A Storied History and Legendary Names: The Junior PGA Championships

Its history dates back to 1976. Past Champions and participants include some of the game’s most recognizable names. 

And this year, many of the top junior boys and girls will gather in Illinois for the 2022 Junior PGA Championships.

Those notable Championship alumni include: Ariya Jutanugarn, Cristie Kerr, In Bee Park, Dottie Pepper, Yuka Saso, Lexi Thompson, Michelle Wie West and reigning Augusta National Women’s Amateur Champion (and 2021 Junior PGA Champion) Anna Davis on the girls side and Tony Finau, Phil Mickelson, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Tiger Woods and Will Zalatoris on the boys side.

The youngest champion in the history of the Championship is Lexi Thompson, who won the Patty Berg Trophy in 2007 at the age of 12. Jake Beber-Frankel holds the record for the lowest 18-hole score in the history of the Championship, with a 60 in 2019 at Keney Park Golf Course in Connecticut.

And this year, the Junior PGA Championships will be contested at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Palos Park, Illinois, from August 2-5.

Take a look at the past champions and runner ups at one of golf’s major championships for juniors, the Boys and Girls Junior PGA Championships, where the best in the world got their start. 

1976
Nancy Rubin 
Michelle Jordan
Walt Disney World

1977
Debbie Hall
Lauri Merten           
Walt Disney World

1978
Kathy Baker
Sharon Barrett
Callaway Gardens

1979
Penny Hammel
Jenny Lidback
Callaway Gardens

1980
Heather Farr
Jenny Lidback
PGA National GC

1981
Cathy Johnston
Heather Farr
PGA National GC

1982
Heather Farr
Dottie Pepper
PGA National GC

1983
Tracy Kerdyk
Cheryl Morlye
PGA National GC

1984
Clare Dolan
Cheryl Morlye
PGA National GC

1985
Jean Zeditz
Dana Lofland
PGA National GC

1986
Adele Moore
Tracy Nakamura
PGA National GC

1987
Vicki Goetze
Michelle McGann
PGA National GC

1988
Brandie Burton
Kimberly Cayce
PGA National GC

1989
Vicki Goetze
Renee Heiken
Bellerive CC

1990
Vicki Goetze
Estafania Knuth
PGA National GC

1991
Julie Brand
Jeong Min Park
PGA National GC

1992
Kellee Booth
Eunice Choi
PGA National GC

1993
Erika Hayashida
Betty Chen
PGA Nationa GC

1994
Beth Bauer
Jenny Lee
Pinehurst (NC) Resort & CC

1995
Cristie Kerr
Jae Jean Ro
PGA National GC

1996
Grace Park
Beth Bauer
PGA National GC

1997
Beth Bauer
Stacy Prammanasudh
PGA National GC

1998
Leigh Anne Hardin
Dorothy Joy Delasin
PGA National GC

1999
Aree Song Wongluekit
Naree Song Wongluekit
PGA National GC

2000
Aree Song Wongluekit
Naree Song Wongluekit
PGA National GC

2001
Inbee Park
Mallory Code
Westfield Group CC

2002
Inbee Park
Jenny Suh
Westfield Group CC

2003
Emme Cabrera-Bello
Jennie Lee
Westfield Group CC

2004
Angela Park
Jennie Lee
Westfield Group CC

2005
Stephanie Kono
Kristina Wong
Westfield Group CC

2006
Brittany Altomare
Kristen Schelling
Westfield Group CC

2007
Lexi Thompson
Kimberly Kim
Westfield Group CC

2008
Danielle Frasier
Sarah Brown
TPC River’s Bend

2009
Lexi Thompson
Sarah Brown
TPC River’s Bend

2010
Cassy Isagawa
Ginger Howard
Sycamore Hills Golf Club

2011
Ariya Jutanugarn
Mariah Stackhouse
Sycamore Hills Golf Club

2012
Ariya Jutanugarn
Samantha Wagner
Sycamore Hills Golf Club

2013
Amy Lee
Abbey Carlson
Trump National GC – D.C.

2014
Kristen Gillman
Bethany Wu
Miramont Country Club

2015
Elizabeth Wang
Mariel Galdiano
Miramont Country Club

2016
Lucy Li
Mariel Galdiano, Alyaa Abdulghany
Wannamoisett CC

2017
Rose Zhang
Yealimi Noh
Country Club of St. Albans

2018
Yealimi Noh
Rose Zhang
Kearney Hills Golf Links

2019
Yuka Saso
Jensen Castle
Keney Park Golf Course

2020 No Competition Contested

2021
Anna Davis
Julia Misemer
Valhalla Golf Club

1976 
Larry Field
Ricky Smallridge 
Walt Disney World

1977
Randy Watkins
Rick Stallings   
Walt Disney World

1978
Willie Wood
Bob Wolcott
Callaway Gardens

1979
Rick Fehr
Tracy Phillips
Callaway Gardens

1980
Tracy Phillips
John Inman
PGA National GC

1981
Billy Andrade
Scott Erikson
PGA National GC

1982
Billy May Fair
Tim Fleming
PGA National GC

1983
Michael Bradley
Edward Pfister
PGA National GC

1984
David Toms
Michael Finne
PGA National GC

1985
Steve Termeer
John Alber
PGA National GC

1986
Brian Montgomery
Damien Jamila
PGA National GC

1987
Jeff Manson
Thomas Hurley
PGA National GC

1988
Reynold Lee
Kevin Hammer
Bellerive CC

1989
Bobby Collins
Briny Baird & Justin Leonard
PGA National GC

1990
Chris Couch
Tiger Woods
PGA National GC

1991
David Daley
Chip Spiron
PGA National GC

1992
D.A. Points
Todd Lynch
PGA National GC

1993
Pat Perez
Robert Floyd
Pinehurst Resort & CC

1994
Joel Kribel
Boyd Summerhays
PGA National GC

1995
Kyle Thompson
Andy Doeden
PGA National GC

1996
Trevor Immelman
Kyle Thompson
PGA National GC

1997
Bubba Dickerson
Nicholas Loar
PGA National GC

1998
Sean O’Hair
Nathan Fritz
PGA National GC

1999
Chang Song Wongluekit
Jayme Berkowitz
PGA National GC

2000
Ty Tryon
Chang Song Wongluekit & James Vargas
PGA National GC

2001
Taylor Hall
Casey Wittenberg
Westfield Group CC

2002
Tyler Aldridge
Adam Porzak
Westfield Group CC

2003
Phillip Bryan
James Sacheck
Westfield Group CC

2004
Daniel Woltman
Brian Maurer
Westfield Group CC

2005
Alex Volpenheim
Joe Monte
Westfield Group CC

2006
Joe Monte
Tony Mapu Finau
Westfield Group CC

2007
Chris De Forest
Mark Johnson
Westfield Group CC

2008
Anthony Paolucci
Jordan Spieth
TPC River’s Bend

2009
T.J. Vogel
Jordan Spieth
TPC River’s Bend

2010
Denny McCarthy
Anthony Paolucci
Sycamore Hills GC

2011
Cody Proveaux
Lorens Chan
Sycamore Hills GC

2012
Robby Shelton
Cameron Champ
Sycamore Hills GC

2013
Tyler McDaniel
Sam Burns
Trump National GC – D.C.

2014
Sam Burns
Gordon Neale
Miramont CC

2015
Brad Dalke
Wilson Furr
Miramont CC

2016
Norman Xiong
Patrick Welch
Wannamoisett CC

2017
Akshay Bhatia
Reid Davenport
Country Club of St. Albans

2018
Akshay Bhatia
Tommy Stephenson
Valhalla Golf Club

2019
Jack Heath
Canon Claycomb
Keney Park GC

2020 No Competition Contested

2021
Caleb Surratt
Ben James, Eric Lee, Bryan Lee & Nick Dunlap
Kearney Hill Golf Links