ELMSFORD, N.Y. (August 18, 2009) — The top young golfers from The First Tee chapters of Metropolitan New York, Massachusetts and Ireland will compete in The Barclays Tri-Match at Plainfield Country Club in Edison, N.J., from August 21-24. The Barclays Tri-Match was launched in 2007 by Barclays PLC, the PGA Tour and The First Tee of Metropolitan New York in order to give participants in The First Tee program the opportunity to compete and meet their peers from other chapters. The inaugural Barclays Tri-Match was held in 2007 at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, N.J., site of The Barclays this year. Plainfield Country Club in Plainfield, N.J., will host The Barclays in 2011.

The Barclays Cup teams will consist of eight boys and four girls between 12 and 17 years of age from The First Tee facilities within the region. Representatives of The First Tee of Metropolitan New York were selected after a month-long series of competitions among five facilities in the New York City area:Mosholu Golf Course & Driving Range (Bronx, N.Y.), the Golf Club at Chelsea Piers (New York, N.Y.), Eisenhower Park Golf Course (East Meadow, N.Y.), Weequahic Park Golf Course (Essex County, N.J.) and Fairchild Wheeler Golf Course (Bridgeport, Conn.).

Teams will play three nine-hole rounds with a different format each round including individual stroke play, two-man best ball and two-man alternate shot. During the course of each round, players will also be asked “life skill aptitude questions” in order to earn additional points towards their team’s score.

The First Tee uses the game of golf to promote character-development and life-enhancing values to inner-city children at learning facilities located throughout the United States and in five other countries. 

“With five locations in the New York Metropolitan area, our youth development program is offering several thousand youngsters an enriching golf and Life Skills experience,” said Barry McLaughlin, executive director of The First Tee of Metropolitan New York. “The vision of The First Tee has come full circle here in the Metropolitan area. Many of our youngsters are now graduating on to college and other opportunities with the help of our Chapter. These are very exciting times.”

“Barclays shares The First Tee’s belief that sports are a great vehicle for teaching children character and life lessons,” said Robert E. Diamond Jr., president, Barclays PLC.  “We’re proud to support The First Tee’s efforts through the Barclays Tri-Match and provide opportunities for these children to succeed.”

About The First Tee of Metropolitan New York

The First Tee of Metropolitan New York was created in 2001 as a joint venture between the MGA Foundation and the Metropolitan Section of the PGA to create affordable and accessible golf facilities and bring First Tee programming to young people of all backgrounds throughout the New York metropolitan area. TFTMNY serves as the local chapter in the New York metropolitan area. Facilities include The First Tee of Essex County (Newark, N.J.), The First Tee of Nassau County (Eisenhower Park), The Golf Club at Chelsea Piers, The First Tee at Fairchild-Wheeler (Bridgeport, Conn.), and the main chapter location at Mosholu Golf Course in the Bronx. With these five sites, the MGA Foundation and the Met PGA have now expanded their partnership network to include the New Jersey PGA and the New Jersey State Golf Association and The First Tee of Connecticut in Fairfield County.

The First Tee of Metropolitan New York

Matthew Beltran, 16 – Bronx, N.Y.

Steve Fetko, 17 – Fairfield, Conn.

Faith Garcia, 12 – Stamford, Conn.

Jeremy Gross, 17 – Merrick, N.Y.

Victoria House, 16 – Brooklyn, N.Y.

Matthew Lyons, 16 – New York, N.Y.

Skye McCaine, 15 – Mt. Vernon, N.Y.

Tyler McCaine, 16 – Mt. Vernon, N.Y.

Paul Spano, 16 – Bronx, N.Y.

Paul Toohey, 16 – Yonkers, N.Y.

Kuriko Tsukiyama, 13, Bogota, N.J.

Kofi Woananu, 14 – Orange, N.J.

The First Tee of Massachusetts

John Beadle, 13 - North Atterborough, Mass.

Cora Bernier, 14 - Taunton, Mass.

Trevor Bernier, 16 - Taunton, Mass.

Brendan Callanan, 16 – Mansfield, Mass.

Max Cantin, 15 - Norton, Mass.

Brett Chatfield, 13 - Attleboro, Mass.

Ryan Consentino, 15 - Norton, Mass.

Nick Cotto, 12 - Springfield, Mass.

Connor Johnson, 15 - Taunton, Mass.

Ally Kallaugher

Elizabeth LaVerghetta, 15 - Norton, Mass.

Molly Marcotte, 14 – Barnstable, Mass.

The First Tee of Ireland

Ashleigh Leslie, 13 – Limerick, Ireland

Bryan Gibney, 14 - Navan, Ireland

James Kavanagh, 15 – Waterford, Ireland

Elizabeth Kinsella-Kent, 13 - Faithlegg, Co. Waterford, Ireland

Ciaran McDonald, 15 – Greystones Co. Wicklow, Ireland

Evanagh Murcutt, 12 - Blanchardstown County, Dublin, Ireland

Ghislaine Murphy, 14 - Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow, Ireland

Andrew O’Flynn, 18 - Limerick City, Ireland

Donal O’Keefe, 14 - Celbridge, Co. Kildare, Ireland

Ryan O’Mahony, 13 - Mahon, Cork, Ireland

James O’Meara, 16 - Poynstown, Glengoole Thurles Co. Tippenary, Ireland

Pauric Toal, 15 - Fintona, County, Tyrone, Ireland