Sage Valley set to host inaugural Junior Invitational

Just two weeks after 99 of the world's best professional golfers descended upon Augusta National for the Masters, 54 of the best junior golfers on the planet will be in the same area.

Sage Valley Golf Club, in nearby Graniteville will host the inaugural Junior Invitational beginning Wednesday, April 20. The three-day tournament will benefit the First Tee Program, according to the Augusta Chronicle.

The event is the idea of Weldon Wyatt, a real estate developer who built Sage Valley in 2001, and his son, Tom. With Electrolux as the main sponsor, participants will have all their tournament and travel expenses covered. They'll also get the perk of having their play taped for a one-hour special that will air on CBS, and the winner will earn a spot in a Nationwide Tour event in June.

Wyatt hopes his Tom Fazio-designed course, ranked No. 81 in Golf Digest's America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses, and some big names will instantly elevate his event to one of the highlights on the junior golf calendar. PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem will speak at Friday's closing ceremony and Champions Tour player Jay Haas was scheduled to address players before the tournament started.

To learn more, visit the tournament's official web site.

-- Golf Digest Digital Staff

(Photo courtesy of Sage Valley Golf Club)