JUNIOR INVITATIONAL ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION PROCESS

The Junior Invitational at Sage Valley Golf Club is the premier junior golf event in the world. This, in part, is due to stringent invitation guidelines ensuring that the field consists of the game's top 54 junior players, based on the criteria listed below. The tournament reserves the right to complete its field with any player it deems worthy for inclusion. Past champions always are eligible until they age-out of the event.

Beginning with the 2017 competition, the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley Golf Club is adjusting its definition of "junior" to reflect similar changes made by the AJGA and USGA. Junior players who have not reached their 19th birthday as of January 1 of the competition year are now eligible for invitation to the event. Players who have enrolled in a college or university are no longer eligible regardless of age.

The following list describes potential participants who automatically qualify for invitation to the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley Golf Club:

1. 2016 Junior Invitational Top 10 and Ties
2. 2016 Georgia State Golf Association Junior Champion
3. 2016 South Carolina Golf Association Junior Champion
4. 2016 USGA Junior Amateur Semi‑Finalists
5. 2016 Junior PGA Championship Champion
6. 2016 Boys Amateur Champion and Runner‑up
7. 2016 European Boys Team Championship Individual Champion
8. 2016 Junior Orange Bowl Champion
9. 2016 IMG Academy Junior World Championships 15‑17 Champion
10. Any junior eligible from the most recent U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Team
11. Any junior eligible from the most recent European Junior Ryder Cup Team
12. Any junior eligible from the most recent U.S. Walker Cup Team and the GB&I Walker Cup Team
13. 2016 U.S. Amateur Championship – furthest advancing junior
14. 2016 Asian Pacific Amateur Championship – low junior making the cut
15. 2017 Latin American Amateur Championship – low junior making the cut
16. Any junior participating in the 2016 Masters, 2016 U.S. Open Championship, 2016 The Open Championship

Any remaining slots will be filled based on the first official listing in January 2017 from the Golfweek/Sagarin Junior Boys Rankings, Junior Golf Scoreboard, Polo Golf Rankings, the World Amateur Golf Rankings and the European Golf Rankings. While the above criteria are a permanent part of the selection process, the Junior Invitational may adjust these as it deems appropriate. The Junior Invitational adheres to a strict code of conduct. It may rescind the invitation to any player should his actions on or off the course reflect poorly on his reputation regardless of his level of play.