History

The Rich History of the “IJM”

In 1951 several members of the East Aurora Country Club joined with H.R. “Renny” Merritt, Jr. to further his idea for an invitational golf tournament for junior golfers in Western New York.

Merritt, the sectional committeeman for the U.S.G.A., felt that such a tournament, for boys who have not reached their 18th birthday, could contribute to the growing interest in golf on the part of many youngsters.

In 1953 the first annual Junior Golf Invitational tournament of the East Aurora Country Club was held, with Ward Wettlaufer winning the McAuliffe Trophy, emblematic of the championship. At that time, competitors were principally from Western New York but as the years passed the invitation list has been widened to include better golfers from around the world.

The East Aurora event is now the oldest International Junior Golf Invitational in North America. A four-day test, it is the first and possibly the only PGA member club-sponsored competition of its type in the entire country. The East Aurora Country Club was particularly well-suited for such a tournament.

In addition to surrendering the use of the club for four days, members of the EACC open their homes to the competing boys who travel long distances to play in the tournament.

In 1965, Gary Player gave a generous cash gift to the U.S.G.A. for the encouragement of junior golf in America. The East Aurora Junior Invitational Committee sought the privilege of being the first to acknowledge Mr. Player’s goodwill with a tribute to him in the form of the Gary Player Cup, awarded annually, in his honor, to the tournament Medalist.

In 1996 the Mexican Golf Federation extended an invitation to field a team to represent the International Junior Masters in the first International edition of the Mexican National Juvenile Tournament.

In recent years the Selection Committee has tried to acquire the top caliber players from as wide a geographic area as possible. We are striving toward a worldwide showcase junior field that will create the highest level of competition. Handicaps of zero to four now represent 95% of the field. Qualifying scores for the Championship Flight have been lower each year.

Jim Bell Memorial Award

Beginning in 2021, we present an award honoring former IJM Director Jim Bell, who passed away in 2015.

International Junior Masters

Past Champions & Medalists

1950s

1953
Ward Wetlaufer (Buffalo, NY)
Gene Piwowar (Buffalo, NY)

1954
John Konsek, III (Lancaster, NY)
Jim Henesey (Buffalo, NY)

1955
John Konsek, III (Lancaster, NY)
John Konsek, III (Lancaster, NY)

1956
Edward Pfister, Jr. (Buffalo, NY)
John Konsek, III (Lancaster, NY)

1957
John Konsek, III (Lancaster, NY)
John Konsek, III (Lancaster, NY)

1958
Charles Lubar (Washington, DC)
Jack Salonik (Pittsburgh, PA)

1959
Ronald Righter (Cheverly, MD)
Ronald Righter (Cheverly, MD)

1960s

1960
Brownie Kopra, Jr. (Buffalo, NY)
Al Maurer (Ballston Spa, NY)

1961
Denny Lyons (Jamestown, NY)
John Johnson (West Seneca, NY)

1962
Denny Lyons (Jamestown, NY)
Denny Lyons (Jamestown, NY)

1963
Michael Taylor (Meridan, MS)
Randy Dunk (St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada)

1964
John Govern (Binghamton, NY )
Harry Bozack, Jr. (Erie, PA)

1965
Brad Zachary (Glen Rock, NJ)
Brad Zachary (Glen Rock, NJ)

1966
John Trimboli (Massapequa Park, NY)
John Trimboli (Massapequa Park, NY)

1967
Rick Adams (Johnson City, NY)
Terry Diehl (Rochester, NY)

1968
Larry Zee (Tonawanda, NY)
Ed Roddenbery (Columbus, GA)

1969
Gary Oliver (Oxford, NY)
Rick Monkman (Wilmington, DE)

1970s

1970
Don Doctor (Buffalo, NY)
Gary Keyes (Vestal, NY)

1971
Dave Martin (Spencerport, NY)
Jeff Hadley (Rye, NY)

1972
Barry Kaplan (Englewood, NY)
David Parmalee (Boca Raton, FL)

1973
Radford Yuan (Liberty, NY)
David Parmalee (Boca Raton, FL)

1974
Joey Sindelar (Horseheads, NY)
Mark Balen (Lackwanna, NY)

1975
John Kircher (Rochester, NY)
Brad Bettin (Atlantis, FL)

1976
Eric Kaufmanis (Aylmer East, Quebec, Canada)
David Abell (Ft. Pierce, FL)

1977
Colin Dalgleish (Helensburgh, Scotland)
Eric Kaufmanis (Aylmer East, Quebec, Canada)

1978
Larry Gosewehr (Frankford, IN)
Jim Gallagher, Jr. (Marion, IN)

1979
John Ryan (Pittsford, NY)
Jack Larkin (Atlanta, GA)

1980s

1980
Fred Wadsworth (Columbus, GA)
Tony Catanzaro (Okeechobee, FL)

1981
Steve Serotte (Williamsville, NY)
Todd Thiele (Johnstown, PA)

1982
Arnold Cutrell (Mt. Pleasant, PA)
E.J. Pfister, III (Marrilla, NY)

1983
E.J. Pfister, III (Marilla, NY)
Billy Mayfair (Phoenix, AZ)

1984
Tim Straub (Orchard Park, NY)
Billy Mayfair (Phoenix, AZ)

1985
Partick Bates (Boca Raton, FL)
Partick Bates (Boca Raton, FL)

1986
Chris Cain (Knoxville, TN)
Sean Gorgone (Topsham, ME)

1987
Partick Maillard (Quebec, Canada)
Partick Bates (Boca Raton, FL)

1988
Briny Baird (Miami, FL)
Shannon Sykora (Garland, TX)

1989
Briny Baird (Miami, FL)
Briny Baird (Miami, FL)

1990s

1990
Jonathan Silvester (Agincourt, Ontario, Canada)
Gordon Burns (St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada)

1991
Sean Duffy (Dansville, PA)
Sean Duffy (Dansville, PA)

1992
Tim Spitz (Pittsford, NY)
Brian Donohoe (Rochester Hills, MI)

1993
Rory Sabbatini (South Africa)
Trevor Morre (South Africa)

1994
Oscar Serna (Durango, Mexico)
Brad Black (St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada)

1995
Martin Maritz (Pretoria, South Africa)
Martin Maritz (Pretoria, South Africa)

1996
Wayne DeHaas (Welkon, South Africa)
Joel Kijowski (Las Vegas, NV)

1997
Raul Garcia (Guadalajara, Mexico)
Ricardo Tello (Cali, Columbia)

1998
Laurent Satoh (Richardson, TX)
Matthew Every (Daytona Beach, FL)

1999
Jay Reynolds (Austin, TX)
Christo Greyling (Orlando, FL)

2000s

2000
Masaki Nakanishi (Kishwada, Japan)
Shawn Costello (Lansing, NY)

2001
Matthew Every (Daytona Beach, FL)
Santiago Caicedo (Cali, Columbia)

2002
Julian Valenciana (Santa Catarina, Mexico)
Brent Herlihy (Glens Falls, NY)

2003
Teddy Collins (Louisville, KY)
Teddy Collins (Louisville, KY)

2004
Mu Hu (China)
Dirk Roth, Jr. (West Seneca, NY)

2005
Hugo Chamberland Lauzon (St. Jerome, Quebec, Canada)
Diego Velasquez (Bogota, Columbia)

2006
Matt Stasiak (Clarence, NY)
Adam Wilson (Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada)

2007
Colby Smith (Auburn, California)
Julien Goulet (St.-Roch del Liachigan, Quebec, Canada)

2008
Julien Goulet (St.-Roch del Liachigan, Quebec, Canada)
Zachary Balit (St. Castin, Quebec, Canada)

2009
Zak Griffiths (Red Deer, Alberta, Canada)
Daniel Zuluaga (Pereira, Colombia)

2010s

2010
Jonathan Clark (East Aurora, NY)
Zak Griffiths (Red Deer, Alberta, Canada)

2011
Rhyne Jones (Blowing Rock, North Carolina)
Matt LeMay (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)

2012
Joey Savoie (Quebec, Canada)
James Blackwell (North Tonawanda, NY)

2013
Trevor Ranton (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)
Brodie McKinney (Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada)
-tie-
Camilo Aguado (Mexico)

2014
Will Thomson (Pittsford, NY)
Andres Gonzalez (Boca Del Rio, Mexico)

2015
Marc Holzhauer (Clarence, NY)
MacKenzie Carter (Cobourg, Ontario)
-tie-
Baker Stevenson (Heartland, MI),
Will Thomson (Pittsford, NY)

2016
David Hanes (Elma, NY)
David Hanes (Elma, NY)

2017
Danny Gianinny (Pittsford, NY)
Federico Gutierrez (Mexico)

2018
Nicolas Quintero (Colombia)
Nicolas Quintero (Colombia)
-tie-
Keegan Vaugh (Myrtle Beach, SC)

2019
Jackson Chandler (Dublin, OH)
Jackson Chandler (Dublin, OH)
-tie-
Eric Byun (Richmond Hill, Ontario)

2020s

2020
Tournament Canceled

2021
Boys:
Shawn Colella (Marcellus, NY)
Anthony Delisanti (Sanborn, NY)

Girls:
Luisamariana Mesones (Lima, Peru)
Madison Reemsnyder (Canton, OH)

2022
Boys:
Force Kosalutta (Thailand)
Nippit Klinsrisuk (Thailand)

Girls:
Sakura Kaneko (Japan)
Amelie Phung (United States)

Notable Past Participants

Some of the outstanding past players who have played in the International Junior Masters and their accomplishments.

Ward Wetlaufer

Buffalo, NY

Played in 1953.
1953 IJM champion.
Outstanding Amateur player.
Member of the 1959 U.S. Walker Cup team.
Porter Cup Champion in 1960 and 1965.
Member of The Greater Buffalo Sports Hall Of Fame.

Dr. John Konsek, III

Buffalo, NY

Played from 1953 – 1957.
1954, 1955, and 1957 IJM Champion.
1955, 1956, and 1957 IJM Medalist.
Member of Purdue University golf team and three-time Big 10 Golf Champion.
Konsek defeated Jack Nicklaus in 2 of 3 head-to-head matchups.
Three times New York State Amateur Champion.
Member of The Greater Buffalo Sports Hall Of Fame.

Edward Pfister, Jr.

Buffalo, NY

Played from 1953 – 1956.
1956 IJM champion.
Former golf professional at East Aurora Country Club, East Aurora, N.Y. for 30 years.

Terry Diehl

Rochester, NY

Played from 1965 – 1967.
1967 IJM Medalist.
PGA Tour member from 1973 through 1983.
PGA Tour winner.

Jim Simons

Butler, PA

Played in 1966.
Former Pennsylvania High School Champion
A former winner in Florida of the Junior PGA Championship and the Orange Bowl Junior Tournament – Wake Forest University.
Member of the 1971 U.S. Walker Cup Team
Played on the PGA Tour from 1972
1988 and The PGA Champions Tour.
Winner of three PGA Tour events and one of the first tour players to use a metal wood.

Joey Sindelar

Horseheads, NY

Played from 1971 – 1975.
IJM Champion in 1974 at age 16.
In 1971, at age 13, he was New York State Boys Champion.
Turned pro in 1980, multiple PGA Tour winner.
Now playing on the PGA Champions Tour.

Jeff Sluman

Rochester, NY

Played from 1972 – 1975.
1988 PGA champion and multiple PGA Tour winner.
Now playing on the PGA Champions Tour.

Mike Hulbert

Horseheads, NY

Played in 1975. PGA tour member.
Now playing on the PGA Champions Tour.

Colin Dalgleish

Helensburgh, Scotland

Played from 1976 – 1978.
1977 IJM Champion.
Winner of the 1981 Scottish Amateur.
Member of the 1981 Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup Team.
Captain of the 2007 & 2009 Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup Team.

Jim Gallagher, Jr.

Marion, IN

Played in 1978.
1978 IJM Medalist – His 139 total is the lowest 36-hole score in the match play qualifier.
Turned Pro in 1983.
Multiple PGA Tour winner.
Member of 1993 U.S. Ryder Cup and 1994 U.S. Presidents Cup team.

Brian Tennyson

Evansville, IN

Played from 1979 – 1980.
Played on the PGA Tour for 4 years.

Billy Andrade

Bristol, RI

Played in 1980.
Turned Pro in 1987.
Multiple PGA Tour winner.
Member 1987 U.S. Walker Cup Team.

Fred Wadsworth

Columbus, GA

Played in 1980.
1980 IJM Champion.
Turned pro in 1984.
PGA Tour winner.

Woody Austin

Tampa, FL

Played in 1981.
PGA tour winner.
Member of 2007 U.S. Presidents Cup team.

E.J. Pfister, III

Marilla, NY

Played from 1978 – 1983.
1983 IJM champion – 1982 IJM medalist.
Son of 1956 champion, the only father and son to both win.
Winner of 1988 NCAA individual championship.
Played on the PGA Tour.
Named to Golf Magazine’s top 100 teachers list in 2009.

Jeff Gallagher

Marion, IN

Played from 1981 – 1982.
Turned pro in 1988.
PGA Tour member.

Robert Friend

Pittsburgh, PA

Played in 1981.
Played on the Ben Hogan Tour in 1991 where he won the Fort Wayne Open.
1991 PGA Tour Q-School Graduate.
First year on PGA Tour: 1992.

Tony Mollica

Columbus, OH

Played from 1982 – 1983.
1988 Porter Cup Champion.
Played on the PGA Tour.

Billy Mayfair

Scottsdale, AZ

Played from 1983 – 1984.
1983 and 1984 IJM medalist.
1986 U.S. Public Links Champion
1987 U.S. Amateur Champion
NCAA “Player of the Year”
Member 1987 U.S. Walker Cup Team.
Turned pro in 1988.
Multiple PGA Tour winner.

Pat Bates

Boca Raton, FL

Played from 1985 – 1987.
1985 IJM champion, defeating Dudly Hart in the finals.
1985 and 1987 IJM medalist.
All American at University of Florida.
PGA Tour member.

Dudley Hart

Miami Beach, FL

Played from 1983 – 1986.
IJM Runner-up to Pat Bates in the 1985 tournament.
All American at University of Florida.
Turned pro in 1991.
Multiple PGA Tour winner.

Jim Furyk

Manheim, PA

Played in 1986.
IJM Gold flight champion in 1986.
Turned Pro in 1992.
2003 U.S. Open Champion.
2010 FedEx Cup Champion.
Multiple PGA Tour Winner.
Member of the 1997, 1999, 2002, 2006 U.S. Ryder Cup Team and the 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2007 U.S. Presidents Cup team.

Tom Scherrer

Skaneateles, NY

Played from 1987 – 1988.
Member of the 1991 U.S. Walker Cup Team.
Turned Pro in 1992.
PGA Tour Member.

Briny Baird

Miami, FL

Played from 1988 – 1989.
1988 and 1989 IJM Champion.
1989 IJM Medalist.
NCAA Division II champion in 1994 and 1995.
Turned pro in 1995.
PGA Tour member.

Ryuji Imada

Japan

Played in 1991.
1995 Porter Cup Champion.
Turned Pro in 1999.
Joined the PGA Tour in 2005.
PGA Tour Winner.

Rory Sabbatini

South Africa

Played in 1993.
1993 IJM Champion.
University of Arizona.
Turned pro in 1999.
Multiple PGA Tour winner.
Teamed with Trevor Immelman to win the 2003 World Cup.
Member of 2007 International Presidents Cup team.

Tim Clark

South Africa

Played in 1993.
1997 U.S. Public Links Champion.
Turned Pro in 1998.
PGA tour member since 2001.
Member of the 2003 and 2005 International Presidents Cup team.

Trevor Immelmen

Somerset West, South Africa

Played from 1994 – 1995.
1998 U.S. Public Links Champion.
Multiple European PGA Tour winner and PGA Tour winner.
2008 Masters Champion.
Teamed with Rory Sabbatini to win the 2003 World Cup.
Member of the 2005 and 2007 International Presidents Cup Team.

Akio Sadakata

Japan

Played in 1994.
Joined the PGA Tour in 2004.

Camilo Villegas

Medellin, Colombia

Played in 1997.
University of Florida.
Turned Pro in 2004.
Earned his PGA Tour card for 2006 by finishing 13th on the 2005 Nationwide tour money list.
Multiple PGA Tour winner.

Matthew Every

Daytona Beach, FL

Played from 1998 – 2001.
2001 IJM Champion.
1998 IJM Medalist.
University of Florida.
Three-time 1st team All-American.
2006 Ben Hogan Award Winner.
Member of 2005 Walker Cup Team.
2008 was his rookie year on the Nationwide Tour.
Earned his PGA Tour card for 2010 by finishing 10th on the 2009 Nationwide tour money list after winning the Nationwide Tour Championship.

Abraham Ancer

McAllan, TX

Played in 2008.
Turned pro in 2013.
PGA Tour member since 2016.
1 Korn Ferry Tour title.
Qualified for 2020 PGA Tour Championship.

Mackenzie Hughes

Hamilton, Ontario

Played in 2007.
Turned pro in 2013.
PGA Tour member since 2017.
2017 RSM Classic Champion.
Qualified for 2020 PGA Tour Championship.

Corey Conners

Listowel, Onatario

Played in 2009.
Turned pro in 2015.
PGA Tour member since 2018.
2019 Valero Texas Open Champion.

Sebastian Munoz

Bogota, Colombia

Played in 2011. Turned pro in 2015.
PGA Tour member since 2017.
2020 Sanderson Farms Championship.

Trophies of the International Junior Masters

Merritt Trophy

The International Junior Masters owes its life to H.R. “Renny” Merritt, Jr. In 2005 we honor the legacy of our event’s founder by unveiling the Renny Merritt Trophy, signifying the tournament championship. It was Renny who first conceived the idea of an invitational golf tournament for boys of age 17 and under at East Aurora Country Club. The tournament was first played in 1953 and is now the oldest international invitational event for junior golfers in North America. We lost Renny in 2003 at the age of 87. A true gentleman, he honored the game he loved by giving much back to it. Having literally grown up on the EACC course as a youngster, Renny developed his own skill to the point where he captained the Yale golf team in the 1930′s. While there he had the privilege of traveling to play on some of the great golf courses in the world. Ultimately returning to East Aurora, he captured the club championship here many times. He also served as a USGA Rules Committeeman and officiated at many USGA tournaments around the country.

Ray McAuliffe Memorial Trophy

“When Ray McAuliffe was a youngster he was a shining light among local golfers. He won the Western New York championship, when it was an invitation affair, at the Country Club of Buffalo in 1915; he won the WNY crown again the first time it was open to all golfers in this sector, at Orchard Park in 1921; he collected the National Public Links diadem, the first and only national title won by a Buffalonian, at Garden City, L.I. in 1925. Ray turned pro the following year and, in his long career, embracing service at several area clubs, made hosts of friends, developing many young golfers along the way. At his death in November, 1952, he was Jack Pritchard’s associate pro at the Park Club. Now his name won’t be forgotten by the younger generation of golf. When the cream of the area’s youthful linksman begins swinging in the third annual East Aurora Junior Invitation Tournament tomorrow, the target will be the Ray McAuliffe Memorial Trophy, donated by Roy Siegel of the Park Club. There’ll be a large permanent trophy on which the winner’s name will be inscribed, and a smaller trophy which the young champion will keep.” Source – The Buffalo Evening News – June 1955

The McAuliffe Trophy was retired in 2004.

Robert Steele Trophy

In 1974, a special presentation was made to the parents of Bobby Steele, a former East Aurora Junior Invitation player from Fredonia who died tragically in California last year. “Some of the boys who played with Bobby thought it might be a good idea, and the response we’ve gotten from them has been just tremendous.”The Robert Steele award goes to the tournament runner-up.

The Gary Player Cup

In 1965, shortly after Gary Player’s much-to-be admired generous cash gift to the U.S.G.A. for the encouragement of junior golf in America after he won the U.S. Open, the East Aurora Junior Invitational Committee sought the privilege to be the first to acknowledge Mr. Player’s good will with a tribute to him in the form of the Gary Player Cup to be awarded annually in his honor to the tourney Medalist. We believe this has become one of the finest and most cherished junior golf trophies awarded anywhere in the world.

The Joseph Griffin, Jr. Award

In 1972, Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Griffin contacted the Junior Invitational Committee at EACC and requested a plaque be presented in memory of their son who was drowned in the recent flood near Wellsville. The committee has decided that the medalist 15 years of age or under be awarded the trophy in memory of Joseph Griffin, Jr. who has played in the East Aurora Country Club’s tournament in the past. Joseph was 21.

The Johnny Ryan Award

In 1984, the family of the 1979 champion, Johnny Ryan, established an award to honor Johnny who died in a boating accident in 1982 on Canandaigua Lake. The Johnny Ryan award is presented to the first-day medalist each year.

The Deb Engle Award

In 2000, the Deb Engle Award was established to honor long-time Tournament Director Delbert “Deb” Engle, whose sudden passing we mourned that February. A commissioned original crystal, this trophy was funded by the generous contribution of Billy McDonald, a teaching golf pro in Birmingham, AL whose son competed in the IJM for three years. To memorialize Deb’s passion for this event, the Deb Engle Award is presented “To the player who demonstrates dedication, improvement, and conduct that reflects positively on the game through his repeated competition in the International Junior Masters.”