ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 8, 2011 - Trusted Choice® announced that Ally McDonald of Fulton, Miss. and J.T. Poston of Hickory, N.C., won the girls and boys divisions, respectively, at the recent 43nd Annual Trusted Choice® Big "I" National Championship in Madison, Miss.
The tournament featured 159 players from 36 states with girls and boys under the age of 19 and was played at Reunion Golf & Country Club in Madison, Miss. The boys division was played at par 72 and 7,100 yards, while the girls played the course at par 72 and 6,000 yards. Each summer more than 2,500 junior boys and girls nationally vie to earn a place in the final tournament. Approximately 100 state and local qualifying events determine the final roster.
“The annual Trusted Choice® Big ‘I’ National Championship tournament provides teen golfers with an excellent opportunity to compete at a national level in an atmosphere that cultivates sportsmanship,” says Mike Miley, Big “I” chairman. “We congratulate Ally, J.T., the finalists, and the thousands of boys and girls across the country who participated in the local and state tournaments this year.”
McDonald shot a score of 284, four under par, to claim the girls division title and bested the closest competitor by nine strokes. McDonald was last year’s second place winner. Poston won first place in the boys division by shooting a score of 282, six under par and bested the second place winner by one stroke.
In the girls division, Taylor Totland of Tinton Falls, N.J. placed second with a 5 over par 293 and Emily Haas of Nicholasville, Ky. placed second with a 10 over par 298.
In the boys division, Austin Smotherman of Loomis, Calif. came in second place at five under par 283 and Trevor Cone of Concord, N.C. placed third at three under par 285.
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: 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 Trusted Choice®. The tournament began in 1969 and every year, more than 400 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 http://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 than 13,000 independent insurance agencies and brokerage firms and 61 leading insurance companies. For more information, go to www.TrustedChoice.com.
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