Owen Atkinson
Columbia
,
South Carolina
Age: 14 - 15
Gender: Boys
Region: East
The Path to the National Finals
Qualifying Path
Should a player advance through local qualifying, the subregional and regional qualifying sites are pre-determined based upon the local qualifying site. The player is not guaranteed participation in the subregional qualifier unless he/she advances through local qualifying. The player is not guaranteed participation in the regional qualifier unless he/she advances through local and subregional qualifying.
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Regional QualifierEvent CompletedKingston Springs, TN 37082Sep 24, 2023
HOME GOLF COURSE AND LOCATION:
Forest Lake Club- Forest Acres, South Carolina
PLAY GOLF RIGHT OR LEFT HANDED:
Right
AGE STARTED PLAYING GOLF:
4/5
LOWEST SCORE SHOT (9 AND/OR 18 HOLES):
66 at Forest Lake Club. Summer 2023. Non-tournament round.
HANDICAP INDEX:
0.4
HOW DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN GOLF?
My grandad (Pop) started taking me to the golf course when I was about 4.
WHO INTRODUCED YOU TO GOLF?
My grandad (Pop).
WHO DO YOU NORMALLY PLAY GOLF WITH?
My teammates from school, my grandad, my dad and my brother.
WHO IS YOUR GOLF INSTRUCTOR?
Paul Woodbury- Florence Country Club.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT PLAYING GOLF?
I like that I can play all year. I love playing new courses at different tournaments. I love competing.
WHAT PART OF GOLF DO YOU LIKE TO PRACTICE THE MOST?
Irons. 120-200 yards.
WHAT’S THE MOST DIFFICULT THING ABOUT GOLF?
Putting under pressure!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CLUB?
8 iron.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GOLF COURSE IN THE WORLD?
Augusta National Golf Club. Cypress Point looks really awesome too.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT IN GOLF SO FAR?
Qualifying for the 2024 Drive, Chip and Putt followed by winning the Boys 13-14 Division of the Grant Bennent Invitaional at Florence Country Club. Shooting a 68 in the second round of the Forest Lake Club Championship in August, 2023 was cool and memorable. I came close to winning it which is pretty hard to do at our club.
HAVE YOU EVER PARTICIPATED IN A USGA OR PGA OF AMERICA EVENT? IF SO, WHICH ONE(S), WHEN, AND HOW DID YOU DO?
Yes. USGA Junior Amateur Qualifier at Daniel Island in 2023. Shot 79 so didn't do all that great. Had a lot of fun because my high school coach caddied for me.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER JUNIORS PARTICIPATING IN DCP WHO ARE TRYING TO REACH THE NATIONAL FINALS?
Always keep grinding and don't give up even at low points. Just have fun.
DO YOU PARTICIPATE IN PGA JUNIOR LEAGUE?
I did for several years at my home course- Forest Lake Club. It was a lot of fun.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT PARTICIPATING IN DRIVE, CHIP AND PUTT?
I get to compete on the best course in the world and will meet a lot of great people. We had a bunch of fun at the Regional in Tennessee. My dad and granddad went with me. We stayed in Nashville the night before and watched football. We had planned to drive back to Columbia after but decided to stay in Knoxville to celebrate. A very fun weekend.
MEMORABLE MOMENTS FROM YOUR LOCAL, SUBREGIONAL OR REGIONAL QUALIFIERS:
My most memorable moment was making the first two putts at the Regional Qualifier in Tennessee. I didn't do very good on the chipping so I needed to make those putts to have a chance. I hit my third putt pretty good but not super close. Waiting after it was my turn was not easy. Everyone was very nice to me after the round and I really enjoyed being interviewed.
HAVE YOU TRIED TO QUALIFIY FOR DRIVE, CHIP AND PUTT IN THE PAST? IF SO, PLEASE LIST EACH YEAR AND YOUR PREVIOUS RESULTS:
Yes. I did not compete last year becasue of tournament conflicts but competed for several years before that. I think I made it past the first round each time except maybe the first time I competed but never further than that.
DID YOU WATCH LAST YEAR’S DRIVE, CHIP AND PUTT NATIONAL FINALS ON TELEVISION? IF SO, WHAT IMPACT DID THAT HAVE ON YOUR PARTICIPATION THIS YEAR?
I watched every minute of it! I knew a few of the players competing so that was cool. It made me want to get to the finals even more since I wasn't able to try and qualify in 2022.
LIST FROM STRONGEST TO WEAKEST – DRIVING, CHIPPING, PUTTING:
Driving, Putting, Chipping
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO THE MASTERS BEFORE? IF SO, WHEN?
Yes. I have been very fortunate to go several times because my great grandfather (Leon Anthony "L.A." Marsha (Papa)) was a badge-holder. Papa actually took Camilo Villegas to his first ever Masters when Camilo was in high school. Papa was friends with a close friend of Camilo's family and invited Camilo because he was such a great golfer and had dreamed of getting to go. After going, Camilo told Papa that if he got to come back, he would be competing. I think that held true. I'm pumped Camilo gets to compete again. After Papa died in 2020, my great-grandmother (Nanna) got his badges and she let's me go. It gets better every year and will be especially awesome this year. I usually try to follow Jordan Spieth as much as possible but will also be watching Camilo for sure this year.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GOLF ACCESSORY (HAT, HEADCOVER, BALL MARKER, ETC.)?
I love cool golf shirts and I change out headcovers pretty often. I always try to use a new glove at the start of every tournament so gloves are a favorite too.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MASTERS MEMORY? U.S. OPEN OR U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN MEMORY? PGA CHAMPIONSHIP OR WOMEN’S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP MEMORY?
At the Masters, when I was younger, an awesome memory I had was getting to the course and watching the players putt behind the first tee box just before their tee times. It was also a really cool memory to get to see Tiger Woods compete in person at Augusta National after his injuries. Phil Mickelson winning the PGA Championship at Kiawah in 2021 was really cool too.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY WATCHING GOLF ON TV?
Watching Jordan Spieth shoot 61 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in 2021.
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE MALE GOLFER, AND WHY?
Jordan Spieth. He has always been my favorite golfer. He is nice to everybody and I love his swing and composure. I want to be like him one day if I can make it on tour. I have gotten to be the standard-bearer for his group at The Heritage and that was super cool. I got a really cool picture with him after he won The Heritage in 2022 that I keep in my room.
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FEMALE GOLFER, AND WHY?
Lexi Thompson. I think she's pretty and she works out a lot. I also like Rose Zhang.
WHO IS THE COOLEST PLAYER IN GOLF, AND WHY?
Besides Jordan Spieth, I'd go with Max Homa for sure. I love watching his back and forth with Joel Dahmen on Instagram.
HAVE YOUR EVER PLAYED WITH SOMEONE FAMOUS? IF SO, WHO? PLEASE DESCRIBE THE CIRCUMSTANCES:
I haven't actually played a round with anyone famous but I've been a standard-bearer for a lot of great golfers over the last several years at The Heritage and also for Joshua Dobbs at the 2023 Monday After The Masters Tournament in Myrtle Beach. At The Heritage in 2017, when I was about 9 or 10, Ollie Schniederjans saw me watching him practice and invited me chip with him on the practice green. My dad has some cool videos of me chipping with him and also of me watching Papa talk to Camilo at that same tournament after he finished the first hole.
IF YOU COULD CHOOSE TO PLAY GOLF WITH A DREAM FOURSOME, WHO WOULD THE OTHER THREE PEOPLE BE?
Jordan Spieth, Tiger Woods and Tom Brady
DO YOU HAVE ANY SUPERSTITIONS AS IT RELATES TO GOLF? IF SO, PLEASE DESCRIBE:
I always try to use a new golf glove before every tournament and use golf balls numbered 1 and 2.
DO YOU PLAY ANY GOLF VIDEO GAMES? IF SO, WHICH ONE(S)?
I don't play a ton of video games but I do like to play PGA TOUR 2K23.
WHAT FOOD WOULD YOU SERVE AT YOUR CHAMPIONS DINNER AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL?
I would serve huge ribeye steaks with my grandmother's creamed corn and mac and cheese. For dessert I would go with strawberry shortcake and also my aunt's famous Dirt Dessert.
FAVORITE SCHOOL SUBJECT:
AP Human Geography
FAVORITE SPORT (OTHER THAN GOLF):
I love football- high school, college and NFL.
FAVORITE MOVIE:
Uncle Buck
FAVORITE SINGER / MUSIC GROUP:
Zach Bryan
FAVORITE TV SHOW:
Outer Banks
FAVORITE APP:
Instagram
FAVORITE EMOJI:
Laughing face with tears
DESCRIBE ANY TALENTS OR INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF GOLF:
Talents- I can throw a football pretty far. Interests- church basketball, watching football, hunting and learning to drive.
DESCRIBE ANY OBSTACLES YOU’VE OVERCOME IN YOUR LIFE:
I'm very fortunate. I haven't had any major obstacles to overcome.
HERO / ROLE MODEL(S):
Jordan Spieth
WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?
Don't give up on your dreams and always keep grinding! Before tournaments my dad always tells me to "get dialed in and stay dialed in." He also tells me to just have fun.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Professional Golfer.
DESCRIBE YOURSELF:
I'm pretty tall for my age. I love playing and watching sports as much as possible. I love to compete. I love hanging out with my friends. I am the oldest of four children. I have two great parents who support me in all I do. I am very close to both sets of grandparents, my great-grandmother and all my aunts and uncles. All of my family lives within a few miles of me so we see each other a lot. We have a really big family. I can't wait to compete in April and am so thankful for the opportunity!