RINGGOLD, Ga. — There’s more than one way for junior golfers to impress college coaches and possibly earn scholarships.
But the easiest way is to play in tournaments where the coaches will be watching, especially for players born and raised outside the United States.
The Ringgold Telephone Junior All-Star field includes 12-to-15-year-old golfers from surrounding counties and other states, but 10 percent of the field claims Central or South American countries as home.
“The colleges are here, so we come here to see the coaches who we want to see us,” said Santiago Lopez from Boca del Rio, Mexico. “I have no idea where I want to go to college. But it has to be somewhere where I can play every day.”
Recruiting foreign players is nothing new to college golf coaches. But area college coaches are noticing more and more foreign players, especially those from Latin America, playing as juniors in the States. That is a change in the trend of signing players sight unseen.
“There are a lot of South Americans who are coming up here, and they are heavily publicized to college coaches,” University of Tennessee at Chattanooga coach Mark Guhne said. “They’ve noticed that it’s better to get in front of us to get noticed.”
Daniel Jaramillo of Colombia leads the South American contingent in Ringgold after a 3-over-par 73, which has him in a tie for 19th after the first of three rounds.
Eric Edwards from Salisbury, N.C., leads the boys’ division at 2-under 68, and Rachel Dai of Suwanee, Ga., leads the girls’ division after shooting a 70.
“There are a lot of Latin America players on the PGA Tour, and they kind of inspire kids to come and play in the U.S. and make their dreams come true in golf,” Jaramillo said. “I like Manuel Villegas because I think he’s nicer than his brother.”
Middle Tennessee State women’s coach Chris Adams has recruited players from across the globe during her career.
“They know there are many more opportunities over here,” Adams said. “It’s a growing trend and you’re going to see more and more of them in the years to come. Sometimes they’re just as good if not better than the players we have here.”
The growth of golf schools such as the IMG David Leadbetter Golf Academy and the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy — which is the title sponsor of the AJGA Junior All-Star series — has provided foreign players with American opportunities, experiences and competition.
“Academies are giving players a place to train, and they’re able to compete with the top-level junior players from around the world,” said tournament director Chris White. “They can get here, understand AJGA policies and what we’re all about, how everything in America is done. This lets them come in and play with somebody on their level.
“They get their feet wet before they go to the top tier of junior golf that we provide.”
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