The Presidents Cup and American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) announced the return of the Junior Presidents Cup, which will feature the United States’ Notah Begay III and South Africa’s Tim Clark as captains of the U.S. and International Teams, respectively.
The event will be contested for the third time on Monday, Sept. 19 and Tuesday, Sept. 20 at Myers Park Country Club in Charlotte prior to the start of the 2022 Presidents Cup at nearby Quail Hollow Club.
The Junior Presidents Cup is a two-day, team match-play competition featuring 24 of the world’s top junior boys 19 years old and younger – 12 from the United States and 12 from around the world, excluding Europe – that takes place just days before the start of the biennial Presidents Cup.
The Junior Presidents Cup was developed to give the world’s best non-European juniors a unique playing opportunity to compete in an international team match-play competition and showcase the global reach of junior golf.
“It is an honor to once again partner with the AJGA to contest the Junior Presidents Cup and set the stage for what will be an exciting and memorable week in Charlotte with the hosting of the Presidents Cup,” said Presidents Cup Executive Director Adam Sperling.
“This will prove to be an unforgettable experience for these Presidents Cup players of the future, and we’re grateful to Charlotte’s Myers Park Country Club for providing the worthy backdrop for another spirited competition.”
The teams will compete in six Four-Ball and Foursomes matches on Monday, Sept. 19, followed by 12 Singles matches on Tuesday, Sept. 20.
“We are thrilled to bring the Junior Presidents Cup back in 2022. The PGA TOUR has been a great supporter of junior golf and continuing this event further solidifies their dedication to the next generation,” said AJGA Executive Director Stephen Hamblin.
“Having the event alongside the Presidents Cup in Charlotte at Myers Park Country Club further builds on what has quickly become the premiere event in junior golf.”
Begay, the first Native American to compete on the PGA TOUR and in the Presidents Cup, was a member of the victorious 2000 U.S. Team and earned a 3-2 record at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.
A four-time PGA TOUR winner, Begay partnered with former Stanford teammate Tiger Woods in four matches, with the duo finishing with a 2-2 record that included two victories in Foursomes. During Sunday Singles, Begay defeated Retief Goosen, 1-up, in the event’s final match.
Begay competed on the PGA TOUR through 2012 and remained connected to the TOUR as an on-course reporter and analyst for Golf Channel and NBC Sports since 2013. He is also the host and founder of the Notah Begay III Junior National Championship, which provides an additional avenue for juniors to compete with other top talent from around the country.
As a junior golfer, Begay competed in AJGA events from 1987-89. He was named a Rolex Junior All-American in 1987 after winning two AJGA tournaments at the Southwestern Junior and the Meridian Junior Classic. He also had two top-15 finishes in 1988 and 1989.
“As a player it was special to represent my country at the Presidents Cup, so to now be asked to captain the junior team is truly an honor,” Begay said.
“This event is a wonderful chance to showcase the next generation of stars at golf’s highest level. Every one of these kids wants to play on TOUR, so my goal is to be a resource for them not only in preparation for their matches but also as they look toward a future in the professional game.”
South Africa’s Clark will add to his personal golf history in North Carolina, having played collegiately at North Carolina State where he was named ACC Player of the Year in 2007. Competing on the PGA TOUR from 2001-2016, Clark earned two titles, with his first coming at THE PLAYERS Championship in 2010, marking the biggest victory of his career. He later added the RBC Canadian Open in 2014.
A three-time participant on the International Team (2003, 2005, 2009) Clark competed for captain and fellow South African Gary Player in 2003 and 2005. He earned at least two points in each of his Presidents Cup appearances and finished with a 6-7-2 overall record, including an undefeated 4-0-2 record in Four-Ball. In 2011, Clark rejoined the International Team as a captain’s assistant.
As a junior golfer, Clark competed in one AJGA event, the 1993 Las Vegas Founders’ Legacy Junior, where he finished in ninth place.
“When the opportunity came to be the captain of the junior International Team and continue my involvement in the Presidents Cup, I took it immediately,” Clark said.
“Being an international player who came to America for college and chased a professional career on the PGA TOUR, I feel I can help guide these kids who may be looking to follow a similar path. But no matter where they go in their careers from here, they’ll always look back with fond memories of representing their country and competing against the best in the Junior Presidents Cup.”
Set in the historic Myers Park neighborhood south of Charlotte, Myers Park Country Club opened in 1921 and debuted its Donald-Ross designed layout in 1944. In 1945, Byron Nelson began his record 11-tournament winning streak at Myers Park Country Club, with his victory at the Charlotte Open giving the club significant national notoriety.
Ten years later, Myers Park Country Club added to its championship golf resume by hosting the 1955 U.S. Women’s Amateur.
“We are excited to partner with the PGA TOUR and the AJGA to host the Junior Presidents Cup this September,” said Don Smith, General Manager/COO, Myers Park Country Club.
“This exclusive team event features the best junior players in the world and will kick off a week-long celebration of golf in Charlotte. We are proud to play a role and look forward to hosting Captains Notah Begay III and Tim Clark as they lead 24 of the game’s stars of tomorrow.”
The U.S. Team defeated the International Team by a score of 13-11 in the second edition of the Junior Presidents Cup in 2019 at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, where Justin Leonard captained the U.S. Team and Australia’s Stuart Appleby led the International Team.
