Formed in 2011 when the NCGA and Northern California PGA combined their resources, the JTNC is a competitive tour for girls and boys ages 10-18. Eligible players must have an NCGA or Youth on Course membership. In addition, boys’ players must have a Handicap Index of 4.0 or lower, while girls must have a Handicap Index of 6.0 or lower.
The tour annually features nearly 30 events consisting of two flights—Girls’ Championship and Boys’ Championship--using different sets of tees.
The average cost is $168 (includes golf and range balls for two days) for most events, albeit fees may vary depending on venue. An $85 annual membership fee is also required.
Past players who honed their skills on the JTNC include major winner Bryson DeChambeau, PGA Tour member Justin Suh and LPGA Tour winner Yealimi Noh.
For more information, please visit jtnc.org
The annual JTNC Tour Championship was set to tee off July 28-29 at Poppy Hills.
Along with playing for the championship titles, the Tour Championship will conclude the 2024-2025 JTNC season, which means that Girls’ and Boys’ Player of the Year titles will also be on the line.
As of July 4, in the Girls’ Player of the Year points race, Anita Lumpongpoung was leading in the points standings with a total of 1,818 points. In second place at 16,454 points was Madalyn Lee.
On the Boys’ Player of the Year front, as of July 4 Richard Ding held first place with a total of 1,575 points. In second place was Ben Friedman with 1,429 points.
The 2024-205 JTNC season will commence with the Fall Series I Championship, to be held Aug. 16-17 at Cypress Lakes GC in Vacaville.
Asterisk Talley isn’t the only one who has made big moves on the all-time career JTNC win lists.
On the Girls’ side, there too is Cathy Zhang. A high school junior-to-be, Zhang has currently reached 12 total JTNC wins (one being the 2023 NCGA Junior). With a dozen wins in the bag, Zhang has joined Talley (32), Sabrina Iqbal (29), Yealimi Noh (19) and Casie Cathrea (18) as the only JTNC girls to ever win 10 or more events.
Over on the Boys’ side, Ben Friedman of Mill Valley had reached nine Championship flight wins, putting him behind only three players—Thomas Hutchison (9), Justin Suh (11) and all-time Boys’ leader Jaden Dumdumaya (16).
JTNC members Erin Lee and Liam Eyer were set to compete in the upcoming 49th Girls and Boys Junior PGA Championships thanks to their play at the Summer Series II Championship.
The two earned automatic spots into the championship thanks to their wins at the JTNC Summer Series II Championship, which was held June 11-12 at Haggin Oaks GC. Lee won the Girls’ crown with a two-day total of 8-under 136, while Eyer took the Boys’ title with a 36-hole score of 10-under 134.
The winners of the Summer Series II Championship annually earn automatic exemptions into the Junior PGA Championships.
This year’s 49th Girls’ and Boys’ Junior PGA Championships tees off July 29-Aug. 1 at Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in Indiana.
