Junior Rankings Explained

This section includes the three main national junior golf rankings, and how they are determined.

 

Junior Golf Scoreboard

http://www.juniorgolfscoreboard.com/index.asp

 

To be ranked in the JGS a player must:

 

• Compete in at least four multi-day tournaments in a year and be identifiable in the results from the tournament by name, hometown, and year of high school graduation.
• Still be in high school (or it must be no later than August 1 of graduating year).
• Compete in age groups that: play at least 36 holes, have at least 5 competitors, play courses at least 4,500 yards long (and no shorter than the forward tees), and have no stroke-limit rule in place.

 

Three criteria are used to determine a player’s ranking:

 

• 65% of the ranking is determined by individual scoring (discounting worst 15% of scores and comparing the best scores against the USGA rating for the courses played).
• 25% of the ranking is determined by the strength of the fields in which the player competes (based on a proprietary formula, and a smaller number means the player competes against stiffer competition).
• 10% of the ranking is determined by the strength of the player’s finishes, taking into account the size of the field at each tournament.

 

Golfweek Performance Index

http://www.golfweekrankings.com/ellington/default.asp?t=boys

 

This is a rating system developed by Jeff Sagarin that is based on a player’s competitiveness against other players over the period of a year. All players in the rankings become inter-connected based on their head-to-head performances in shared tournaments.

 

To be ranked in the GPI, a player must:

 

• Compete in at least 5 events in the past year.
• Compete in events with a field size of 40 players for boys, and 12 players for girls, and which are considered regional or national events.
• Compete in events that are a minimum of 36 holes and preferably 54 holes.
• Compete in the oldest age bracket, unless all players play from the same tees.

 

The following criteria are used to determine a player’s ranking:

 

• Power Rating: This is not a stroke average, but it does represent a typical score. It rates a player based on his previous performances and his stroke differential against all other players in the rankings.
• Schedule Strength: A measure of the strength of the fields a player has played against based on all the individual power ratings that make up the field.
• Records: A player’s win-loss-tie record in head to head competition (the winner of a 156-player field has a record of 155-0-0, and so on).

 

Performance Based Entry (AJGA)

 

Until 2003, the American Junior Golf Association used the strength of an application and resume to determine entry into its elite tournaments. Now it uses a system called the Performance Based Entry (PBE). By competing in PBE-recognized tournaments, players have an opportunity to earn “status” with the AJGA and potentially qualify for an AJGA event.

 

The following are the three status categories:

 

• Fully Exempt: Players in this category have first priority into all AJGA Open events and earn it by having a top finish at a top-tier national tournament. (Generally about 20% of tournament spots are filled by Fully Exempt players).
• Tournament Exemptions: Players in this category have the next level of priority into events (and players with multiple exemptions outrank players with one exemption). They earn this status with a top finish at a state or regional tournament (and some national events). (Generally about 60% of tournament spots are filled by players at this status level).
• Performance Stars: Players in this category have the lowest priority in tournament entry, but have the possibility of improving their status. Four performance stars for boys, three for girls, earns a jump to Tournament Exemption status. A player earns a star upon joining the AJGA, and high school juniors earn two stars upon joining. Other stars are earned based on finishes in PBE events. (Generally about 20% of tournament spots are filled by players from this status level).

 

Players trying to earn entry into AJGA tournaments can improve their status by competing in PBE-recognized events on other junior tours. Another way for players to improve their status is to participate in AJGA Qualifiers which gives them an opportunity to qualify for a specific tournament, or earn a Tournament Exemption to increase their status for a later event. More info.