The Joe Cheves Junior Invitational @ Mimosa Hills is an Invitation-Only junior event. Champions of a select list of junior tournaments in North and South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia, as well as a set of other performance-based qualifications determines the field.

Competitors will compete for the Joe Cheves Trophy in 36-holes of stroke play at the 1929 Donald Ross-designed Mimosa Hills Country Club in Morganton, N.C. The late Mr. Cheves, a PGA Life Member, was head pro at his beloved Mimosa Hills for 30 years, and Pro Emeritus for an additional 26 years. He is a member of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, and the Carolinas PGA and Carolinas Golf Halls of Fame. “Pro” was a life-long supporter of junior golf.

The JCJI is recognized as an official N.C. junior rankings event by the Tarheel Youth Golf Association. Due to the quality of the field, the tournament has been designated with 8-multiplier status. The S.C. Junior Golf Association gives the event a substantial 6-weight in its rankings system.

The Joe Cheves Junior is part of the Golfweek/Titleist Perfomance Index of tournaments and is also a ranked tournament by the Junior Golf Scoreboard. Each Joe Cheves Junior Champion earns two AJGA tournament exemptions, and the boys Top 5 gets one, while the girls Top 3 gets one. Boys 6th through 10th receive one performance star. The tournament is also part of the series of major events making up the criteria for the Carolinas Junior Player of the Year and the All-Carolinas Junior Team.

For More Information: Call 919-801-7360, email: agagolf@nc.rr.com or go to www.mimosahills.org

PLAYERS please check graduation dates. If incorrect please notify the tournament committee -- agagolf@nc.rr.com

* asterisk indicates number of times each player has been a Joe Cheves Junior competing player, including this year's event

BOYS (78)  FULL Field

GIRLS (33)  FULL Field

Mimosa Hills is a 1929 Donald Ross designed golf course at the foothills of the Western North Carolina mountains. Mimosa Hills is an old-style layout that is second to none in golf hole charisma. In 2003 the course underwent a complete Ross revitalization project, under the guidance of Ross restoration specialist, Kris Spence. Mimosa Hills is celebrating its 80th anniversary during 2009. 

Mimosa Hills is rated among the Top 30 courses in the Carolinas. It has been the site of U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying, U.S. Amateur Qualifying, the Carolinas Open, the North Carolina Women’s and Men’s Amateur, the Carolinas Mid-Amateur, the North Carolina Junior Boys and Girls Championship, and the Carolinas Junior Championship. 

Mimosa has been the home course of famed and legendary amateurs Billy Joe Patton (Masters lore, 5 Walker Cups, 3-time North & South Champion) and Dale Morey (3 Walker Cups, 2-time U.S. Senior Champion, North & South Champion). Celebrated teaching professional Dana Rader, of the Dana Rader Golf School at Ballantyne Resort in Charlotte, was raised at Mimosa. Also, former Carolinas Amateur Champions Matt Peterson (1987, 88) and Andrew Pitts (1990) call Mimosa home. And there’s also Duane Bock, the 1992 North & South Amateur Champion.

The private course in Morganton will be played at approximately 6,750 yards for boys and 5,800 yards for girls (par 72). The Joe Cheves Junior Invitational is fortunate to have Mimosa Hills as the permanent site for this prestigious event, which is held annually the weekend after Labor Day.

DIRECTIONS to the CLUB: Morganton is located on Interstate-40 between Hickory (20 miles) and Asheville (55 miles). To get to Mimosa Hills take Exit 103 off I-40. From East, turn right off exit ramp onto Burkemont Ave, and from West, turn left off exit ramp. Go approximately 1/2 mile and turn left at traffic light onto Fleming By-Pass (NC School for the Deaf football field & track will be on your right). Go approximately one mile and turn left on Golf Course Road (turn is just before main intersection … look for Superior Petroleum oil tanks). Then go seven tenths (0.7) of a mile and turn left into Mimosa Hills Country Club entrance. 

 Zachery Munroe of Charlotte, N.C. and Haley Stephens from Greer, S.C. captured the sixth Joe Cheves Junior Invitational @ Mimosa Hills in Morganton, N.C. 

Munroe, a United States Junior qualifier and high school sophomore, played a bogey-free final round in overtaking first round leader Crawford Reeves, a Clemson University commit and United States Amateur qualifier. 

Reeves, after an opening round 67, held the lead by one shot over Patrick Lundy of Little River, SC and was up two on Munroe. In the final round, Reeves pushed the lead to two over Munroe and three over Lundy after birdies on two of the first three holes. However, Reeves produced a disasterous triple bogey on the par 4, 410-yard fourth hole to open up the tournament. 

Munroe and Lundy seized the momentum and began a birdie fest. At the turn, Munroe held a one-shot lead. He proceeded to birdie 10, 11 and 12. Munroe kept pace with birdies on 11 and 12. Both players birdied the par 5 14th and they parred in from there with Munroe ahead by two. 

In the final round, Munroe and Lundy combined for 13 birdies and no bogies. Munroe went 32-32, while Lunday went 34-33. 

Robert Register (2011), of Burlington, NC, fashioned a final round 66, to go with an opening 70, to finish third. Mitchell McGlamery, a Mimosa Hills member, made the biggest move on the final day. With 67, he jumped from tenth to fourth. 


 
Haley Stephens, of Greer, S.C., shot a tournament-record 66 in the final round to win by two shots. Stephens, a high school senior who has made a verbal commitment to Texas, finished at 3-under 141. She bested defending champion Austin Ernst of Seneca, S.C. by two. 

Ernst, a United States Junior qualifier and the first round leader with 71, opened the final round with double-bogey, bogey, allowing Stephens and Kaitlyn Rohrback of Crofton, Md. back into the tournament. 

Stephens carved out 34-32 over the Donald Ross-designed Mimosa Hills layout and secured the two-shot victory with birdies on 17 and 18. Ernst recovered from her start and played three-under over the final 16 holes to finish second (71-72). Rohrback finished third at 147 with 74-71.

2003 Champions
Kandy Carland, Etowah, NC 72-74=146 (Western Carolina Univ.)
Barden Berry, Kinston, NC 71-68=139 (Univ. of North Carolina)

2004 Champions
Blair Lamb, Flat Rock, NC 73-68=141 (Furman Univ.)
Jayson Judy, Gibsonville, NC 73-71=144 (Elon Univ.)

2005 Champions
Taylor Barrett, York, SC 73-71=144 (Univ. of South Carolina)
Daniel Meggs, Charlotte, NC 67-74=141 (Wake Forest University)

2006 Champions
Alex Rankin, Anderson, SC 70-76=146 (Wofford College)
Jacob Burger, Orangeburg, SC 70-68=138 (Clemson University)

2007 Champions
Austin Ernst, Seneca, SC 70-71=141 (Seneca HS)
Drew Page, Waynesville, NC 68-67=135 (Oklahoma State University)

2008 Champions
Haley Stephens, Greer, SC 75-66=141 (Univ. of Texas)
Zachery Munroe, Charlotte, NC 69-64=133 (Providence HS) 

2010 Sept. 11-12
2011 Sept. 10-11
2012 Sept. 8-9
2013 Sept. 7-8