“Our commitment is to take golf to every possible corner of Spain, as I firmly believe that no other sport has as many values to educate children and adolescents”.
The Miguel Angel Jimenez Junior Challenge Circuit by PING, is an initiative aimed to benefit children and adolescents and one that Miguel Angel supports with “great enthusiasm”. In 2015 the Challenge Circuit will be supported by the European Tour, The Real Federación Español de Golf, Srixon and the corresponding Golf Federations from each autonomous region of Spain.
When the Junior Challenge Circuit was created in 2012 it comprised six tournaments taking place at golf courses in Murcia, Alicante and the Autonomous Region of Valencia, with around 257 players from the categories of Benjamín (7 to 10 yrs old), Alevín (10 to 11 yrs old), Infantil (12 to 13 yrs old), Cadete (14 to 15 yrs old) y Junior (16 to 17 yrs old). The following year, three more tournaments were added and the number of inscriptions increased to 560 participants.
However, in 2014, the Junior Challenge Circuit dramatically increased in terms of both quantity and quality, achieving a grand total of 12 tournaments and the Final, which took place at Rio Real, Marbella at the end of November. The total number of participants rose to 1,051, with ages ranging from 7 up to 18 years old. The Circuit travelled to places such as Malaga, Alicante, Valencia, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Madrid, San Sebastián, Gijón, Granada & Mallorca.
Miguel Angel Jimenez: “In 2015 my aim is to take the Junior Challenge Circuit to the north and south of Spain, comprising a total of 16 tournaments and of course, the Final, and with an anticipated total of 2,000 children participating. I would be really thrilled to achieve this goal. This year we will have the support of the European Tour and The Real Federación Española de Golf, whose participation I am truly grateful for. They will be joined in 2015 by the Golf Federations from each Autonomous Region and of course my faithful sponsors PING and Srixon.
“ If we want golf to continue advancing and not stagnate, then I believe that it is essential to focus on the grassroots, making it our obligation to make golf more accessible and take golf to all corners of the country. I firmly believe that no other sport has as many values that can educate children and adolescents, especially in these times where many important values have been forgotten. I myself have two children, so I know what I am talking about ! We shouldn’t forget to mention the importance of golf as an industry which generates thousands of jobs in our country, although we can talk about this on another occasion”.
Louise Sandford, the person at the core of initiating support from The European Tour:
“The figure of Miguel Angel is recognized worldwide, not just for his sporting achievements, but also for his philosophy of life and the values that he projects, which when coupled with his constant effort to promote golf, make him an ideal ambassador for the European Tour, so we have also decided to join his project”.
Gonzaga Escauriaza, President of the Real Federación Española de Golf: “
“Miguel Angel has become one of the cornerstones of Spanish Golf, proof of which was the enormous media impact when he won the Spanish Open. He is a charismatic player who not only brings us joy with his victories, but has also put his full commitment into such important projects as the Miguel Angel Jimenez Golf School, in Torremolinos and of course this Junior Challenge Circuit, which we have decided to give our full support”.