PINEHURST, N.C. -- The 40th annual Trusted Choice Big “I” Junior Classic, conducted by the Independent Agents & Brokers of America, will be held at the Dogwood Course of The Country Club of North Carolina in Pinehurst Aug. 3-7. The Big “I” welcomes 168 elite junior golfers ages 13-18 from 42 states to compete in the nation’s largest junior stroke-play golf tournament.

The tournament returns to the Pinehurst area for the third time in its long history. It was last held here in 1992, when Tiger Woods won the Classic at the age of 16. Other past participants include Phil Mickelson, Bob Tway, Justin Leonard, Charles Howell, David Duval, Craig Stadler, Fuzzy Zoeller, Cristie Kerr, Candie Kung and Grace Park. This year’s tournament is being presented by The Tiger Woods Foundation which supports community-based programs that promote the welfare of America’s children.

The 72-hole event will kick off Sunday, Aug. 3, with player registration and practice rounds, followed by a pig-pickin’ at the Fair Barn. Tournament rounds will take place Aug. 4-7, with the awards ceremony to take place after the final round. A long drive competition will be held Wednesday, Aug. 6, following initial qualifying during Sunday’s practice rounds.

Among this year’s top players in the Boys Division is local favorite Jack Fields of Southern Pines, N.C., who won his high school state championship in May and finished second at the Scott Robertson Memorial. Also in the Boys Division is Smylie Kaufman, of Birmingham, Ala., winner of the United States Golf Association/American Junior Golf Association Presidents Youth Leadership Award for his organization of Kids vs. Cancer, an effort to raise funds for cancer research.

“The Big ‘I’ has such a long tradition and I would love to add my name to the long list of outstanding past winners like Tiger Woods, Justin Leonard, and Bob Tway,” said Fields.

This year’s Girls Division includes defending champion Madeliene Sheils of Boise, Idaho and Kristen Schelling of Mesa, Ariz, who owns four top-ten finishes in AJGA tournaments, including a second place finish in the Midwest Junior Championship in June.

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.

For more information please contact Laura Dark at 252-412-1398 or via email keith@bigIjuniorclassic.com.