TRUSTED CHOICE® BIG "I" NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

BASCO & COLEMAN LEAD ROUND ONE AT THE RAIN-SOAKED BIG "I"
Mike Basco and Caroline Powers are in the lead for the first round of The Trusted Choice Big "I" National Championship

ARDMORE, Okla.-- Mike Basco of Scottsdale, Ariz., holds a two-stroke lead in the Boys Division after the first round of the Trusted Choice Big "I" National Championship. Caroline Powers of Bowling Green, Ohio holds a one-stroke lead in the Girls Division.

The 41^st Annual Trusted Choice Big "I" National Championship is a leading national junior golf tournament, this year held at Dornick Hills Country Club in Ardmore, Okla. With an impressive list of previous participants including Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Charlie Howell, Cristie Kerr and Grace Park, this championship offers young players an opportunity to showcase their golf talent on a national level. Tournament participants ages 13 to 18 from 40 states are competing for this year's title after qualifying in local and state qualifiers. 

First-round leader in the Boys Division is Mike Basco with a five-under-par 65, closely followed by Richard Fountain from Raleigh, N.C., and Ryan McCormick from Middleton, N.J., in a tie for second at 67. Tied in fourth place is Joshua Briere, Newport, Vt.; Denny McCarthy, Burtonsville, Md; and Payne Mcleod, Reidsville, N.C., with 2-under par 68s. Basco had a great round as he chipped in on the par-4 14^th for an eagle while carding six birdies.

"My putting today was the reason I shot so low." Basco said. "I made a lot of long putts and actually I chipped in on 14, the short par-4, so I made a lot of long ones. My putter definitely saved me."

Leading the Girls Division is Caroline Powers with a 2-over-par 73. Following her in second at 74 is Jenny Coleman of Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.

BASCO & COLEMAN LEAD ROUND ONE AT THE RAIN-SOAKED BIG "I"
Mike Basco and Caroline Powers are in the lead for the first round of The Trusted Choice Big "I" National Championship

ARDMORE, Okla.-- Mike Basco of Scottsdale, Ariz., holds a two-stroke lead in the Boys Division after the first round of the Trusted Choice Big "I" National Championship. Caroline Powers of Bowling Green, Ohio holds a one-stroke lead in the Girls Division.

The 41^st Annual Trusted Choice Big "I" National Championship is a leading national junior golf tournament, this year held at Dornick Hills Country Club in Ardmore, Okla. With an impressive list of previous participants including Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Charlie Howell, Cristie Kerr and Grace Park, this championship offers young players an opportunity to showcase their golf talent on a national level. Tournament participants ages 13 to 18 from 40 states are competing for this year's title after qualifying in local and state qualifiers. 

First-round leader in the Boys Division is Mike Basco with a five-under-par 65, closely followed by Richard Fountain from Raleigh, N.C., and Ryan McCormick from Middleton, N.J., in a tie for second at 67. Tied in fourth place is Joshua Briere, Newport, Vt.; Denny McCarthy, Burtonsville, Md; and Payne Mcleod, Reidsville, N.C., with 2-under par 68s. Basco had a great round as he chipped in on the par-4 14^th for an eagle while carding six birdies.

"My putting today was the reason I shot so low." Basco said. "I made a lot of long putts and actually I chipped in on 14, the short par-4, so I made a lot of long ones. My putter definitely saved me."

Leading the Girls Division is Caroline Powers with a 2-over-par 73. Following her in second at 74 is Jenny Coleman of Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.

ARDMORE, Okla.-- The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (The Big "I") will hold the 41^st Annual Trusted Choice Big "I" National Championship in Ardmore, Oklahoma this year. This 72-hole National Championship will take place at the Dornick Hills Country Club July 25-30, 2009.

Renowned as the nation's largest junior stroke-play golf tournament, the Trusted Choice Big "I" National Championship is one of the premier junior golf events, attracting 159 leading junior golfers from 40 states. Previous participants include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Kellee Booth, and Candie Kung.

"The National Committee, all the State Chair Persons, hundreds of volunteers nationwide and our sponsors believe in junior golf and the opportunities it offers our young folks," said Greg Renn, National Chairman of The Big "I." "It is an honor to be associated with everyone involved and we look forward to an exciting Championship at Dornick Hills Country Club."

This year, Midwest City, Oklahoma's Talor Gooch is competing in the Big "I" National Championship. Ranked 16th in the Golfweek rankings, Gooch will be one to watch this week. He has had top finishes in several national junior tournaments such as a tie for third at the 2008 Junior PLAYERS Championship and a tie for seventh at the 2009 Thunderbird International Junior.

Meghan Moore from Bahama, NC will be a big contender in the girl's division of the Big "I" National Championship this year. Moore was a top finisher in the 2008 Big "I" National Championship with a tie for fifth.

The Big "I" is presented by Trusted Choice and supported by Allied Insurance, Titleist, Cutter & Buck, and the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation.

For more information on the Big "I" National Championship, contact Media Relations Manager Callie Cady at callie.cady@gmail.com.