NC Big I Registration Opens 4/23 at 8 pm
The Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina (IIANC) and the Tarheel Youth Golf Association (TYGA) have announced a partnership to conduct the 50th North Carolina Trusted Choice® Big "I" Junior Classic (Big "I" or Big "I" Junior Classic). The girls' state Big "I" will be hosted at Pine Needles Golf Club in Southern Pines, NC on July 14-15, 2018. Mid Pines Golf Club in Southern Pines, NC will host the boys' state Big "I" on July 14-15, 2018.
The tournament serves as the state's qualifier for the Trusted Choice® Big "I" National Championship, the 3rd oldest junior golf event in the United States. The Big "I" National Championship is the nation's largest junior stroke-play golf tournament and one of the premier junior golf events. Each year, more than 2,500 elite junior golfers compete in local and state tournaments around the country with the top 167 players advancing to the national finals.
"We are excited to continue the success of the Big "I" Junior Classic through our partnership with TYGA and look forward to attracting new players to our tournament," said Patrick Laney, Chairman of the Trusted Choice® Big "I" Junior Classic Host Committee.
"TYGA is honored to be asked to support the NC Trusted Choice® Big I Junior Classic. The tournament has a very rich history, and we want the tournament to continue to be an important part of junior golf in NC," stated Jason Cox, Director of Junior Golf for the Carolinas Golf Association.
TYGA will handle registration for the girls' and boys' state tournaments and the boys' regional qualifying sites. Registration opens on Monday, April 23, 2018 at 8 pm. TYGA will also advise the IIANC host committee on conducting the state tournaments while the volunteer independent agents will continue to provide the on-site tournament administration.
Tournament Details
The girls' state tournament is open to junior girls ages 10-18 who have not started college. Space is limited to the first 36 girls to register by July 4, 2018. The top two girls' finishers will advance to the Trusted Choice Big "I" National Championship on August 6-9, 2018 at Daniel Island Club in Charleston, SC.
The boys' state tournament is open to junior boys ages 10-18 who have not started college. Boys earn their acceptance into the state tournaments through three exemption criteria (listed below) or through one of the five regional qualifying sites. The top four boys' finisher will advance to the Trusted Choice Big "I" National Championship on August 6-9, 2018 at Daniel Island Club in Charleston, SC. Registration for the boys' state tournament and qualifiers closes on June 4, 2018.
Boys' state tournament exemptions:
- Top 25 and ties from 2017 NC Trusted Choice Big "I" Junior Classic
- Top 40 players on TYGA rankings as of April 23, 2018.
- 2018 NCHSAA and NCISAA individual state champions
Those boys not exempt can earn entry into the NC Trusted Choice Big "I" Junior Classic at one of the following qualifying sites. Players may participate in only one regional qualifying tournament.
June 12 Myers Park CC, Charlotte, NC
June 21 Starmount Forest CC, Greensboro, NC
June 23 Kinston CC, Kinston, NC
June 25 Catawba CC, Conover, NC
June 26 Bentwinds CC, Fuquay-Varina, NC
June 23 Kinston CC, Kinston, NC
June 25 Catawba CC, Conover, NC
June 26 Bentwinds CC, Fuquay-Varina, NC
To learn more visit www.bigigolfnc.com