Nelly Korda, TaylorMade to host new all-girls Invitational
By Sarah Turner
Braselton, GA – The American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) and Global Sponsor TaylorMade Golf are thrilled to bring a new Invitational to the AJGA’s schedule. Nelly Korda, a standout LPGA Tour player, AJGA alumna and Team TaylorMade athlete, will serve as the tournament host to the all-girls event.
The inaugural event named, The Nelly, will be hosted at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida. The 54-hole stoke play event will feature 66 of the world’s top girl junior golfers and is set to take place May 3 – 6, 2024.
It’s a full-circle moment for me to be able to contribute to the organization that played a pivotal role in my development as a junior golfer. This event is more than just a competition, it’s a platform to inspire the next generation of female golfers.
NELLY KORDA
In her junior golf career, Korda played in many AJGA events. The three-time Rolex Junior All-American claimed two AJGA Invitational titles at the 2015 Yani Tseng Invitational presented by the Swinging Skirts and 2015 The PING Invitational. Korda joined the LPGA Tour in 2017 and has had eight career victories, including the 2021 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Korda has also competed on three Solheim Cup teams in 2019, 2021 and 2023 and won the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Nelly Korda
Working alongside Nelly Korda and TaylorMade to add an all-girls event to the AJGA’s schedule marks a significant milestone for the AJGA. This dynamic partnership reflects our commitment to innovation and inclusivity and opens new doors for female junior golfers.
STEPHEN HAMBLIN, AJGA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The AJGA is proud of the relationship it continues to build with TaylorMade and looks forward to the growing opportunities the partnership will provide to AJGA juniors. TaylorMade has hosted an all-boys AJGA event, the Team TaylorMade Invitational, since 2021. This all-boys event gives top junior golfers a world-class competitive platform to showcase their skills and will now offer the same opportunity for females.
TaylorMade has been involved with the AJGA as a product supplier and partner for more than 25 years, joining as a Proud Partner in 2011 and investing fully as a Global Sponsor in 2016. TaylorMade is the Official Golf Ball of the AJGA and hosts multiple events at the Preview, Junior All-Star and Invitational level. Team TaylorMade athletes Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler, Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, Sierra Brooks, Maria Fassi, Sung Hyun Park, Nelly Korda, Brooke Henderson and Charley Hull all have ties to the AJGA as player alumni, tournament hosts or program supporters.
We are excited to collaborate with Nelly Korda and the AJGA to host an all-girls event and elevate the competitive opportunities for female junior golfers. At TaylorMade, we take immense pride in supporting the AJGA and are excited to have Nelly Korda as host to this event as she serves as an inspiration to the future generation of golfers.
RYAN RESSA, SENIOR MANAGER, TAYLORMADE PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
About the American Junior Golf Association
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 12-19) of more than 9,000 members from 50 states and 57 foreign countries. Through initiatives like the Liberty National ACE Grant, a financial assistance program, and Leadership Links, a service-oriented platform that teaches juniors charitable-giving skills, the AJGA fosters the growth of golf’s next generation.
TaylorMade and adidas are the AJGA’s Global Sponsors, supporting the AJGA for more than 25 years. TaylorMade has served as the Official Ball of the AJGA since 2016. adidas has been the Official Apparel and Footwear of the AJGA since 2017. Rolex, in its fourth decade of AJGA sponsorship, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004.
AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 1,000 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Patrick Cantlay, Billy Horschel, Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Tiger Woods, Paula Creamer, Jessica Korda, Nelly Korda, Cristie Kerr, Stacy Lewis, Inbee Park, Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang.
