Ian Landes
(Guymon, OK)
11 and under
3rd Place Briss Graham (Amarillo, TX)
2nd Place Alexis Escobedo (Amarillo, TX)
1st Shaley Goad (Wheeler, TX)
Boys Champion Greg Garrison, Amarillo
Girls Champion Shaley Goad, Wheeler TX
Tournament Chairman Steve Braley
2nd Place Gannon Wallace (Guymon, OK)
1st Place Karson Grigsby (Abilene, TX)
3rd Place Reid Richmeier (Garden City KS)
RESULTS FOR 2017 TOURNAMENT
The results for the 2017 tournament are available to view here!
Jim Hitch was the son of a prominent Oklahoma Panhandle rancher and farmer. Jim was also a proud member of the Guymon, Oklahoma Class of 1971. To say Jim was an outstanding young man is an understatement. He was an outstanding basketball player and very gifted musically. But Jim’s first love and greatest skill was on the golf course and he became one of the highest ranked junior golfers in the country in 1969 and 1970.
As a picture of health at age 17, Jim unexpectedly died in his sleep and left his family and friends devastated from this loss at such a young age. Jim Hitch’s parents, Lad and Lala Hitch, were not golfers but they understood Jim’s love of golf so in his memory they founded the Jim Hitch Memorial Golf Tournament and the first event took place in June 1972.
Mr. and Mrs. Hitch started this event in their son’s memory but also to give the junior golfers of the region a quality tournament to enjoy the great game that their son loved and excelled at. Almost immediately the tournament became very popular and attracted junior golfers from around the country. Today this is one of the oldest junior golf tournaments in the country and has been played consecutively for 45 years.
The Jim Hitch Memorial Golf Championships has become one of Americas most historic and prestigious junior golf tournaments.
The Story
The theme for the tournament was created from a letter written by a close friend, whose words inspired Lala Hitch.
To Jim, a friend that cannot be replaced.
I got to know you real well about the beginning of Junior High. You and I took guitar lessons for a long time together. We played our guitars together in school, and at home. I always admired you for your honesty, and leadership. Two very important factors of which you possessed. During our Freshman year we started playing golf, and that's when I really got to know you. Out on the golf course you get to know a person real well, because your with them practically everyday. It's going to be hard to continue on in Golf this season without you there to help us. I really think that you would want us to keep going, and win State. That's what you wanted most of all.
I suppose if there's a Golf Course in Heaven, you'll be on it night and day, "Striving for Perfection".