Kids find magic at Augusta National in Drive, Chip, Putt contest
AUGUSTA, Ga. – The sun was still an hour away from making its first appearance Sunday when the 80 players in the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals arrived at Magnolia Lane at Augusta National Golf Club.
The kids couldn’t see anything in the dark, the temperature had yet to touch 50 and the winds were howling.
“But it was awesome,” Alyssa Montgomery said.
It would get better in a hurry, too.
A bright sun emerged and kissed the hallowed grounds where the Masters begins Thursday. The 80 kids – split into eight age groups – took to the grounds with glee, first driving on the pristine range, then chipping at the practice area and then finally putting on the 18th hole where Jordan Spieth finished off his historic win in 2015.
“I’m so happy. It’s a once in a lifetime thing,” Montgomery said after winning the Girls 14-15 Division in the national contest aimed to grow the game.
It was a common thought among the kids. From finally getting to see Magnolia Lane to touching the closely mown grass to eyeing the bunkers full of white sand, they enjoyed every step of the way.
And they enjoyed the handshakes with the likes of former Masters champions Nick Faldo, Adam Scott, Bubba Watson, Gary Player and Mark O’Meara.
Ty Briggs first set eyes on the Masters when he was 8 and was immediately captivated. Five years later, what he saw on TV turned to reality.
“Well, I thought that I would never be there,” he said of watching the Masters on TV. “Because it's really one of those magical places that you've always seen on TV but you never end up at, and here I am.”
He made the most of his time, including capturing the Boys 12-13 Division. And then he shook hands with Bubba Watson, his favorite golfer.
Alexa Pano made her last putt to win the Girls 10-11 Division. But that might not have been her favorite moment.
For many of the 80 players, their Masters experience actually started on Saturday at a nearby golf course. There pop stars Justin Timberlake and Niall Horan along with Justin Rose surprised the kids with a visit. Selfies were taken, autographs signed.
“The last two days have been full of fun,” Pano said.
Her most memorable moment? “For me, it was all the people that I've met,” she said. “And getting my drives in bounds today.”
Faldo had a good time, too.
“The coolest thing is the qualifying to get here. That takes a lot of effort to come here and compete. And then they get to come on these grounds,” Faldo said. “That’s amazingly special. It’s a great motivator.
“There is a discipline there, to get their teeth into something and their reward is to come to Augusta National. What they have done here with Drive, Pitch and Putt is amazing. The whole week is special. This place is amazing. It never gets old. The Drive, Pitch and Putt adds to it.”
The winners:
Girls 7 to 9 Division: Emerson Blair of West Point, Miss.
Boys 7 to 9 Division: Stephen Robert Hernandez of Houston
Girls 10 to 11 Division: Alexa Pano from Lake Worth, Fla.
Boys 10 to 11 Division: Christian Kim from Vernon Hills, Ill.
Girls 12 to 13 Division: Kayla Sam from Anaheim Hills, Calif.
Boys 12 to 13 Division: Ty Briggs from Manteca, Calif.
Girls 14 to 15 Division: Alyssa Montgomery from Knoxville, Tenn.
Boys 14 to 15 Division: Michael Thorbjornsen from Wellesley, Mass.
PHOTOS: SCENE FROM AUGUST NATIONAL