With a list of past champions that reads more like a who’s who of competitive golf, the Winn Grips Heather Farr Classic Hosted by Longbow Golf Club celebrates 17 years of elite junior golf competition in the Valley of the Sun.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA), the tournament is a 54-hole, 36-hole cut, stroke-play competition contested on Longbow’s par-71 golf course. It features 132 boys and girls, from more than 19 different states, and a handful of countries. Over the years, the event has hosted one of the strongest fields on the AJGA circuit.

Ever heard of Hunter Mahan? He won it in ’99. Chandler’s own Richard Lee took top honors in 2007. How about 2012 champion, Beau Hossler? He went on to finish tied for 29th in the U.S. Open that same year, and even held the outright lead midway through the second round.

On the girl’s side, Paula Creamer is the only player in tournament history to win twice with back-to-back victories in ’03 and ’04. Alison Lee, 2010 champion, earned her LPGA Tour card in 2014 by sharing co-medalist honors at Qualifying School. And let’s not forget local Lindsey Weaver, who validated her amazing 59 two months later with a course-record 64 on her way to victory in 2012.  

Of the 32 past champions, 29 earned Rolex Junior All-America accolades in the same year. Mahan and Creamer were named Rolex Junior Player of the Year following wins at the Winn Grips Heather Farr Classic hosted by Longbow Golf Club. Both have gone on to have successful professional careers alongside Amanda Blumenherst (2002), Inbee Park (2005), Mina Harigae (2006), Kimberly Kim (2007), and 2013 LPGA Rookie of the Year Moriya Jutanugarn.

Locals seems to do well in the event. Former Arizona residents who have found themselves in the winner’s circle include Blumenherst (2002), Drew Kittleson (2005), Philip Francis (2006), Kyung Kim (2008) and Weaver (2012).

Last year in the Boys Division, KK Limbhasut of Loma Linda, California, birdied No. 18 to capture the title with an 8-under-par 205. Stephanie Lau of Fullerton, California, carded a 7-under-par 206 to win the Girls Division by one stroke.

This year in the Girls Division, Chandler resident Hannah O’Sullivan makes her first AJGA start since becoming the youngest player to ever win a Symetra Tour event at the Gateway Classic at Longbow Golf Club. As the tournament title suggests, O’Sullivan will feel comfortable returning to the same course. Not only did she set the Symetra Tour record at Longbow for youngest winner, she also set a tournament record for lowest tournament total at 15-under-par 201 for the three-round event.

“It’s been a joy to watch the Winn Grips Heather Farr Classic bloom into what it is today,” said Jay Larscheid, General Manager of Longbow Golf Club. “The AJGA, along with a long list of sponsors, have come together to create something very special which honors the type of talent and grace that set Heather Farr apart as a person and player.” 

Heather Farr was an Arizona native who saw the first days of the AJGA. She was victorious at the second-annual Polo Golf Junior Classic in 1979 and the 1982 Rolex Tournament of Champions. A two-time All-American and three-time All-Conference performer at ASU, Farr qualified for the LPGA Tour in  1985 at the age of 20, becoming the youngest to do so at the time. In 1989, she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 24. Farr was practicing for a comeback on Tour in 1990 when she discovered a reoccurrence of cancer. She died November 20, 1993. Heather Farr has been recognized with many awards during her lifetime and posthumously. The LPGA Heather Farr Award has been given annually since her death honoring the player who exemplifies courage and persistence like Heather Farr. In 2013, she was inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame.

After 17 years, the Winn Grips Heather Farr Classic Hosted by Longbow Golf Club continues to attract junior golf’s top talent to compete for a trophy that honors one of the modern game’s most inspirational pioneers. As the history of this event unfolds, it will be interesting to see who follows in Heather’s footsteps to become the next Hunter Mahan or Paula Creamer.