Selection process determined for Team Michigan in the new National Junior Golf Initiative

TL; DR

• The U.S. National Development Program is an effort by the USGA to identify and develop golfing talent.
• State teams are intended to expand the pipeline for local elite golfers to the USNDP.
• The selection process for Team Michigan’s new Junior Golfers (ages 13-18) uses a points system based on GAM and Michigan PGA top championships and USGA qualifiers.
• Teams of eight boys and eight girls will represent Michigan.
• Anika Dy, a standout amateur golfer at the University of Michigan, is the coordinator, and the committee will also consider head-to-head results and behavior for the final selection.

Selection process determined for the new Junior Golf Initiative

FARMINGTON HILLS – Team Michigan’s selection process for junior boys and girls golfers ages 13-18 has been established for representation in the U.S. National Development Program (USNDP), an initiative of the USGA.

A points system and tournaments and qualifiers where junior golfers can earn the points are selected by a committee of Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) and the Michigan Section PGA leaders.

The 2026 golf season marks the first selection of junior golfers for Team Michigan. The team (a team of eight boys and a team of eight girls will be selected) will represent the state in the program designed to expand the pipeline for local elite golfers to the USNDP.

The USNDP aims to ensure that American golf is the world leader in the game by focusing on six key pillars: talent identification, access to competition, national teams, athlete resources, player development and relations, and financial support for athletes.

The USGA is asking state programs to focus on creating a developmentally appropriate, aspirational pathway for athletes within each state to compete at higher levels of the game. The USGA’s goal is to establish a team in every state by 2033, working with allied golf associations, the PGA of America Sections and local junior golf programs.

Competition between the state teams once they are chosen is not part of the current programme, although this may be developed in the future.

Anika Dy, a former University of Michigan golfer, 2019 Michigan PGA Women’s Open Champion, and standout amateur competitor, is the Partnership and Engagement Coordinator for the GAM and charged with working on the Team Michigan program.

She said the GAM and Michigan PGA Committee focused on each association’s top championships and USGA Championship qualifiers when determining the points system for selection for Team Michigan.

Justin Phillips, tournament director for the Michigan PGA and part of the committee, said efforts were made to have a schedule of combined tournaments in the state that would maximize the opportunities to make the team and determine the top players.

The committee will use the points ranking as the primary criterion, which will also take into account head-to-head results, average scores, competitive lap statistics, demonstrated work ethic, willingness to learn, personal behavior (on and off the track) and the ability to work with others and be part of a team.

“I wish this was something they had when I was a junior golfer,” Dy said. “To be part of a team like this would be a great honor, and it would have been something big to really work towards during the season. I think this will encourage kids to play in more Michigan tournaments.”

Phillips said the commission followed a similar model as other states have done in the program.

“Other sports have created national programs and things like junior Olympic programs to help advance their young athletes, and I think it’s great that golf is doing this too,” he said. “We made sure not to take away from the current tournament programs of the Michigan PGA and the GAM, but to offer something different that will be recognized by golfers in our state and give them the opportunity for greater opportunities down the road.”

Dy and Phillips both said they hope the young golfers will embrace a sense of pride when given the opportunity to be part of Team Michigan. Golfers who are selected will have access to team apparel in addition to national exposure through the USGA.

“I think it will generate more excitement and more interest in junior golf in Michigan,” Phillips said.

Dy said she will take an active role in displaying the apparel and talking about the benefits of the program and Michigan Golf to junior golfers and their parents.

“I will be raising awareness with social media, information and ideas and it will be a joint effort with the Michigan PGA,” she said. “I’m curious to see what it can become.”

The Michigan boys team is selected based on points earned in the following tournaments: Michigan Junior Amateur and Qualifiers, GAM Junior Invitational, GAM Boys’ Championship, Michigan Amateur and Qualifiers, GAM Championship and Qualifiers, Michigan PGA Junior, National Boys’ PGA Junior, Michigan Open and Qualifiers, US Junior Amateur and Qualifiers, US Open and Qualifiers and US Amateur and Qualifiers.

The Michigan girls team is selected based on points earned in the following tournaments: Michigan Girls’ Junior Amateur, GAM Junior Invitational, GAM Girls’ Championship, Michigan Women’s Amateur, GAM Women’s Championship, Michigan Girls’ PGA Junior, National Girls’ PGA Junior, US Girls’ Junior Amateur and Qualifiers, US Women’s Open and Qualifiers and US Women’s Amateur and Qualifiers.

Learn more at GAM.org under TEAM MICHIGAN under the JUNIORS pulldown.

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