ALEXANDRIA, Va., August 6, 2009 - Trusted Choice® announced that Denny McCarthy of Burtonsville, Md. and Caroline Powers of Bowling Green, Ohio, won the boys and girls divisions, respectively, at the recent 41st Annual Trusted Choice® Big "I" final tournament in Ardmore, Okla.
The tournament featured 160 players from 40 states with boys and girls under the age of 18. The boys division was played at the Dornick Hills Country Club, a par 70 and 6,524 yard golf course, while the girls played the course at par 71 and 6,041 yards. Each summer more than 3,000 junior boys and girls nationally vie to earn a place in the final tournament. More than 300 state and local qualifying events determine the final field.
“The Annual Trusted Choice® Big "I" National Championship tournament provides teens an opportunity to compete at a national level in an atmosphere that cultivates sportsmanship,” says Brett Nilsson, Big “I” chairman. “We congratulate Denny, Caroline, the 160 finalists, and the thousands of boys and girls across the country who participated in local and state tournaments.”
McCarthy won first place in the boys division by shooting a 5-under-par 65 in the final round, winning by one stroke with an overall score of 270. Powers shot a 9-over-par 293 to claim the girls division title by six strokes.
In the boys division, Michael McGowan of Southern Pines, N.C. placed second just one stroke behind McCarthy at a 9-under-par 271. Corey Konieczki of Rockford, Ill. finished third and Cory McElyea of Santa Cruz, Calif. placed fourth.
In the girls division, Lizzie Bundy of Clayton, N.C. placed second with a 15-over-par 299. In third place was Ashlee Pickerell of Salem, Oregon at 16-over-par 300.
The Trusted Choice® Big "I" National Championship has proven to be a critical test for many of today’s golf professionals. PGA and LPGA fields include numerous past champions and participants including the following men and women who have risen to the top of professional golf: Billy Andrade, David Duval, Charles Howell III, Cristie Kerr, Candie Kung, Justin Leonard, Phil Mickelson, Grace Park, Craig Stadler, Bob Tway, Cheyenne Woods, Tiger Woods and Fuzzy Zoeller.
The annual tournament is sponsored and supported by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”). The tournament began in 1969 as a community service project and every year, more than 2,000 agents help organize and administer the qualifying tournaments that lead to the national finals. Independent agents donate valuable time, effort, and in many cases, personal resources to conduct successful local events.
For more information, visit www.bigigolf.com.
Trusted Choice® educates consumers about the benefits of using independent agents and brokers for their insurance needs: choice of companies, customized policies and advocacy support. Trusted Choice® is the consumer marketing identity for over 10,400 independent insurance agencies and brokerage firms and 53 leading insurance companies. Fore more information, go to www.TrustedChoice.com.
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