ELMSFORD, N.Y. (August 24, 2009) – The First Tee of Metropolitan New York defeated the First Tee of Massachusetts by a score of 1,282 to 1,155.5 on August 24 to win the Barclays Tri-Match at Plainfield Country Club in Edison, N.J. The First Tee of Ireland finished third with a score of 871.5.

The Barclays Tri-Match was launched in 2007 by Barclays, 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., the site of The Barclays this year. Plainfield Country Club will host The Barclays in 2011.

The Barclays Cup teams consisted of eight boys and four girls between the ages of 12 and 17 from 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 City), Eisenhower Park Golf Course (East Meadow, N.Y.), Weequahic Park Golf Course (Essex County, N.J.) and Fairchild Wheeler Golf Course (Bridgeport, Conn.).

Teams played 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 were 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. 

“We are extremely happy to win three years in a row, but the competition is heating up and our competitors were on our heels,” said Barry McLaughlin, executive director of The First Tee of Metropolitan New York. “Because of Barclays, opportunities like today are available for more and more kids and this is the type of experience is something kids can treasure forever. I’m really proud of all 36 kids and how they played.”

“Barclays is proud to support The First Tee through the Barclays Tri-Match,” said Robert E. Diamond Jr., President, Barclays PLC.  “We share with The First Tee the belief that golf provides young people with lessons to build character, and values to benefit their entire lives.”

Top-10 Finishers (golf skills and life skills):

1. Tyler McCain, NY, 62 points; 2. Victoria House, NY, 60 points; 3. Kuriko Tsukiyama, NY, 57 points; 4. Paul Spano, NY, 55 points; 5. Max Cantin, MA, 54 points; 6. Matthew Lyons, NY, 52 points; T6. John Beadla, MA, 51 points T6 Ryan Consentino, MA, 51 points; T6 Liz LaVerghetta, MA, 51 points; T10 James Kavanagh, Ireland, 50 points and T10 Jeremy Gross, NY, 50 points.