Ginger Howard eyes a putt during the second round.
Trusted Choice Big “I” Junior Classic Country Club of North Carolina–DogWood Course Pinehurst, N.C. • Aug. 3–7, 2008
McCracken and Blair Tie For Lead After Round Two Howard seizes the lead with 3-under-par 69
Pinehurst, N.C.
— Logan McCracken of Oklahoma City, Okla., carded three birdies at the
end of his second round putting him at 1-over-par 73 for the day and
4-under-par for the tournament to hold on to first place, tied with Zac
Blair of Ogden, Utah. Fourteen-year-old Ginger Howard from Bradenton,
Fla., carded a 3-under-par 69 to seize the lead in the second round of
the Trusted Choice Big “I” Junior Classic Tuesday.
Conducted
by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, the
Trusted Choice Big “I” Junior Classic is the nation’s largest junior
stroke-play golf tournament and is being held at the Dogwood Course of
the Country Club of North Carolina in Pinehurst. The event features 168
players from 42 states consisting of 108 boys and 60 girls ages
12-18. The Boys Division is playing the 72-par Dogwood course at 7,144,
while the Girls Division is playing at 6,145 yards.
McCracken had a rough start, getting a bogey on No. 3 and a double bogey on No. 6. Despite his trouble he recovered nicely at the end of his round by firing consecutive birdies on Nos. 16, 17, and 18.
“I just told myself I’ve had three birdies already and I know I can birdie more, so I had more confidence, then hit a good shot which gave me even more confidence to make a couple of good putts,” said McCracken.
Tied at the top of the Boys Division with McCracken is Blair, who placed 11th in the Big “I” last year. Blair attributed his seven birdies to solid contact with his irons.
“I just got off to a really good start and birdied every other hole. I just hit my irons really close, made good contact with the ball and tried to keep that pace going all day,” Blair said.
Blake Brown of Scotsdale, Ariz., finished third at 2-under-par 70. Four players finished the day tied for fourth place: Corbin Mills of Easley, S.C., Michael McGowan of Southern Pines, N.C., Austin Cook of Jonesboro, Ark., and Jordan Walor of Wake Forrest, N.C., all carded 2-under-par rounds of 142 for the tournament.
In the Girls Division, Howard’s front nine included three birdies (Nos. 3, 4, 7) en route to a 3-under-par 33.
“My putting was working for me today and it was much better than yesterday, but I got a little excited on hole No. 12, rushed a bit which ended with my first bogey of the day,” said Howard.
Her best shot of the day came on the tenth hole where she managed to get out of a difficult lie to earn a birdie, thus neutralizing the bogey on No. 12.
“Tomorrow I don’t want to rush things and am going to play smart,” said Howard.
Teeing off on No. 10, Brianna Espinoza of Phoenix, Ariz., sits one stroke back after carding a 1-over-par 73. Espinoza also had four birdies throughout the day, three after the turn at Nos. 3, 4 and 5.
“I tried to stay out of trouble on tee shots and feel good about all of my birdies, but there is plenty more golf to play and nothing is certain yet,” said Espinoza.
Shamira Marshall of Macedonis, Ohio, Meghan Moore of Bahama, N.C., and Bethany Buchner of Loveland, Ohio, are all tied in third at 5-over-par 149.
The field was cut after the second round to 27 girls and ties and 54 boys and ties. The third of the Trusted Choice Big “I” Junior Classic begins Tuesday, Aug. 5 with tee times running off the first and tenth tees from 7:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. at the Country Club of North Carolina. For more information about the Trusted Choice Big “I” Junior Classic, please contact Laura Dark at 252-412-1398 or via email at keith@bigIjuniorclassic.com.
Players in the Trusted Choice Big “I” Junior Classic hope to follow in the footsteps of past participants including Phil Mickelson, Bob Tway, Justin Leonard, Charles Howell, David Duval, Craig Stadler, Fuzzy Zoeller, Cristie Kerr, Candie Kung and Grace Park.
The Big “I”, formerly the Insurance Golf Classic, began in 1969 as a community service project devised by a group of independent insurance agents. Its goal is to provide young golfers the opportunity to channel their energies into a positive experience, while competing in a sportsmanlike atmosphere. Each year more than 2,000 independent agents volunteer their time and resources to organize and administer the Classic.
The Tiger Woods Foundation, this year’s Big “I” sponsor, was established in 1996 and seeks to empower young people to reach their highest potential by initiating the supporting community-based programs that promote the health, education and welfare of all the American’s children. The foundation has been sponsoring the Big “I” for the past three years and continued its support this year.
