Houston To Host 1999 IIA Junior Classic Finals
Nearly 10,000 boys and girls from across the country will be competing in more than 400 state and local IIAJC qualifying tournaments throughout the country next summer. The state winners and top finishers, as well as a number of top-ranked juniors, will advance to the tournament's national finals. A boys' field of 129 golfers and a girls' field of 48 juniors will compete for the prestigious IIAJC championship trophies.
The four-round, 72-hole national finals will be held August 9-13, 1999. The event is sponsored by the <%=company%> (IIAA) and its 300,000 members. The Independent Insurance Agents of Houston will host the 1999 championship tournament.
"We are excited about playing the 1999 IIAJC national finals in Houston," said Elink-Schuurman. "The city of Houston and the entire state of Texas have a rich golf tradition, and we look forward to adding to that legacy when our junior tournament event tees off next August."
Tiger Woods, who played in four-consecutive national finals from 1989 to 1992, heads up the list of past IIAJC champions. He won the 1990 and 1992 tournaments and continues to hold several national IIAJC records, including largest winning margin (9 strokes in 1992) and youngest winner (14 years old in 1990 in Fort Worth, TX).
Other notable IIAJC champions are Billy Andrade (1980, 1981); Bobby Clampett (1975); Cristie Kerr (1994, 1995); Justin Leonard (1989); Grace Park (1996); Chris Smith (1986); and Robert Tway (1976). Many other well-known professionals and top-ranked amateur players have competed in the IIAJC, including Jenny Chuasiriporn, Stewart Cink, David Duval, Hale Irwin, Casey Martin, Phil Mickelson, Craig Stadler and Fuzzy Zoeller.
"The Independent Insurance Agents of Houston is excited about the opportunity to bring this nationally recognized junior golf tournament to our community," said Steve Davis, chairman of the Houston IIAJC host committee. "We are working hard to make the 1999 National Finals memorable and wish players from around the country the best of luck in their attempts to qualify for the championship tournament."