NORCROSS, GA – March 12, 2005 – Mizuno USA, Inc., and the American Junior Golf Association will elevate their partnership within junior golf in 2005 as the club manufacturer will take over title sponsorship of the 12th annual Easter weekend event taking place at the AJGA's National Headquarters March 25-27. The Mizuno Junior at Chateau Elan, a 36-hole stroke play event, will feature 132 of the best junior golfers, boys and girls ages 12-18, in the country.

"The AJGA is the premier junior golf association in the United States, and we are proud and honored to be sponsoring this prestigious event taking place right here in Georgia," said Dick Lyons, Vice President and General Manager, Golf Division for Mizuno USA, Inc. "Mizuno has a long history of supporting junior golf, and many of the best juniors in the game rely on the quality and craftsmanship of Mizuno products to help them perform at their best."

This event annually crowns impressive champions. Beth Bauer, the 2002 LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year, won this event five straight years (1994-98) during her junior career. Charles Howell III won alongside Bauer in 1996. The 2003 U.S. Women's Amateur Champion Virada Nirapathpongporn took home top honors twice (1999-2000) before heading to Duke University. Four University of Georgia golfers won this event before they left the junior ranks: Erik Compton (1998); Christo Greyling (1999-2000); Whitney Wade (2002); and Chris Kirk (2003). Brittany Lincicome, who recently qualified for the LPGA Tour as a 19-year-old, won this event in 2001 and 2003.

"With Mizuno's sponsorship of this event, tournament participants are going to have the opportunity to showcase their skills against the very best the game has to offer," AJGA Executive Vice President of Development Jason Etzen said. "It is huge benefit to junior golf and the AJGA to have this world-renowned club manufacturer's support."

Mizuno USA, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mizuno Corporation, one of the largest general sporting goods manufacturers in the world. Mizuno USA, Inc. manufactures and distributes baseball, golf, softball, running, track & field, and volleyball equipment, apparel, and footwear for North America. Mizuno USA, Inc. is based in Norcross, Georgia.

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The largest association of its kind, the AJGA has a junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 50 states and 30 foreign countries.

For more information on the AJGA, please contact Steve Ethun in the AJGA Communications Department at (770) 868-4200, ext. 786, or visit the AJGA Web site at ajga.org.

Contact:
Iver Maple
Mizuno USA
770-453-7832
iver.maple@mizunousa.com