In its 21st year, the Thunderbird International Junior in Scottsdale will run over Easter weekend April 9-12, shifting from its traditional Memorial Day weekend in May.

The event will feature top junior golfers competing in a 54-hole, stroke-play tournament at Scottsdale’s Grayhawk Golf Club Raptor Course.

As an invitational on the American Junior Golf Association’s tournament schedule since 2000, the field is made up of 78 players from across the world (39 boys and 39 girls) ages 12-19, according to a press release.

“For many of the players in the field each year, this tournament is a stepping stone, whether it’s college golf or even the PGA Tour,” Joe Shershenovich, director of golf for Grayhawk Golf Club, said in a prepared statement.

“We will see some of them back here at Grayhawk in the next few years playing in the NCAA Championships. And Webb Simpson nearly won the tournament 15 years ago.”

The three-round competition will be played Friday through Sunday, April 10-12 with tee times each day 7:30–9:30 a.m. An awards luncheon recognizing the 2020 boys and girls champions will be held after the final round Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The tournament was launched through a partnership between the Phil and Amy Mickelson Charitable Fund, The Thunderbirds --- the organization that runs the Waste Management Phoenix Open --- Grayhawk Golf Club, Under Armour and the AJGA.

“The Thunderbirds have been an integral part of developing junior golf in The Valley of the Sun at all levels from The First Tee of Phoenix to the Junior Golf Association of Arizona, and late in the 1990s we began an affiliation with the American Junior Golf Association,” Mike Kennedy, tournament co-chairman and a member of The Thunderbirds, said in a prepared statement.

“This particular event started in 1998 on the 15th tee during a Phoenix Open pro-am. Del Cochran [also a co-chair and Thunderbird] and I were talking to Phil Mickelson, and he basically challenged us to come up with a competitive AJGA event, and the three of us decided that since we’re going to do it, might as well make it one of the best among all of the AJGA events. I’d like to thank everyone involved for their hard work and for the generous sponsorship from The Thunderbirds, AJGA, Under Armour, Grayhawk Golf Club and the Phil and Amy Mickelson Charitable Fund.”

A driving force behind the tournament’s success is one of the AJGA’s most notable alumni Phil Mickelson who played AJGA golf from 1985-89, posting 12 victories in 27 events. This was the most individual career boys titles in AJGA history. He’s also the first AJGA alum in the World Golf Hall of Fame, a release claims.

A notable alumnus of the Thunderbird International Junior is Webb Simpson, who won the 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Mr. Simpson played in the Thunderbird International Junior for three years, 2002-04. In 2002 he finished tied for 27th; in 2003 he finished tied for 13; and in 2004 he finished tied for second, one stroke off the pace after a final round 66.

The list of past champions of the Thunderbird International Junior includes golfers who went on to play at the highest level such as Ryan Moore, Brian Harman, Brad Dalke, Sam Burns and Norman Xiong.

Other notable participants who did not win include Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Kevin Na, Patrick Reed, Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan, Kyle Stanley, Mathew Wolff and Collin Morikawa.

Girls past champions have been successful as well including Morgan Pressel, Ariya Jutanugarn, Belen Mozo and Brittany Lang. Paula Creamer, Inbee Park, Alison Lee and Lexi Thompson also competed in the event and advanced to the LPGA Tour.

The Thunderbird International Junior has earned many honors from the AJGA over the years including 2015 Invitational of the Year; 2012 Golf Professional of the Year; 2012 Superintendent of the Year; 2007 Hospitality Award; 2005 Tournament of the Year; and 2002 Volunteer Award.

In 2010, tournament co-chairmen and Thunderbirds Mr. Kennedy and Del Cochran received the Digger Smith Award, presented annually since 1991 to those with longtime dedication to junior golf.

Consistent with The Thunderbirds’ overall charitable charter, each player in the field is encouraged to designate a benefiting charity from their home community to get involved with and support.

The Thunderbirds then donate $1,000 to that charity in their name. In its 21 years, The Thunderbird International Junior has raised more than $512,000 for charity.