Mariah Stackhouse Girls Invitational to run September 2-4, 2021
Stanford, CA – The American Junior Golf Association is excited to partner with LPGA tour professional Mariah Stackhouse in hosting the Mariah Stackhouse Girls Invitational at Stanford Golf Course. The four-day all-girls invitational will run from September 2nd through 4th at Stackhouse’s alma mater Stanford University.
“My AJGA experience was invaluable in my growth both as a golfer and as a person, so I am delighted to be able to help provide an opportunity for the best girl golfers in the world to display their skills at a place that is so special to me, Stanford University,” said LPGA Professional Mariah Stackhouse. “Thank you to the AJGA, Stanford, the AJGA Girls Championship and Scott Timmins Hipp for making this possible.”
The 72-player field from across the world will be made up of the top females in the Rolex AJGA Rankings in addition to sponsor invites. The tournament, now in its 13th year, formally known as the AJGA Girls Championship is bringing with it a storied history as it switches coasts. Past champions include LPGA professionals Yealimi Noh, and Emma Talley, along with Epson Tour professionals Sierra Brooks and Karen Chung.
“The AJGA is excited to bring Mariah [Stackhouse] onboard to host her first AJGA event, especially a high-level all-girls invitational at her alma mater,” said AJGA Chief Business Officer Jason Etzen. “This event will also provide a platform to honor those who continue to pave the way for girls junior golf.”
The Mariah Stackhouse Girls Invitational will mark the fourth time Stanford Golf Course has hosted the AJGA. Previous events include the 1993 Canon Cup (now known as the Wyndham Cup), the 2019 Swinging Skirts AJGA Invitational and the 2020 AJGA Girls Invitational at Stanford. Stanford Golf Course designed by George C. Thomas and Billy Bell Jr. opened in 1930 and is owned and operated by Stanford University. In 2015, GolfWeek rated Stanford the No. 6 college course in the country.
Stackhouse, the 2011 Player Representative to the AJGA Board of Directors, had an impressive junior career of her own prior to attending Stanford. The four-time AJGA Champion earned Rolex Junior All-America honors three-times, including a first-team appearance in 2011. Stackhouse finished T2 in the 2011 edition of her now event. She went on to play for the Stanford Women’s Golf from 2012 to 2016 and turned professional in 2017. In her four years she was named to the All-Pac 12 first-team three times and recorded 24 top-10 finishes that included four individual wins. Stackhouse was also a four-time Stanford All-American who helped lead the Cardinals to the 2015 National Championship. In Stackhouse’s four years on the LPGA Tour she has earned 5 top-10 finishes.
In 2009, longtime supporter and sponsor, Scott Timmons Hipp had a vision to bring an all-girls event to Greenville, South Carolina, to help showcase their talents. The AJGA Girls Championship grew to be one of the strongest all-girl fields on the AJGA schedule. In 2021, the AJGA Girls Championship will partner with Mariah Stackhouse and Stanford Golf Course to provide an unforgettable all-girls invitational.
“I am excited to see the AJGA Girls Championship move to the next level as an invitational and so proud to work with Mariah Stackhouse to make this the best event on the AJGA schedule,” said AJGA Girls Championship Tournament Chair Scott Timmons Hipp.
The Mariah Stackhouse Girls Invitational will include the giving of the Betsy Rawls Legacy Award. The award honors an individual of the golf community for their service to advancing girls’ junior golf. The award given annually since 2009 at the AJGA Girls Championship has honored the likes of PGA of America Past President Suzy Whaley, Chairman and CEO of PING Golf John Solheim, Golf Broadcaster Dottie Pepper and former LPGA professional Nancy Lopez. The recipient of the 2021 Betsy Rawls Legacy Award will be honored on-site at Stanford Golf Club this fall.
The 54-hole tournament begins with the Official Practice Round Thursday, September 2, continues with the first and second round on Friday, September 3, and concludes with the final round on Saturday, September 4.
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