Eighty Finalists Earn Invitations to Compete at 13th Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Eighty junior golfers representing 28 U.S. states, Canada and India, have earned an invitation to compete at Augusta National Golf Club for the 13^th annual Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals – which will be played on Sunday, April 4, 2027, prior to the start of the 91^st Masters Tournament.

Conducted in partnership with the USGA, the Masters Tournament and the PGA of America, Drive, Chip and Putt is a free, nationwide youth golf development program open to boys and girls, ages 7-15, in four age divisions. The three-pronged competition tests the skills essential to playing the game: accuracy in driving, chipping and putting.

Results of the 10 regional qualifiers – the third and final stage leading to the 2027 National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club – yielded 16 returning competitors:

• Zoe Crosby (2026 National Finalist), of Simpsonville, S.C.
• Brielle Downer (2025 National Finalist), of Lockport, Ill.
• Lucas Dunaway (2025 National Finalist), of Troy, Va.
• Eloise Fetzer (2022 & 2025 National Finalist), of Daniel Island, S.C.
• Charlotte Halstead (2025 National Finalist), of Las Vegas, Nev.
• Perri Harris (2025 & 2026 National Finalist), of Bowling Green, Ky.
• Colton Johnson (2025 National Finalist), of Augusta, Ga.
• Hudson Knapp (2022 National Champion; 2024 National Finalist), of Marietta, Ga
• Desirae Larson (2026 National Finalist), of Kearney, Mo.
• Jackson Logan (2025 National Finalist), of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• Miles Lunning (2026 National Finalist), of Brandon, S.D.
• Leah Mack (2025 National Finalist), of Excelsior, Minn.
• Emory Munoz (2023 & 2024 National Finalist), of Lockport, Ill.,
• Alexandra Phung (2019 & 2021 National Finalist; 2023 & 2025 National Champion), of Forest Hills, N.Y.
• Sienna Si (2024 National Finalist), of Pleasanton, Calif.
• Lily Wachter (2023 National Finalist; 2024 National Champion), of St. Augustine, Fla.

Local qualifying for the 13^th season of Drive, Chip and Putt began in May and took place at hundreds of sites across the country this past summer. The top three scorers per venue, in each of the four age categories in separate boys and girls divisions, advanced to subregional qualifiers in July and August. The top two juniors in each age/gender division then competed at the regional level in September and October. Regional qualifying was held at 10 courses around the country, including multiple U.S. Open and PGA Championship venues. All local, subregional and regional qualifiers were conducted by the 41 Sections of the PGA of America, with PGA of America Golf Professionals providing support at each facility hosting a qualifier.

The top finishers from each regional site’s age/gender divisions – a total of 80 National Finalists – earned a place in the 2027 National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club, which will be broadcast live on Golf Channel.

Notes from Regional Qualifying:

• By draining a 30-foot putt on his final attempt at TPC Sawgrass, Jayan Chary of nearby Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., tallied 153 total points to win the Boys 10-11 division. He took first in both chipping and putting disciplines along the way. Over in the Girls 14-15 division, 2024 Girls 10-11 National Champion Lily Wachter of St. Augustine, Fla., topped the leader board with 139 total points to advance to Augusta National for the third time. “I'm just excited and happy to experience it again,” she said. “The golf course is just amazing, and so is the food and the people... It’s just so cool, because after all, it is Augusta National. How cool is that!”

• With a dominant 60-point edge over the runner-up in the Girls 10-11 division at Whistling Straits, Brielle Downer of Lockport, Ill., is headed back to Augusta National. She said her second-place finish in the 2025 National Finals “motivated me a lot,” and she’s learned to “do my routine, focus on it, step to the ball and hit it.” Fellow Lockport resident Emory Munoz sailed his drives more than 220 yards to win the Boys 12-13 division and qualify for his third appearance in the National Finals. In the Girls 14-15, Alexi Omillian of Kansas City, Mo., rolled two of her putts within three inches and sunk one putt to take first place overall. “I’ve played DCP since I started in golf, and I’d never made it to a regional,” she said. “This was my fifth try. I’m just so excited.”

• Opening his day at Castle Pines Golf Club by driving the ball more than 270 yards, followed by a chip-in, Brody Horner of Bismarck, N.D., claimed the Boys 14-15 title with 171 total points to become a first-time National Finalist. In other age groups, three past National Finalists earned return tickets to Augusta National: Leah Mack of Excelsior, Minn., in the Girls 10-11; Miles Lunning of Brandon, S.D., in the Boys 10-11; and Desirae Larson of Kearney, Mo., in the Girls 12-13. Looking ahead to her second consecutive appearance, Larson said Augusta National “was the coolest thing I've ever experienced. I can't wait to go back.” 

• By sinking a 30-foot uphill putt on her final attempt, Eloise Fetzer of Daniel Island, S.C., won the Girls 12-13 division by a single point at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club to secure her third career trip to Augusta National for the National Finals. “When I take deep breaths and get in the right mindset, I can do anything,” she said of her winning performance on the green. At Pinehurst, two other veteran National Finalists also punched their tickets back to Augusta National: Zoe Crosby of Simpsonville, S.C., won the Girls 10-11 division for her second consecutive berth, and Hudson Knapp of Marietta, Ga., the 2022 Boys 7-9 National Champion, captured the Boys 12-13 group to earn his third trip to Augusta National. Reflecting on her return to the National Finals, Crosby shared, "I'm feeling awesome to be going back.”

• The Park family had a weekend to remember at Southern Hills Country Club. William Park of The Colony, Texas, won first overall in the Boys 14-15 division (176 total points), while his sister Shirley Park won the Girls 12-13 division with 165 total points – a 33-point margin of victory. In the Boys 7-9 group, Carson Ayuso of Cypress, Texas, scored 131 points to punch his ticket to Augusta National and follow in the footsteps of his brother, Blake, a 2025 National Finalist. “It's going to be even better,” he said of competing at Augusta National himself this time around. “They treat you like you're the king of the world.” 

• Emerging victorious in a dramatic triple playoff at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Christian Harlow of Vancouver, Wash., won the Boys 14-15 division with 163 total points. After trying for several years, he qualified for the National Finals in his last year of eligibility. “I like how [Drive, Chip and Putt] grows your game,” he said. “It shows you the most important parts, and you just get better at them.” In the Girls 14-15 age group, Olivia Lee of Suisun, Calif., carded 70 points in the putting discipline — the highest putting score across all age divisions at the Pebble Beach qualifier – to earn her first trip to Augusta National. After winning overall by a 17-point margin, she said, “This is a dream come true.”

• At Crooked Stick Golf Club, Perri Harris of Bowling Green, Ky., tallied 118 total points in the Girls 10-11 age group to securea trip to Augusta National for the third consecutive year. Sharing her advice for competing in the National Finals, the granddaughter of 14-time PGA Tour winner and 2009 Masters runner-up Kenny Perry said, “Just have fun, soak in all the moments.” In the Girls 14-15, Niya Chebli of New Albany, Ohio, topped the overall leader board with 159 total points – punching her ticket in her seventh attempt at making the National Finals. When asked what she’s most excited to see in Augusta, she said, “Everything.” 

• Jeremiah Baddeley of Scottsdale, Ariz., secured the top spot in the Boys 14-15 age group at Los Angeles Country Club, after sinking two of his putts to card 138 total points. With his win, he’ll be following in the footsteps of his dad, seven-time Masters competitor and four-time PGA Tour winnerAaron Baddeley – whom Jeremiah says is his favorite golfer. In the Boys 10-11 division, Boone Burkett of Austin, Texas, also qualified to become a National Finalist for the first time. He placed in the top five of each discipline, but he prevailed overall in a playoff by sinking a 15-foot tiebreaking putt. 

• With 156 total points in the Girls 14-15 age group at Laurel Valley Golf Club, Alexandra Phung of Forest Hills, N.Y., secured her record-setting fifth trip to the National Finals. Reflecting on her fifth time advancing, and her final year of eligibility, she said, “To be able to hopefully bring some of my fans and my family back to Augusta National is going to mean the world to me.” In the Boys 14-15 division, Jonathan Thomas of Landenberg, Pa., topped the leader board with 145 total points to become a first-time National Finalist. After years of attempts to qualify to compete at Augusta National, he said, “I'm feeling great. It's been a dream of mine for a long time, and I am just excited that I get to go… It was just joy and happiness that I get to do this and it’s such a great opportunity.”

• At Quaker Ridge Golf Club, Lily DelPreore of Ramsey, N.J., holed all three of her putts to capture the Girls 7-9 age group by a dominant 38 points, the largest margin of victory in any of the eight divisions. “When it’s time to compete, she turns it on – complete focus and discipline and the game face goes on,” her father, Matt, said. Over in the Girls 14-15 division, Chloe Zhang of Short Hills, N.J., ended the day by placing first in putting and carding 127 total points. Reflecting on qualifying for Augusta National after four attempts over the years, she said, “I actually can’t believe it.”
  

All scoring at the local, subregional and regional qualifiers is based on a 25-point-per-shot basis, with each participant taking three shots per skill. Each participant accumulated points per shot in all three skills (maximum of 75 points per skill = 25 points per shot x 3). The overall winner in each age category was determined by the participant with the most points accumulated across all three skills (maximum of 225 points = 75 points per skill x 3).
For each skill, the point system is based in incremental distance measurements, rewarding accuracy and distance in the drive skill, and proximity for chipping and putting skills.

At the 13^th annual National Finals, one champion will be named from each age/gender division. Each National Finalist will be scored based on a 30-point system, offering the player with the best drive 10 points, the player with the closest cumulative chips 10 points and the player with the nearest cumulative putts 10 points, in each separate skill. The highest total composite score will determine the winner.

A pace of play bonus will also be in effect during the National Finals after it was first implemented last April. Under this policy, National Finalists will earn up to three additional points if they complete each shot during the competition in 40 seconds or less. This initiative aims to reinforce pace of play as an essential skill in golf and further details are available within the National Finals scoring section on the rules and regulations page of the website here.

Qualifying sites:

• Sept. 12 - Whistling Straits - Sheboygan, Wi.
• Sept. 12 - TPC Sawgrass - Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl.
• Sept. 13 - Pinehurst Resort and CC - Pinehurst, Nc.
• Sept. 13 - Castle Pines Golf Club - Castle Rock, Co.
• Sept. 19 - Southern Hill Country Club - Tulsa, Ok.
• Sept. 20 - Pebble Beach Golf Links - Pebble Beach, Calif.
• Sept. 20 - Crooked Stick Golf Club - Carmel, In.
• Sept. 27 - Los Angeles Country Club - Los Angeles, Calif.
• Oct. 3 - Laurel Valley Golf Club - Ligonier, Pa.
• Oct. 11 - Quaker Ridge Golf Club - Scarsdale, Ny.

Qualifying results:
 
Girls 7-9

Girls 10-11

Girls 12-13

Girls 14-15

Boys 7-9

Boys 10-11

Boys 12-13

Boys 14-15