The Golf Courses of Kenton County will host the American Junior Golf Association Open at The Willows this summer. The event’s arrival to Kenton County comes as meetNKY, Northern Kentucky’s tourism bureau, takes over as the AJGA Open’s title sponsor for the next three years.

The summer event will take place May 24-27 and feature the top young (ages 12-19) golfers from around the world, showcasing Northern Kentucky on an international stage.

“So many exceptional players have cut their teeth playing in these tournaments, and it’s exciting to think the next Tiger Woods could be playing right here in Kenton County,” David Peru, general manager of the Golf Courses of Kenton County, said. “The Willows is a great course, and we look forward to using this opportunity to highlight the incredible community we have in Northern Kentucky.”

The event’s arrival comes as Northern Kentucky’s tourism industry surges. According to the most recent data, Northern Kentucky’s tourism industry had a $1.9 billion impact in 2022, supporting more than 12,000 jobs in the three-county region.

“Hosting the AJGA Open this year is the perfect opportunity to showcase what the region has to offer to the national sports landscape,” Julie Kirkpatrick, president and CEO of meetNKY, said. “We expect that visitors to Northern Kentucky and the Cincy Region for this event will enjoy all that we have to offer and make their way back to visit us for many more national sporting events in the future."

Launched in 1978, the American Junior Golf Association is dedicated to the development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA provides valuable exposure for those seeking college golf scholarships and has a membership (boys and girls, ages 12-19) of more than 9,000 players from 50 states and 57 foreign countries.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 1,000 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Patrick Cantlay, Billy Horschel, Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Tiger Woods, Paula Creamer, Jessica Korda, Nelly Korda, Cristie Kerr, Stacy Lewis, Inbee Park, Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang.

This the first time The Willows has hosted an AJGA event.

The Golf Courses of Kenton County are operated by Indigo Sports, a subsidiary of Troon Golf, with the County responsible for capital expenses at both the Willows and its sister course, The Pioneer. 

“When this administration came into office, we set out to transform the operations of the golf courses to take the operational burden off our residents,” Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann said. “Our partnership with Indigo Sports has done just that, and now we’re seeing the fruits of our labor. These courses now serve as a great public asset to our residents and help support our thriving tourism industry.”

The Willows course, located in Independence, plays to 6,697 yards from the championship tees.