent the Association on the national stage.”
In the Boys Division, Owen Newberry of Crofton CC will look to defend his title as the only past champion in the field. Last year, he won at Prospect Bay CC by shooting an even par total with a matching pair of 71’s. He beat out Dustin Stockdale of Argyle Country Club by four shots. In an interview on Caddying for Champions, Newberry said that his performance last year was “really the first week of my golf career where everything just came together.” What made his win even more impressive was the fact that he had his best game in some bad conditions. When considering the format change, Newberry brought up a good point when asked about it. He said, “It’s definitely going to be tougher out here with three days of golf, instead of two, with how much wind and just how tough this place [U.S. Naval Academy GC] can play.” With the golf course sitting right by the shore, the coastal winds will look to play a factor all three days of the championship.
In the Girls Division, Abigail Avallone of Congressional Country Club will look to defend her crown as the only past champion in the field. Last year, she won at the Five Farms West Course by shooting a total of 1-under-par with two rounds of 74 (+2) and 69 (-3). She just edged out Joelle Johnson of the MSGA Youth on Course program by one shot.
With a strong field in both divisions, the battle to claim the title as the best in the state will be a close one. Stay tuned to MSGA.org and our social media channels for full coverage.
