FAR HILLS, N.J. (Dec. 18, 2017) – SentryWorld Golf Course in Stevens Point, Wis., has been selected by the USGA as the host site for the 71st U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship. A public, parkland course in central Wisconsin, SentryWorld will host its second USGA championship July 22-27, 2019.

“We look forward to bringing the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship to SentryWorld and the state of Wisconsin for the first time in 2019,” said Stuart Francis, USGA Championship Committee chairman. “The world’s best female junior golfers are consistently identified in this championship, and we are confident that SentryWorld is a grand stage worthy of providing the ultimate test for these talented competitors.”

SentryWorld is Wisconsin’s first destination golf course and was developed by Sentry Insurance in 1982 as part of a sports complex that includes indoor tennis courts, banquet space, and restaurants. At the heart of the 200-acre property lies the 7,237-yard championship golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. In 2013, Jones returned to oversee a major renovation that increased the total yardage and upgraded nearly every feature of the course, including new tee boxes to create a greater variety of shots. The project was led by architects Bruce Charlton and Jay Blasi.

“The USGA’s championships are undoubtedly among the most prestigious golf events in the world, and we’re excited to host the 2019 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship,” said Mike James, general manager of SentryWorld and vice president of Sentry Services. “We look forward to hosting athletes from all over the globe on our redesigned course, and SentryWorld will truly provide a world-class environment for all players, officials, and fans.”

SentryWorld hosted the 1986 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, which was won by Cindy Schreyer and holds the entry record (1,085) for that USGA championship, which was conducted annually from 1977-2014.

First conducted in 1949, the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship is open to female amateurs who have not turned 19 on or before the final day of the championship and have a Handicap Index® not exceeding 9.4. Notable champions include three-time winner Hollis Stacy, Mickey Wright, Nancy Lopez, Amy Alcott, JoAnne Gunderson Carner, Pat Hurst, I.K. Kim, Inbee Park and Lexi Thompson. Starting in 2017, Girls’ Junior champions earn an exemption into the following year’s U.S. Women’s Open Championship.

The 2018 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship will be contested July 16-21 at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach, Calif. Home of the Northern California Golf Association, Poppy Hills is also a public course designed by Jones.

This will be the 15th USGA championship conducted in Wisconsin, and the first since the 2017 U.S. Open won by Brooks Koepka at Erin Hills.

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2019 U.S. Girls’ Junior site announcement

The assets contained herein are to be used solely in conjunction with USGA news and information. They are not to be used in conjunction with non-USGA materials or for commercial purposes of any kind. The course photos should be credited to SentryWorld, and additional caption information can be found below:

• Hole9_Summer_14 – Golfers familiar with SentryWorld are sure to notice a remarkable change when teeing up on the new ninth hole. The tees and green remained in their existing locations, but a “gambler’s” slot was opened up through the grove of trees that formerly outlined the right side of hole’s fairway. The result is a challenging, short risk/reward par five (long par four for the pros) with two fairways straddling a creek.
• Hole10_Summer_14 – The tenth hole at SentryWorld showcases the variety that has been built into the reimagined course. Created out of the former first and second holes, the new tenth hole combines a dogleg left with a dogleg right to become a very long par five—now the longest hole at SentryWorld. Golfers will experience a snakelike effect as they tee off and meander to the left, then shifting their focus to a long arc to the right.
• Hole16_Summer_Sunset_2_14 – Known throughout the golf world, the Flower Hole is synonymous with the legend of SentryWorld. In the redesign, the tradition of the hole was preserved with the addition of some subtle enhancements. Drainage was added, some grassing patterns were reoriented and the area coming off the hole to the pathway was made easier to get in and off the green. Also important to note, the amount of flowers to be used has been boosted—now upwards of 50,000. The Flower Hole offers both a spectacular photo opportunity as well as a challenging par three requiring a precise shot that sets the tone for the final holes.

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