PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- The PGA of America announced the 2006 Westfield Junior PGA Championship will have an increased field of 156 and is open to boys and girls who will not have reached their 19th birthday as of Aug. 13, 2006, and who have not started college.

The increased field for the 2006 Championship, which will be played August 10-13, at Westfield Group Country Club, allows for more special invitees to the join the 82 PGA Section Champions in the tournament.

"We looked at the factors to make this Championship even better, and the one we knew we could improve was the field by increasing the number of participants," said Roger Warren, president of The PGA of America. "Along with moving the Westfield Junior PGA Championship to August, increasing the field and age requirement is part of our transformation to improve our Junior major."

The Junior PGA Championship, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2005, began in 1976 at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., as The PGA of America's national major Championship for boys and girls age 17 and younger. Since 1976, more than 210,000 juniors have attempted to qualify for the national Championship. Past Junior PGA Championship competitors who have gone on to successful professional careers include: Billy Andrade, Kathy Baker, Briny Baird, Brandie Burton, Stewart Cink, Vicki Goetz-Ackerman, Cristie Kerr, Justin Leonard, Billy Mayfair, Michelle McGann, Phil Mickelson, Grace Park, Dottie Pepper, Aree Song, Scott Verplank, Willie Wood and Tiger Woods. David Toms won the Junior PGA Championship in 1984, and in 2001, he became the first winner to also capture the PGA Championship; however, it was Kathy Baker-Guadagnino who was the first Champion (1978) to capture a professional major title when she was victorious at the 1985 U.S. Women's Open.

"Westfield Insurance sponsors the Westfield Junior PGA Championship as a reward and recognition for America's best junior golfers who, through the excellence, integrity and etiquette they demonstrate, are role models for their generation," said Bob Joyce, Westfield Insurance Chairman and CEO. "Together with The PGA of America, we do our best each year to make playing in the Championship the experience of a lifetime. We look forward to hosting our largest and strongest field ever in 2006."

Sharing knowledge and building trust, Westfield Insurance is represented by a network of 1,200 leading independent insurance agencies. The company, founded in 1848, writes auto, home and business insurance in 17 states and surety business in 27 states. Through its support as host and title sponsor of the Westfield Junior PGA Championship, Westfield Insurance is helping grow golf's future stars and the next generation of leaders.

Celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2006, The PGA of America was founded in 1916, and is a not-for-profit organization that promotes the game of golf while continuing to enhance the standards of the profession. The Association is comprised of more than 28,000 men and women PGA Professionals who are dedicated to growing the game and the business of golf.