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L to R: George Eubanks, Jr., Boys Div. Champion; Levi Moody, Boys Div. runner up; Ethan Willis, Boys Div. 2nd runner up; Smith Knaffle, Girls Div. Champion; Jensen Castle, Girls Div. runner up.​

(Orangeburg, SC)   George Eubanks, Jr., 18, of Spartanburg, S.C., and Smith Knaffle, 15, of Murrells Inlet, S.C. each topped their respective divisions in the SC qualifier of the Trusted Choice Big "I" National Championship junior golf tournament held June 26 – 27 at the Orangeburg Country Club in Orangeburg, S.C. Eubanks finished the second day five under with a total score of 139. Knaffle finished with 144.

Second place of the boys division went to Levi Moody, 17, of Greenville, S.C., who finished two under with a final score of 142. Third-place went to Ethan Willis, 18, of Mount Pleasant, S.C. with a final score of 145. 

Second place of the girls division went to Jensen Castle, 16, of West Columbia with a final score of 149.

All five teens advanced to the Trusted Choice Big “I” National Championship held Aug. 7-10 that summer at the Annandale Golf Club in Madison, Miss. They were joined by Jacob Bridgeman, 17, of Inman, S.C. and Nick Willis, 17, of Cowpens, S.C., who both had previously qualified to play. 

Normally four rounds with cuts after the second round, the national tournament ended after two rounds as the result of a series of three weather delays.  Jacob Bridgeman finished in the top 10 of his division for the second year in a row, qualifying him for play in the 2018 tournament, to be played at the Daniel Island Club in Charleston, SC, and hosted by IIABSC members!

Nationally, at least 3,000 boys and girls play in more than 300 local and state-qualifying tournaments organized by nearly 2,000 independent insurance agents. Visit their website (bigigolf.com​) for a history of this tournament.

The state qualifier is a community-service project sponsored by the SC Trusted Choice Agents, whose members are small-business owners who operate independently of insurance companies, representing more than one company and selling all types of insurance. As a result, IIABSC members offer their clients a wider choice of auto, home, business, life and health insurance products.​​