The Jamieson Junior Golf Tour is kicking off in Blenheim on Saturday with a few changes in store for the season.

Tour Director Dan DeMarco says it will be the first year the collegiate division is part of the tour on a permanent basis.

“We had a lot of graduates who find that they went away to school and played and really, when they came home for the summer, unless they were willing to drive long distances and go to other amateur events, there really wasn’t much competition for them locally,” says DeMarco. “We’re really trying to do everything we can to facilitate their moves up to a higher level.”

DeMarco adds two pairs of events have been combined into two-day events which are now recognized by the Junior Golf Scoreboard to allow players across North America be ranked. Tour volunteers are also working to gain recognition from the American Junior Golf Association.