Eligibility

  • Application is open only to amateur junior golfers aged 13 – 19 with a current USGA or WGH Handicap Index of 0.0 or better as follows:

    • Applicants must be at least 13 years of age on the date of the submission of an application.

    • Applicants who are 19 years of age may be eligible so long as they do not turn 20 before July 9th, 2025.

    • Applicants who have started college classes regardless of age are not eligible. (this does not include programs where high school students take college courses as part of their high school education,  e.g. Running Start or similar equivalent programs). 

    • Applicants are not eligible if they have declared themselves as a ‘professional’ regardless of age. 

    • Proof of age (e.g. birth certificate or passport) may be required prior to acceptance. 

    • Applicants will be selected as participants in the Tournament by a committee comprised of representatives from Taco Bell, Bad Birdie, and SPORTFIVE (collectively, the “Selection Committee”), at the Selection Committee’s sole and exclusive discretion. 

    • Applicants must accept these Terms & Conditions. 

  • The deadline to submit your applications is May 29th, 2025

  • The Selection Committee will choose eight (8) boys for the Boys’ Division and eight (8) girls for the Girls’ Division to invite to participate in the Tournament. 

  • Applicants who have been selected as participants will be selected and informed on or about June 1st, 2025.

  • Selected participants and their parents or guardians will be required to sign an Affidavit of Eligibility, a Liability Release, and, where lawful, a Publicity Release within five (5) days of first attempted notification of selection. Failure to sign these agreements may result in the selected participant’s invitation to participate being revoked. 

Travel & Accommodations

  • The Tournament will be held at Monarch Beach Golf Links in Dana Point, California on July 7 and 8th, 2025.

  • Each participating player shall be provided with complimentary lodging at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach for the nights of July 7 and July 8, 2025 (one standard room, double occupancy). Each player must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at the time of hotel check-in at all times during the stay. All costs associated with incidental charges and/or any damages incurred during the stay shall be the sole responsibility of the player and/or their parent or legal guardian. Participant and parent or legal guardian are responsible for obtaining travel insurance (and all other forms of insurance) at their option. 

  • Each player shall be eligible to receive reimbursement for travel expenses for a maximum of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00). Eligible reimbursable expenses include only airfare, ground transportation, meals during travel and mileage (standard IRS rate at time of reimbursement) for both the player and one accompanying parent or legal guardian. To receive reimbursement, each family must submit expense receipt(s) and submit a valid IRS Form W-9 and provide accurate wire transfer information. Please note travel reimbursements and hotel stay may have a tax implication in which the Released Parties (as defined in the Terms & Conditions) will not be responsible.  Participant is responsible for paying any and all applicable taxes. 

  • Participants will be required to participate in the Friends & Fam AM on July 7, 2025. 

Format of Play

  • The competition will take place on July 8, 2025 in the following order and format:

    • Round 1 (Seeding Round) will consist of an 18-hole seeding stroke play (gross, not net/based on handicap) round. Based on the order of finish (lowest score to highest), the top four players will advance to the match play round(s). The order of finish will determine the seeding for the first round of matches. (1 vs. 4) (2 vs. 3)

    • Rounds 2 & 3 (Match Play Rounds) will consist of single elimination, 9-hole match play matches. Each 9-hole match will be decided in a head-to-head competition based on holes won, lost or tied (rather than counting strokes). Each match concludes when one player is leading by more holes won than holes that remain to be played, and that player is considered the winner of that round. The winner of both rounds 2 & 3 shall be considered the champion of their respective division.

    • The champion of the Boys’ Division will earn a Sponsor Exemption into the 2026 Puerto Rico Open (March 2 – 8, 2026), subject to eligibility requirements associated with such Sponsor Exemption.

    • The champion of the Girls’ Division will earn a Sponsor Exemption into the Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass (March 23 – 29, 2026) subject to eligibility requirements associated with such Sponsor Exemption. 

    • In the event of a tie, the following procedures will be implemented depending on which round the tie occurs:

      • Round 1 (Seeding Round): In the event of a tie for any of positions 1 – 4, players will immediately move to  a sudden death playoff. Ties for positions 5 – 8 will remain unbroken. 

      • Rounds 2 & 3 (March Play Rounds): If at the end of 9 holes, the players are ‘All Square’ or tied, the match will continue to a sudden-death playoff until the tie is broken. 

      • All playoffs will proceed at the Rules Committee’s discretion based on space and time available. 

Terms of the Competition and Local Rules:

  • The Rules of Golf as approved by the United States Golf Association (“USGA”) and The Royal & Ancient Golf Club will govern all play. The Tournament’s Rules Committee will define Local Rules in conjunction with the Rules of Golf prior to the competition. All decisions including Rules of Golf, pace of play, code of conduct, weather-related decisions, yardages and hole locations are at the discretion of the Rules Committee and are final and non-appealable. 

  • Local Rules:

    • List of conforming Golf Balls: Any ball used in making a stroke must be on the current list of Conforming Golf Balls issued by the USGA. Model Local Rule G-3. Penalty for breach is disqualification.

    • The USGA One Ball Rule is not in effect. 

    • Distance Measuring Devices (a.k.a. rangefinders) will be allowed. Devices are limited to measuring distance without slope. 

    • A caddie will be provided for each player. Parents, siblings and family may not caddie for any player.

    • At the discretion of the Rules Committee, players may be provided golf carts for transportation at any point during the competition. 

Code of Conduct / Pace of Play 

  • Each participating player is responsible for conducting themselves in a manner that brings respect and honor to the host facility, sponsors and the competition. Any behavior that detracts from any other player’s ability to attain peak performance will not be tolerated. Each player must adhere to the dress code of the host facility, maintain the course during play and abstain from the use of profanity, drugs and alcohol while participating in the Tournament. Any violations may result in disqualification and removal from the Tournament hotel and/or grounds.

  • The Tournament is organized to be inclusive of players’ families and friends, and as such, they will be held to the same conduct as players. 

Contact Information Release Consent

  • The contact information provided by players may be used by the Tournament Organizers for communication purposes. These communication channels are vital to the success of the Tournament and may be used to communicate official starting times, results and/or any pertinent information to the players and Tournament Organizers.

Liability Waiver and Release

  • I, the undersigned applicant (or parent/legal guardian of the applicant, if under 18 years of age), acknowledge and fully understand that participation in the Tournament involves inherent risks, including but not limited to, the risk of personal injury, property damage, and other unforeseen hazards associated with playing golf, walking the course, weather conditions, and interactions with other participants and spectators.

  • I hereby voluntarily assume all risks associated with participation in the Tournament and agree to unconditionally and irrevocably release, discharge, and hold harmless SPORTFIVE, Taco Bell, Bad Birdie, the Taco Bell Foundation and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, successors, assigns, directors, officers, employees, volunteers, sponsors, partners, and affiliated organizations (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from any and all claims, actions, demands, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, or expenses of any kind (including without limitation, attorneys’ fees) arising from or relating to the application and selection process and my (or my child’s) participation in the Tournament.

  • I further agree to indemnify and defend the Released Parties against any claims brought against them as a result of my (or my child’s) participation in the application and selection process and the Tournament. I authorize on my and my child’s behalf any of the Released Parties to obtain any medical care or treatment deemed necessary and understand that I am responsible for any medical expenses incurred due to any injury I (or my child) sustained during the Tournament and that I (or my child) participate voluntarily and at my (or my child’s) own risk. 

  • By signing, I acknowledge that I (and/or my child) have read, understand, and agree to the terms of this Liability Waiver and Release.

Name, Image, and Likeness 

  • I further agree that, by signing, and/or by my child participating in the Tournament, I authorize and irrevocably grant the Released Parties the right to use and depict my (and/or my child’s) likeness, image, name, signature, voice, persona, appearance, title, interviews, testimonials, performance, recordings, statements attributed to me (or my child), biographical information, and other indicia of his or her identity or right of publicity (collectively “Images”) in marketing current and/or future events related to the Tournament, including advertising, programming, and publicity materials in connection with the Tournament throughout the world, in any and all media, now known or hereafter devised, in perpetuity. I agree that such Images may also be used by the Released Parties for the aforementioned purpose without compensation to me or my child and without any expiration date.  Furthermore, I hereby irrevocably grant and assign to SPORTFIVE, Taco Bell,  Taco Bell Foundation, Bad Birdie, and their assigned representatives (including social media personalities) without limitation, my individual television, radio, motion picture, photographic, electronic, “Interactive Applications” (as defined below) and all other media rights with respect to my participation in the Tournament, or any other golf event conducted in conjunction with the Tournament (e.g. clinics, long drive contests, hole-in-one contests), or any portion thereof throughout the world, in any and all media, now known or hereafter devised, in perpetuity without compensation. "Interactive Applications" shall mean the presentation in any medium in a way that permits the viewer to interact with or manipulate the presentation or access other relevant information during the presentation. 

  • I agree to refrain from any action which may interfere with ownership of the rights hereunder granted to SPORTFIVE, Taco Bell, Taco Bell Foundation & Bad Birdie or with any authorized use thereof. I also agree to abide by and be governed by SPORTFIVE, Taco Bell and Bad Birdie Tournament Regulations currently in effect and subject to any modification thereof approved by SPORTFIVE, Taco Bell, & Bad Birdie. 

Additional Terms

The Tournament Organizers reserve the right to make changes to these Terms & Conditions at any time. Any changes will be communicated promptly to registered participants. The Tournament Organizers further reserve the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Tournament, or any part of it, if any factor impairs the Tournament (including, without limitation, weather), as determined by the Tournament Organizers.  

TERMS AND CONDITIONs