ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, Aug. 6, 2016 – Emilee Hoffman of Folsom, California, and Jacob Bergeron of Slidell, Louisiana, won the girls and boys divisions, respectively, at the 48th annual Trusted Choice® Big "I" National Championship in Sacramento, California.
The tournament featured 152 players from 39 states with girls and boys under the age of 19 and was played at the Del Paso Country Club. The girls division was played at a course rating of 73.7/140 and 5,823 yards, while the boys played the course at a 73.3/141 course rating and 6,876 yards.
Each summer more than 2,000 junior boys and girls nationally vie to earn a place in the final tournament. Approximately 70 state and local qualifying events determine the final roster.
“For 48 years, the Trusted Choice® Big ‘I’ National Championship has provided teenage golfers a rewarding opportunity to compete at a national level in a supportive atmosphere that cultivates sportsmanship,” says Steve Cocke, Big “I” chief financial officer. “We are proud of the tournament’s long-standing success and congratulate Emilee Hoffman, Jacob Bergeron, the finalists and the thousands of junior golfers across the United States who participated in the local and state tournaments this year.”
Hoffman’s final round of 1-over-par 72 resulted in her four day total of 279 for the tournament, to claim the girls’ division title and the Mayerstein Trophy. Bergeron’s final round of 7-under-par 64 resulted in his four day total of 266 for the tournament, to claim the boys’ division title and the Robert Trent Jones Trophy.
In the girls division, Leila Dizon of Los Angeles placed second with a final round score of 5-over-par 76 and a total tournament score of 284. Dominique Galloway of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, placed third with a final day at even-par 71, and a tournament total score of 288.
In the boys division, the second place winner was Nicholas Lyerly of Salisbury, North Carolina, with a total score of 10-under-par 274. The following five boys finished at 5-under par 279 and tied for third place: Nick Willis of Cowpens, South Carolina; Jacob Bridgeman of Inman, South Carolina; Simms Abney of Madison, Mississippi; Chad Sewell of Conroe, Texas; and Mark Reppe (2017) of Dallas, Texas.
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 150 (90 local) agents help organize and administer the qualifying tournaments that lead to the national championship. Independent agents donate valuable time, effort, and in many cases, personal resources to conduct successful local events.
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 more than 26,000 independent insurance agencies and brokerage firm locations and 70 leading insurance companies. For more information, go to www.TrustedChoice.com.
Founded in 1896, the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”), is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network of approximately a quarter of a million independent insurance agents, brokers and their employees nationally. Its members are businesses that offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. Independent agents and brokers offer all lines of insurance—property, casualty, life and health—as well as employee benefit plans and retirement products. Web address: www.independentagent.com.
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