BOSTON (Nov. 4, 2020) – For the second consecutive year, Pinehurst Resort will host both the Boys and Girls High School Golf National Invitational in 2021.
The Girls Invitational, featuring 216 players, will be contested June 23-25, 2021. The Boys will follow with 324 players, June 28-30, 2021. Both events will be contested in a three-round, 54-hole, stroke-play format.
The High School Golf National Invitational is designed to showcase golf at the highest level on a national scale, bringing together the strongest and most diverse field in high school golf from large, small, public and private high school programs across the United States. It was first played in 2019, with 300 boys and girls representing 43 states. The best high school golf teams and individuals in each state received invites.
The Girls National Invitational will be played over Pinehurst’s No. 6, No. 8 and No. 9 courses, while the Boys tournament will be held on Pinehurst’s No. 7, No. 8 and No. 9 courses. Both events will include team and individual competitions. Pinehurst Resort is steeped in tradition and has hosted some of golf’s greatest tournaments, including the PGA Championship, Ryder Cup, U.S. Open, Women’s U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur.
“The High School Golf National Invitational is the pinnacle of high school golf and valuable to college coaches seeking hidden talent they may not see on the junior golf circuit,” said National High School Golf Association Manager Chris Noble. “High school golf is vital to the health of the golf industry’s future with 223,000 students playing nationwide. It’s really incredible to bring the event back to Pinehurst Resort, where the players can experience one of the best golf resorts in the world.”
The 2020 Girls Invitational went down to the wire, with Arizona winning with a 3-day total of 920 – 319-292-309 (+56). The individual girl’s title was won by Loralie Cowart of Winston, Georgia, who shot a 3-day total of 216 – 70-74-72 (E).
The 2020 Invitational Boys team division was won by Utah with a three-day score of 903 – 299-312-292 (+39). Utah inched out the boys’ team from Florida by one shot and held off the 2019 Invitational Champions from Virginia by four shots. Anawin Pikulthong from Gilbert, Arizona had a stellar three days in tough conditions to earn the individual medalist title, by shooting a 10-under-par 206 (70-68-68).
The High School Golf National Invitational is conducted by the National High School Golf Association (NHSGA), a division of Nextgengolf, which was acquired by the PGA of America in 2019.
The PGA will award a special exemption for tournament medalists into the 2021 Boys Junior PGA Championship and Girls Junior PGA Championship in July 2021. The Invitational is supported by some of the best organizations in junior golf, including the AJGA, Junior Golf Scoreboard and Junior Golf Hub.
For more information about the 2021 NHSGA High School Golf National Invitational, please click here.
