Eight golfers — four boys and four girls — were crowned as national finalists and advanced to the sixth Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals after recently competing in a regional qualifying event at TPC Sawgrass.
Held Sept. 29, the regional competition was one of 10 qualifiers across the United States conducted to determine the field of 80 young golfers who advance to the national finals, which takes place Sunday, April 7, 2019, prior to the start of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Conducted in partnership between the Masters Tournament, the PGA of America and the USGA, Drive, Chip and Putt is a free, nationwide youth golf development program open to boys and girls, ages 7-15, in four age categories. The three-pronged competition tests the skills essential to playing the game — accuracy in driving, chipping and putting.
The four female national finalists from the TPC Sawgrass regional qualifier were:
· Briel Royce, Lake Nona, Florida (ages 7-9)
· Ariana Silva, Sunrise, Florida (ages 10-11)
· Kate Barber, Savannah, Georgia (ages 12-13)
· Talia Rodino, Fort Myers, Florida (ages 14-15)
The four male national finalists from the TPC Sawgrass regional qualifier are:
· Ryan Nana Tanke, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (ages 7-9)
· Bryson Hughes, St. Johns, Florida (ages 10-11)
· Garret Ebbert, Longwood, Florida (ages 12-13)
· Andrew McLauchlan, Neptune Beach, Florida (ages 14-15)
Visit https://www.drivechipandputt.com/results for the final results.
Tens of thousands seized the opportunity to participate in Drive, Chip and Putt this year, which began with local qualifying at hundreds of courses throughout the country. These qualifiers are open each year to young golfers of all skill and experience levels. The top finishers from each local qualifier advanced through subregionals in the summer and, then, regional competitions in September.
