2011 Patriot All-America Invitational Field Finalized
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The 2011 Patriot All-America has finalized the field of golfers for its 54-hole collegiate golf tournament that will be played Dec. 28-30 at Wigwam Golf Club in Litchfield Park, Ariz. The field will feature 84 collegiate golfers from across the nation, and includes 21 of the world’s top-100 ranked amateurs, with seven of those players having ties to the state of Arizona.
The accomplished field includes Andrew Yun, a junior at Stanford and former Hamilton High standout who was a PING First-Team All-America selection as a sophomore. The field also includes two of Yun’s Stanford teammates, Patrick Rodgers and David Chung.
Rodgers currently ranks in the top four in both collegiate and world amateur rankings as a Cardinal freshman and played on the 2011 U.S. Walker Cup team; while Chung, a Stanford senior, was a 2010 PING Third-Team All-America and was the runner-up in the 2010 U.S. Men’s Amateur Championship.
Other players in the field with Arizona ties include senior Spencer Fletcher and freshman Austin Quick of Arizona State, Grand Canyon University junior Marcus Synegal, South Mountain Community College sophomore (Red Mountain High School) Jimmy Kozikowski, University of Denver senior (Chaparral High School) Troy Anderson and Pepperdine freshman (Gilbert Christian High School) Caston Roberts.
Additional top players in the field include Illinois senior Luke Guthrie, a 2010 PING First-Team All-America who is currently ranked 9th in the Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking; Texas A&M senior Jordan Russell, a two-time PING All-America and 2011 U.S. Men’s Amateur semifinalist; and University of Southern California freshman Anthony Paolucci, the 2010 Rolex Junior Player of the Year.
“This is truly an elite field of collegians and the first opportunity for them to go heads up in tournament competition,” said Ed Gowan, executive director of the Arizona Golf Association.
Players earning PING All-America honors from the previous season in NCAA Divisions I, II and III plus the NAIA and NJCAA are eligible to be invited to participate in the Patriot All-America.
Additionally, a player from the United States Military, Naval and Air Force Academies have been invited, along with Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) national award recipients, members of the most recent Palmer Cup Teams, American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) All-Americans and Toyota Junior Golf World Cup participants currently enrolled as college freshmen.
“The Wigwam is thrilled to be involved with all of the partnering organizations to present the inaugural Patriot All-America,” said Tom O’Malley, chief operating officer of JDM Partners. “This tournament is destined to become the premier amateur golf event comprised solely of college players in the nation and we are pleased to have it staged in Arizona.”
The Wigwam Golf Club, along with the Arizona Golf Association (AGA) and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), is partnering with the Folds of Honor Foundation to host the inaugural Patriot All-America (www.patriotallamerica.com). The AGA is the host organization for the event, while the GCAA will administer the player invitations. Senator John McCain and Jerry Colangelo serve as co-chairmen for the event.
To show support for Folds of Honor, each golfer will carry a commemorative PING golf bag bearing the name of a fallen soldier from the community in which they live or attend school.
In its 80-year history, The Wigwam resort has hosted some of the world’s most recognized public figures and sports legends and maintains a reputation as one of the Southwest’s landmark resort destinations. Today, Wigwam Arizona continues to be a travel tradition for generations of families across the globe offering an entirely unique Arizona family resort experience where casual elegance meets historic charm. In December 2009, The Wigwam was purchased by JDM Partners, led by sports icon Jerry Colangelo.
The Wigwam’s three 18-hole championship golf courses offer a diversity that cannot be matched by any other Arizona resort. Here, the golf enthusiast has their pick of not just one or two courses, but three 18-hole championship courses, including two designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones, Sr. And, in true Wigwam style, each course (The Gold, Patriot and Heritage) offers a unique challenge that adds spice and variety to one’s stay at this timeless and relaxing retreat. In January 2011, the resort unveiled the completion of a $7 million rejuvenation project and re-launch under its original name - The Wigwam. For more information, visit the website at www.wigwamarizona.com.
ABOUT WIGWAM ARIZONA
Located in the affluent community of Litchfield Park, Ariz. in the West Valley of greater Phoenix, Wigwam Golf is a true jewel in the desert. The Wigwam’s three, 18-hole championship Phoenix golf courses offer incredible variety to the golfer looking for both diversity and challenge and is designed to provide a pure golf experience. Coupled with offerings from the restaurant on the green, Red Allen’s, and the many programming opportunities offered by the golf club, Wigwam Golf has remained an iconic retreat for golf-lovers and professionals alike. For more information on Wigwam Golf, please visit www.wigwamgolf.com.
ABOUT FOLDS OF HONOR FOUNDATION
Folds of Honor, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with a mission to empower deserving military families with educational support and opportunities, is helping fill this gap by providing post-secondary
educational scholarships for children and spouses of military service men and women killed or disabled while serving our great nation. There are more than 220,000 dependents of fallen and wounded military service men and women from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts alone and 85 percent do not qualify for federal educational assistance (as of February, 2011). For more information about the Folds of Honor Foundation, visit www.foldsofhonor.org.
ABOUT THE ARIZONA GOLF ASSOCIATION
The Arizona Golf Association has been serving amateur golfers in Arizona since 1923 when it held the first State Amateur Championship. Today, it is licensed by the United States Golf Association to provide handicapping and course rating services to member clubs, to provide tournament and rules expertise and to oversee the application of amateur status. For more information about the AGA go to www.azgolf.org.