Georgia, South Carolina Teens Win Big ‘I’ Junior Golf Tournament
Rachel Dai of Milton, Ga., and Keenan Huskey of Greenville, S.C., won the girls and boys divisions, respectively, at the recent 46nd Annual Trusted Choice Big “I” National Championship in Bridgeport, W.V.
The tournament featured 160 players from 40 states with girls and boys under the age of 19 and was played at the Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport, W.V. The girls division was played at par 72 and 6,073 yards, while the boys played the course at par 72 and 7,045 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.
Dai shot even-par 288 for the tournament to claim the girls’ division title and win the Mayerstein Trophy. Huskey won first place in the boys division by shooting 4-under 284 for the tournament and bested the second place winner by six strokes to win the Robert Trent Jones Trophy. Huskey was last year’s third place winner.
In the girls division, Alice Chen of Princeton, N.J., came in second finishing at 2-over 290 for the tournament. Siranon Shoomee of Sanford, N.C., finished third at 3-over 291.
In the boys division, the second place winner was Joshua Gliege of Eagle, Idaho, with a final round 4-over 76 to finish even-par for the tournament. Garrett May of Hope, Ark., Tyson Reeder of Edmond, Okla., Alex Smalley of Wake Forest, N.C., and D J Vogt of Louisville, Ky., tied for third place at 4-over 292.
The tournament is in its 46th year. Past champions and participants include a number of teens who have gone on to be professional golfers 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.