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AJGA names 2017 Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Team

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Twenty-five juniors honored by the AJGA and Transamerica for achievements on the golf course, in the classroom

BRASELTON, Ga. – Twenty-five of the nation’s brightest minds and best junior golfers were named to the 2017 Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Team, the American Junior Golf Association announced on October 5. Created in 1988, the team consists of young men and women who demonstrate the ability to excel not only on the golf course, but also in the classroom and the community.

“These 25 exceptional young men and women are impressive on so many levels,” said Brian Forbes, director of sponsorships for Transamerica. “They exemplify sportsmanship on the golf course and citizenship in their schools and in their communities. At Transamerica, we share their commitment and passion for a healthy and active lifestyle. We are proud to support their efforts and we congratulate them on their outstanding achievements.”

To be eligible to apply for the Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Team, applicants must be juniors or seniors with boys earning a top-10 finish in an AJGA Open or Invitational and girls needing a top-five finish. After qualifying, selections were then based on the following criteria (in order of importance):  standardized test scores, GPA, school leadership and community service. The AJGA uses an adjusted GPA scale to systematically compare applicants.

Angela Liu of San Jose, California, is the only repeat Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-American on the 2017 team as she was also honored on the 2016 team. Five honorees have given a verbal commitment to play college golf, while another five honorees were named to the 2016 Transamerica Scholastic Honor Roll.

The 2017 Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Team has an average adjusted GPA of 4.51, an average SAT score of 1499 and an average ACT score of 33.7. During the 2017 season, the 13 girls have combined for 17 top-five finishes, while the 12 boys have earned 19 top-10 finishes.

The 12 boys on the Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Team are:

Aaron Chen of Fremont, California (2019)

Matthew Copeland of Maryville, Tennessee (2018)

Chad Deegan of Atlanta, Georgia (2018)

Ryan Goldfarb of Palm Beach, Florida (2018)

Max Holm of Walnut Creek, California (2018)

Brian Isztwan of Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania (2018)

Sam Jean of Greenwood, Indiana (2018)

Chris Lee of West Nyack, New York (2018)

Alexander Pak of San Clemente, California (2018)

Diego Renteria of Stevenson Ranch, California (2018)

James Song (Canada) of Rancho Santa Fe, California (2018)

Dee Xie of Toronto, Canada (2019)

The 13 girls on the Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Team are:

Coco Chai (China) of Monterey, California (2018)

Anina Ku of Basking Ridge, New Jersey (2018)

Niav Layton of Palo Alto, California (2019)

Tracy Lee (South Korea) of Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida (2018)

Audrey Lin of Fremont, California (2018)

Angela Liu of San Jose, California (2018)

Holly McCann of Raleigh, North Carolina (2018)

Macy Somoskey of Sanford, Florida (2018)

Penelope Tir of Winnetka, Illinois (2019)

Brooke Tyree of Sulphur, Louisiana (2018)

Jennifer Wang of Solon, Ohio (2018)

Olivia White of Los Angeles, California (2018)

Emma Zhao of Windermere, Florida (2018)

The Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Team will be honored at the Rolex Junior All-America Awards Banquet, Nov. 19 at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. By being named to the team, each player is also eligible to participate in the Rolex Tournament of Champions, one of the most prestigious events in junior golf, which will take place on PGA National Resort & Spa's Champion and Fazio Courses, Nov. 18-23.

Former Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-Americans have gone on to successful amateur and professional golf careers, including Casey Martin (1989), Wendy Ward (1990), Kellee Booth (1992), Cristie Kerr (1994), Matt Kuchar (1994), Scott Langley (2005) and Patrick Rodgers (2009, 2010).

About Transamerica

With a history that dates back more than 100 years, Transamerica is recognized as a leading provider of life insurance, savings, retirement and investment solutions, serving millions of customers throughout the United States. Acknowledging the fundamental connection between wealth and health, Transamerica’s dedicated professionals work to help people live better today and worry less about tomorrow by empowering them to take the necessary steps to achieve a lifetime of financial security. We believe everyone deserves to feel confident and secure about their future. We make wellness a central part of everything we do and we strive to inspire people to do the same. We believe that making smart decisions today can lead to big rewards down the road. The simple habits we form today can have an exponential impact on our future. We provide the tools, guidance and insight to help people make the wealth-health connection and get on the path to a brighter tomorrow – adding more years to their lives, and more life to their years. For more information, visit www.transamerica.com..