There are many different multi-day events on our schedule each year and one of the most common questions we receive is how to know which of these events are best for you. If you have never played competitive golf before we suggest that you stick to single-day events until you have some experience under your belt. With that being said, the Illinois Junior Golf Association (IJGA) offers a variety of different multi-day events in conjunction with our elite tour, the Mid-American Junior Golf Tour (MAJGT).

Why should you play in a multi-day event? The answer: to gain national exposure. If you are working towards playing collegiate golf two day events being ranked in your state on Junior Golf Scoreboard (JGS) can help coaches find you and help you to gain entry into elite events. Many of the IJGA and MAJGT multi-day events are recognized by not only by JGS but the winners also have the opportunity to earn American Junior Golf Association PBE Stars.

To better understand which type of multi-day events you should be playing in we have broken it down by age:

AGES 16-18 – At this age range you have several different options:

On the IJGA side (ranked from beginner to veteran):

  • Players Challenge Events – these events are designed for players ages 14-18 who are looking to transition from single-day events to nationally recognized events. There is no cut at this event and you will be repaired based on scores.
  • DuPage County Junior Classic – this is open to all levels of IJGA membership and offers the opportunity to attempt to qualify for the IMG Junior World. Championship. This event is played during the spring and is open to all skill levels
  • CDGA Junior Amateur – this is one of the oldest junior golf events in the Midwest and is open to boys and girls ages 14-18. The Girls Division plays 36 holes, while the Boys Division plays 54-holes with a cut to low 30 and ties after 36 holes.
  • Chick Evans Junior Amateur Championship (CEJA) – the CEJA is open to boys and girls age 12-18 who are exempt or who have qualified via one of six (6) qualifiers. There is a cut after 36-holes of stroke play. The players who make the cut will then being match play rounds until a winner is decided.
  • Illinois State Junior Amateur (ISJA) – this is the top ranked junior golf tournament in the state of Illinois. It is a male only event with a cut after 36-holes. If you have not earned an exemption into this event you are required to qualify at one of the six (6) qualifiers.

On the MAJGT side: the MAJGT is designed to be the next step you would take after excelling at a Players Challenge Event. This means, if you are able to finish in the top 50% of the field at a Players Challenge you are ready to take on a MAJGT event. A few things to remember about MAJGT events:

  • Only two divisions: Boys & Girls, meaning that all players, no matter their age (12-18), will play together in their respective divisions
  • The yardages are longer than the majority of the multi-day events on the IJGA schedule
  • Spring events use the Field Determination Policy, meaning that it could be harder to get into an event
  • All-Midwest Team Points are awarded at point-awarding events and are used to determine the Teams for the Fall Shootout team event held at the end of the season

AGES 14-15 – At this age range you have a variety of options:

On the IJGA side (ranked from beginner to veteran):

  • Junior Elite Events – these events are designed to help players get their feet wet with multi-day events. A Junior Elite Event offers smaller age divisions and plays from a shorter yardage than a Players Challenge.
  • Players Challenge Events – these events are designed as a step-up from the Junior Elite events. The field will play from slightly longer yardages than a Junior Elite Event.
  • DuPage County Junior Classic – this is open to all levels of IJGA membership and offers the opportunity to attempt to qualify for the IMG Junior World. Championship. This event is played during the spring and is open to all skill levels
  • CDGA Junior Amateur – this is one of the oldest junior golf events in the Midwest and is open to boys and girls ages 14-18. The Girls Division plays 36 holes, while the Boys Division plays 54-holes with a cut to low 30 and ties after 36 holes.
  • Chick Evans Junior Amateur Championship (CEJA) – the CEJA is open to boys and girls age 12-18 who are exempt or who have qualified via one of six (6) qualifiers. There is a cut after 36-holes of stroke play. The players who make the cut will then being match play rounds until a winner is decided.
  • Illinois State Junior Amateur (ISJA) – this is the top ranked junior golf tournament in the state of Illinois. ISJA is open to players ages 12-18 and is a male only event with a cut after 36-holes. If you have not earned an exemption into this event you are required to qualify at one of the six (6) qualifiers.

On the MAJGT side: See the ages 16-18 description.

AGES 12-13 – There are still a variety of options to choose from at this age group:

On the IJGA side (ranked from beginner to veteran):

  • Junior Elite Events – these events are designed to help players get their feet wet with multi-day events. Playing in Junior Elite Series events will help you prepare for playing longer yardages once you reach the next age division.
  • Sizzler Championship – this event is a recent addition to the YDP schedule and allows players to compete in a 3-day, 54 hole format which has a cut after 36 holes, instead of the single-day Sizzler, the single-day option is still available.
  • DuPage County Junior Classic – this is open to all levels of IJGA membership and offers the opportunity to attempt to qualify for the IMG Junior World. Championship. This event is played during the spring and is open to all skill levels
  • Chick Evans Junior Amateur Championship (CEJA) – the CEJA is open to boys and girls age 12-18 who are exempt or who have qualified via one of six (6) qualifiers. There is a cut after 36-holes of stroke play. The players who make the cut will then being match play rounds until a winner is decided.
  • Illinois State Junior Amateur (ISJA) – this is the top ranked junior golf tournament in the state of Illinois. ISJA is open to players ages 12-18 and is a male only event with a cut after 36-holes. If you have not earned an exemption into this event you are required to qualify at one of the six (6) qualifiers.

On the MAJGT side: While the MAJGT is open to junior golfers ages 12-18, not all 12-13 year olds are ready for the longer yardages. Those players who are able to consistently finish atop the leader board in Junior Elite Events could benefit in playing at the longer yardages found at MAJGT events. Remember that you are able to play in ONE (1) MAJGT event as a non-MAJGT or Elite member.

AGES 10-11 – Both options available to this age group are found on the IJGA schedule (ranked from beginner to veteran):

  • Junior Elite Events – this is going to be the main type of multi-day event available to players ages 10-11. These events help transition players from single-day, 18-hole events to playing in multi-day events at a young age.
  • Sizzler Championship – this event is a recent addition to the YDP schedule and allows players to compete in a 2-day, 36 hole format instead of the single-day Sizzler, the single-day option is still available.
  • DuPage County Junior Classic – this is open to all levels of IJGA membership and offers the opportunity to attempt to qualify for the IMG Junior World Championship. This event is played during the spring and is open to all skill levels.

Still have more questions on multi-day events? Call our office at 630.257.9806 with any questions.