BY HOWARD WARD

Golf Writer

The American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) returns to Southern Pines to hold the Golf Pride Junior Classic Aug. 10-13 at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club, which will host 99 junior golfers, ages 12-18, all looking for a victory.

In last year's tournament, Evan Beck, of Virginia Beach, Va., fired a three-round total of 7-under-par 206 to take the win in the boys' division by three strokes. Victoria Kiser, of Orlando, Fla., won the girls' division, besting her opponents by four strokes.

A 1:30 p.m. shotgun practice round will be held Aug. 10. Tournament tee times run from 7:30 a.m. to 12:50 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday off the No. 1 tee on the Donald Ross-designed course that has hosted three U.S. Women's Open Championships.

An awards ceremony will immediately follow final round play. Guests are welcome to attend and admission is free.

Prior to the start of the tournament, an 18-hole K-12 qualifier will be held at Mid Pines Golf Club Aug. 9. The K-12 Qualifier Series is designed to allow less experienced players a chance to play their way into the field and compete against more experienced players. For more information about this qualifier, please contact AJGA Player Services Department at (877) 373-2542.

During the tournament week, some of the top juniors who will be participating in the Golf Pride Junior Classic will also take part in the junior-am fundraising tournament on Monday. The tournament will be an 8 a.m. shotgun start at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club.

An excellent opportunity to entertain clients, reward employees or enjoy a tournament round with some friends, the Junior-Am allows locals to play a competitive round of golf with future stars of the game.

Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Davis Love III, Justin Leonard, Charles Howell III, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel and Grace Park are just a few of the thousands of talented players who participated in AJGA Junior-Ams when they were teenagers.

Supporting golf at the grass-roots level, junior-ams allow the AJGA to make contributions to local junior golf charities and programs in hosting communities. In 2009, the proceeds of the Golf Pride Junior Classic Junior-Am Fundraising Tournament will benefit the AJGA Foundation and the First Tee of the Sandhills. To participate, contact Ryan Tahara at (770) 868-4200.

Titleist, the AJGA's national sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the association's success since 1989. Rolex Watch USA, 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.

For more information, contact Kristi Bradley (kbradley@ ajga.org) in the AJGA communications department at (678) 425-1790 or visit the AJGA Web site at ajga.org.