Countdown to the 2009 Junior PGA Championship

TPC River's Bend in Maineville, Ohio will host the the summer's premier junior championship, the Junior PGA Championship, July 28-31, as The PGA of America celebrates the 34th edition of a championship that has been the stepping stone for many of today's foremost players.

The Junior PGA Championship roster of today's PGA and LPGA Tour professionals include 2008 Masters Champion Trevor Immelman, winner of the 1996 Junior PGA Championship; 2008 Women's Open Champion In-Bee Park, winner of the 2001 and 2002 Junior PGA Championship; 2001 PGA Champion David Toms, winner of the 1984 Junior PGA Championship; Cristie Kerr, winner of the 1995 Junior PGA Championship and the 2007 U.S. Women's Open; and Grace Park of Scottsdale, winner of the 1996 Junior PGA Championship and the 2004 Kraft Nabisco.

Defending Champions
Boys' Division -- Anthony Paolucci, Dallas, Texas
Girls' Division -- Danielle Frasier, Encinitas, Calif.

Remembering the 2007 Junior PGA Championship

Alexis Thompson of Coral Springs, Fla., 12, became the youngest champion in the history of the Junior PGA Championship, defeating Kimberly Kim, the 2007 Women's U.S. Amateur Champion, in an epic back-nine duel in the 32nd edition of the Championship.

PGA Junior Series veteran Cassandra Blaney of Lady Lake, Fla., placed third overall after firing an even-par 71 in her final round.

Chris DeForest of Cottekill, N.Y., 18, ran away with the boys' title, winning by an impressive five-stroke margin. DeForest, the first New York native to win the boys' title, posted a 72-hole total of 274, three strokes shy of Pat Perez's 1993 record. DeForest finished with a solid 3-over-par 74 under harsh wind conditions. His previous best finish was a tie for 10th in the 2004 Championship.

Mark Johnson of Tulsa, Okla., making his Junior PGA Championship debut, finished runner-up.

The PGA of America founded the Junior PGA Championship 34 years ago to attract the finest junior golfers. Since 1976, more than 200,000 juniors have competed on the PGA Section level to earn a berth in the Championship.