PHOENIX, Ariz. (October 29, 2018) – Exactly one year, 9 months and 27 days since he hoisted the Patriot All-America Invitational trophy at The Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park, Cameron Champ claimed his first career victory on the PGA TOUR at the Sanderson Farms Championship. In just his 9^th start on TOUR, Champ shot 4-under 68 on Sunday at the Country Club of Jackson (Miss.) for a 21-under 267 total and a four-stroke victory.

“We often say that fans are seeing golf’s stars of tomorrow at the Patriot All-America,” said Karen Conway, executive director, Patriot All-America Invitational. “We knew back in 2016 after he won the Patriot All-America, he’d go on to do great things, but seeing Cameron’s swift rise through professional golf, in a relatively short amount of time, has been incredible to watch. We’re very excited for him.”

Now in its 8th year, the Patriot All-America is regarded as a top international amateur event, attracting PING All-America golfers from all three NCAA Divisions, NAIA and NJCAA rankings as well as from universities outside the United States.  The Patriot All-America is a collaboration between the Arizona Golf Association, JDM Partners, The West Valley Mavericks and the Golf Coaches Association of America in partnership with the Folds of Honor Foundation. The Thunderbirds, hosts of the PGA TOUR’s Waste Management Phoenix Open, also volunteer and support the event.

Patriot All-America Invitational participants play for more than themselves or their school. Each golfer honors a fallen or severely injured soldier by carrying a golf bag bearing the name of that soldier. Before the tournament, participants receive a card with the soldier’s story, so they can be familiar with who that person was, what they represented and how they were killed or wounded in action. At the conclusion of the tournament, the golf bags are shipped to players’ schools and auctioned with all proceeds benefitting the Folds of Honor Foundation.

The 2018 golf season was quite a year for Patriot All-America Invitational alumni. In total, 12 professional tournaments were won, and more than $27 million in prize money was collected by golfers, who just a few years ago were teeing it up on The Wigwam’s Gold Course and competing in the Patriot All-America.

Patriot All-America alum Brooks Koepka captured his second consecutive U.S. Open championship, and his first PGA Championship on his way to securing Player of the Year honors on the PGA TOUR.  That’s three majors over two years for Koepka, who played in the inaugural Patriot All-America in 2011 and finished 18^th.

Another 2011 Patriot All-America alum, Justin Thomas also had a stellar year on the PGA TOUR. Thomas won three times – The CJ Cup at Nine Bridges, The Honda Classic and the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational – and had 10 Top 10 finishes.

Bryson DeChambeau, a 2013 Patriot All-America participant, won three times in 2018 – the Memorial Tournament, The Northern Trust and The Dell Technologies Championship – and finished third in the 2018 FedEx Cup standings. DeChambeau, along with Koepka and Thomas, also competed on the 2018 U.S. Ryder Cup team in France.

VALLEY TOYOTA DEALERS ASSOCIATION EXTENDS TITLE SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT WITH PATRIOT ALL-AMERICA INVITATIONAL

PHOENIX, Ariz. (October 9, 2018) – The Valley Toyota Dealers Association, which is comprised of the ten Toyota dealerships across the Phoenix area, have extended their title sponsorship of The Patriot All-America Invitational for the 2018 tournament. Financial terms of the agreement will not be released. The Patriot All-America Invitational presented by the Valley Toyota Dealers will be played at The Wigwam Golf Club in Litchfield Park, Ariz., December 29-31 and is regarded as a top international amateur event, attracting PING All-America golfers from all three NCAA Divisions, NAIA and NJCAA rankings as well as from universities outside the United States.  In November 2017, the Valley Toyota Dealers Association and tournament officials started with a one-year title sponsorship agreement for the 2017 tournament, played December 29-31, 2017.

As part of the title sponsorship renewal of The Patriot All-America, the Valley Toyota Dealers Association will receive:

Less than two years after winning the 2016 Patriot All-America Invitational, Cameron Champ has earned his PGA TOUR card after finishing fifth on the Web.com money list.

Champ gained national attention in 2017 as an amateur for leading the field in driving distance at the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills.  Champ chose to forgo his senior season at Texas A&M, turning his sights to the 2017 Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament instead. After finishing T16 and earning status for the 2018 season, Champ picked up his first professional victory at the 2018 Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank, posting a 24-under 260 to set a new 72-hole tournament record.

At the 2016 Patriot All-America, played December 29-31 at The Wigwam in Litchfield Park, Ariz., Champ knocked in a one-foot putt for par on the second playoff hole to defeat Zach Olsen of Oklahoma State. Champ entered the final round tied for sixth, three-shots back of second round leader. During his final round, Champ shot a 4-under par 66 (203) that included six birdies and two bogeys to get into the playoff. Meanwhile, Olsen entered the final round tied for eighth, four-shots back. Olsen shot a 5-under par 65 (the best round of the day) to qualify for the playoff.

Defending Patriot All-America Champion Mason Overstreet Competes In Web.com Tour’s Wichita Open

Competing in his first-ever professional golf event, defending Patriot All-America Invitational champion Mason Overstreet battled nerves and a stellar field at the 2018 Wichita Open, played June 21-24 at Crestview Country Club in Wichita, Kansas. Overstreet, a soon-to-be junior at the University of Arkansas, received a sponsor exemption into the Web.com Tour event for winning the 2017 Patriot All-America Invitational.

Overstreet shot rounds of 71, 70, 72, before shooting a final-round 3-under par 67, that included six birdies. He finished the tournament at even par (280) and tied for 65^th. Brady Schnell beat Brandon Hagy – a 2012 Patriot All-America Invitational participant – and Scott Pinckney in a playoff to win the Wichita Open.  In addition to more than a dozen Patriot All-America alumni playing in the event, the Wichita Open field also included past PGA TOUR winners Mike Weir, Stuart Appleby and Jason Gore.

In December, Overstreet won the 2017 Patriot All-America Invitational by six shots over a strong field of 84 PING All-America golfers from all three NCAA Divisions, NAIA and NJCAA rankings as well as from U.S. Military Academies and universities outside the United States.

Coincidentally, 2016 Patriot All-America Invitational winner Cameron Champ also competed in this year’s Wichita Open and finished in 7^th place. Like Overstreet, Champ had earned an exemption into the Wichita event in 2017 but did not play in the tournament because he qualified-for and played in the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills, where he tied for 32^nd.