NORTON, Mass. – There is little doubt that Maya Palanza Gaudin’s athletic prowess is responsible for her scheduled trip to Augusta National Golf Club in April 2023 for the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals.
But it is only fair to give equal credit to Stephen and Cassandra Gaudin and the marvel of their benevolence. “To me, it’s a normal way to have a family,” said Cassandra, explaining how she and her husband found it in their hearts to adopt Maya right after she was born in Ethiopia 12 years ago.
“I am blessed they chose me,” Maya said, but Cassandra shook her head.
“We are blessed they chose us,” said Cassandra, sweeping her eyes to include 8-year-old Willa, a young girl from Abu Dhabi whom they adopted into their family a few years ago.
As Cassandra spoke, a medal hung from Maya’s neck, a tribute to her impressive win in the Girls 12-13 division at Saturday’s Drive, Chip and Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston. But Willa, the proud sister, was glued to Maya’s hip, a testament to the humanity that envelopes this unique family.
When I first saw this tournament on TV and when I first competed in the Drive, Chip and Putt, that is what brought golf to life for me.
Maya Palanza
The eclectic nature of this story does not end there, because as Maya Palanza Gaudin stood as proof that the Drive, Chip and Putt has a global appeal – “I have been trying since I was 6 to get to Augusta,” she gushed – the victory party around her swelled to include two grandmothers plus a dozen uncles, aunts, cousins and other family friends.
It's a safe bet that all of them endorse words spoken by Stephen Gaudin: “We believe you end up with children God wants you to have.”
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Maya Palanza Gaudin from the girls 12-13 division putts during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place medal for individual skill at the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Aphrodite Den from the girls 12-13 division hits a drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Isabelle Hong of the girls 7-9 division hits her drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Lydia Gagnon of the girls 7-9 division hits her drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Sydney Carroll of the girls 7-9 division reacts during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: The TPC Boston Clubhouse during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: A Drive, Chip & Putt flag during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: John Cavanaugh of the boys 7-9 division hits her chip during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Hazel Hegstrom of the girls 7-9 division hits her drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Participants arrive with their family's before the start if the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place medal for the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place winner of the boys 14-15 division Jacob Olearczyk after the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First, second and Third place winners of the boys 10-11 division Adam Sliverman (C), Kiger Kenneth (L) and Li Linyu (R) after Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: A New England PGA Section official draws the circles on the green before the start of the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Aarav Lavu from the boys 12-13 division hits his drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Sydney Carroll of the girls 7-9 division hits tees up her ball during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: A New England PGA Section official talks to the participants in the scoring area during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: A New England PGA Section official draws the circles on the green before the start of the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Isabella Herceg from the girls 12-13 division reacts during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: <> at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: The chipping station before the start of the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: William Rutter from the boys 10-11 division fist-bumps Michael Higgins the Executive Director of the New England PGA section during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: A New England PGA Section official draws the circles on the green before the start of the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: The chipping station during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place medal for the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place medal for the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Drive, Chip & Putt signage during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Alexis Card from the girls 12-13 division hits a drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: A participant warms up in the parking lot before the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Rory Khanna of the girls 7-9 division hits her chip during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Cooper Guerriere and Brody DiBeneditto of the boys 14-15 division fist-bump during the during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place winner of the girls 14-15 division Ava Taylor Estrella after the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: A New England PGA Section official talks to the participants in the scoring area during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place winner of the boys 14-15 division Jacob Olearczyk after the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: of the boys 7-9 division hits her chip during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place winner of the girls 10-11 division Alexandra Phung after Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Isabelle Hong of the girls 7-9 division hits her chip during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Leon Bui chips as his father looks on during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First, second and third place winners of the girls 12-13 division Maya Palanza Gaudin (C), Alexis Card (L) and Elena Zreik (R) after the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place winner of the boys 10-11 division Adam Sliverman after Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: The chipping station before the start of the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place winner of the boys 7-9 division Reid Meyers after Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Drive, Chip & Putt place-marker during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: A participant putts during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
COLUMBUS, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 10: Elijah Lemmon first place finisher in the boys 14-15 division during the 2022 Drive, Chip and Putt Regional Qualifier at Scioto Country Club on September 10, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Rick Osentoski/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Rick Osentoski/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place winner of the girls 12-13 division Maya Palanza Gaudin after the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Aiden So from the boys 14-15 division hits a drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: A Drive, Chip & Putt flags during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place medal for the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place winner of the girls 12-13 division Maya Palanza Gaudin after the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Signage during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Lucas Flynn of the boys 10-11 division hits a drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Stella Yang of the girls 7-9 division hits her drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: <> at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place medal for individual skill at the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First and second place winners of the girls 14-15 division Ava Taylor Estrella (R) and Lauren Connor after the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Kiger Kenneth of the boys 10-11 division hits a drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Reese Hunsinger of the girls 7-9 division hits her drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Hazel Hegstrom of the girls 7-9 division hits her chip during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First, second and third place winners of the boys 14-15 division Jacob Olearczyk (C), Bryan Zhao (L) and Ryan MacGregor (R) after the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place winner of the boys 7-9 division Reid Meyers after Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: The chipping station during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Brody DiBeneditto of the boys 14-15 division hits a drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Drive, Chip & Putt tent during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place winner of the girls 14-15 division Ava Taylor Estrella after the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Isabelle Hong of the girls 7-9 division hits her chip during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place, second and third place winners of the boys 7-9 division Reid Meyers (C), Logan Jackson (L) and Brayden Ledoux (R) after Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Sydney Carroll of the girls 7-9 division hits her chip during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Bryan Zhao of the boys 14-15 division fist bumps a New England PGA section official during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place medal for the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: A participant practices putting before the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Kiger Kenneth of the boys 10-11 division hits a drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place winner of the girls 10-11 division Alexandra Phung after Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Aiden So from the boys 14-15 division hits a drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: A New England PGA section official writes the score on the board during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Reese Hunsinger of the girls 7-9 division hits her chip during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Stella Yang of the girls 7-9 division and father applaud during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Participants arrive with their family's before the start if the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: The TPC Boston Clubhouse during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place winner of the boys 12-13 division Aarav Lavu after the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Reese Hunsinger of the girls 7-9 division hits her drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place winner of the boys 10-11 division Adam Sliverman after Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Drive, Chip & Putt tent during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First, second and third place winners of the girls 10-11 division Alexandra Phung (C), Aditi Lakhawala (L) and Skylar Kotzen (R) after Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: C.J Antifonario from the boys 14-15 division hits a drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Participants arrive with their family's before the start if the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Addison Regan of the girls 7-9 division hits her drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Participants warm-up on the putting green before competing in the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: The chipping station before the start of the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: A New England PGA Section official talks to the participants before the start of the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Isabella Herceg from the girls 12-13 division reacts during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: A participant practices putting before the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Alexis Card from the girls 12-13 division hits a drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Hadley Hill of the girls 7-9 division hits her drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Maya Palanza Gaudin from the girls 12-13 division putts during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Isabelle Hong of the girls 7-9 division hits her chip during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Sirina Ganne from the girls 14-15 division and father walk from the range during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Maya Palanza Gaudin from the girls 12-13 division putts during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First, second and third place winners of the girls 7-9 division Hazel Hegstrom (C), Addison Regan (L) and Stella Yang (R) after the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place winner of the boys 12-13 division Aarav Lavu after the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Maya Palanza Gaudin from the girls 12-13 division hits a drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: The putting station during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Aarav Lavu from the boys 12-13 division fist-bumps Michael Higgins the Executive Director of the New England PGA section during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: The girls 12-13 division warm up on the range during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Sadie Lee and Teresa Esposito from the girls 12-13 division talk during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Trisha Lobo of the girls 7-9 division hits her drive during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First, second and third place winners of the boys 12-13 division Aarav Lavu (C), Thomas Goodelle (L) and Alexander Plutzer (R) after the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - TPC Boston
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: Brendan Daughan of the boys 7-9 division hits her chip during the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
Massachusetts natives who met by happenstance at a charity golf tournament on Cape Cod about 20 years ago, Stephen and Cassandra, now based in Intervale, N.H., cherish the joy that Maya and Willa have brought to their lives. Employed for years at the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi (Stephen has just recently retired from the FBI, however) the Gaudins save their vacation time so that they can spend summers on Cape Cod with their extended families.
Such a schedule also fits with Maya’s global embrace of competitive golf. In June she won the Girls 12 division of the U.S. Kids Golf European Championship in Scotland (she shot rounds of 72-74-74 at the Glen Golf Club). Weeks later, Maya added the women’s club championship at Sacconnesset GC on Cape Cod to her growing resume. She is also the women’s club champion at Yas Links Abu Dhabi.
“But it’s the Drive, Chip and Putt that started it all,” Maya said. “When I first saw this tournament on TV and when I first competed in the Drive, Chip and Putt, that is what brought golf to life for me.”
That the elusive trip to Augusta National was secured in a consistent, well-rounded fashion (Maya finished in the top 5 in each skill, but 42 points in driving, 23 in chipping and 50 in putting gave her a winning 115-point total) was the emphatic bottom line.
“But the highlight of the day was having all my family with me,” she beamed.
If the eclectic nature of Maya’s world could be appreciated by anyone in attendance, it probably would be Alexandra Phung, winner of the Girls 10-11 division.
NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 17: First place winner of the girls 10-11 division Alexandra Phung after Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at TPC Boston on September 17, 2022 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Omar Rawlings/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship
Utterly dominant in her performance, Phung won each skill (scoring 42 points for driving, 30 for chipping and 55 for putting) and authored what is quickly becoming an old story. It is, after all, the third time Phung, of Forest Hills, N.Y., has reached Augusta National for the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals.
Even Phung’s father, Tam, conceded that the Drive, Chip and Putt has shined a light on this intriguing family. He immigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam when he was 5 and met his wife, Jenny, who is from Taiwan, when they were students at the University of Michigan.
Alexandra is the youngest of their three children. She and her sister, Amelie, were both in the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National in 2021.
But this trip, said Alexandra, is dedicated to her biggest fan, 81-year-old Harvey Silverman.
“She met him at Gillette Ridge in (Bloomfield) Connecticut,” said Tam. “He’s a military veteran who watched Alexandra and Amelie hit balls and he’s always supported the girls.”
Alexandra said that just thinking of her loyal fan settled her down. “I was very nervous at first, but then I thought of Mr. Silverman and when I hit a very good drive (204 yards) on my first ball, I calmed down.”
Now, she will have the opportunity to share the experience because Alexandra said she will ask Silverman to caddie for her at the National Finals in April.
Full event results available here.
About the Finalists
“Short” was the word of the day for Hazel Hegstrom. Not only did she have one of the tidiest commutes – a mere 18-mile drive from her home in Providence, R.I. – but by winning the chipping skill and sharing first in putting, she secured 72 of the 91 total points that enabled her to take the Girls 7-9 division.
And just how was she going to celebrate? “I have a play date with my three best friends,” said Hegstrom.
* * *
After Reid Meyers of Berlin, Conn., won the Boys 7-9 division, he confirmed his mother’s observation that her husband had cried. “He’s a crybaby,” laughed Reid, who won the driving skill, finished third in chipping and second in putting.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen him cry,” said Sarah Meyers. “Not even at our wedding or the birth of his children.”
True, said Chris Meyers. “But a trip to Augusta gets me that emotional.”
* * *
Alexandra Phung would have time to savor her victory in the Girls 10-11 division, but not as much as she might like. That’s because she has another golf test on the horizon that would ignite her passion: a high school match on Tuesday, Sept. 20.
A sixth grader who plays for A.D. Henderson High School on the Florida Atlantic University campus in Boca Raton, Fla., Alexandra embraces the opportunity to play on the same team as her older sister, Amelie, a sophomore.
Yes, it’s unique to have a sixth grader playing varsity, but Alexandra is no ordinary talent. Besides, Amelie “wants me to help her with her game.”
* * *
The Boys 10-11 division ended in a three-way tie, but Adam Silverman of Ashland, Mass., won the first tiebreaker – decided by most points earned in the putting skill, which Silverman had won with 50 – and will advance to the National Finals.
* * *
It was a “home game,” of sorts, for Maya Palanza Gaudin, with TPC Boston being in Massachusetts, her parents’ native state.
For that reason, Gaudin – winner of the Girls 12-13 division – was not shy in answering “Francis Ouimet,” to the question: “Who are your favorite golfers?” She said her parents had introduced her to “The Greatest Game Ever Played” and she was enamored with the story and the impact Ouimet, from Brookline, Mass., had on golf.
There is even more New England flavor coming her way, too, because Gaudin has enrolled in the New Hampshire-based U.S. Performance Academy. It’s a private, fully accredited school for elite athletes in sports ranging from golf to tennis to ski racing to snowboarding.
Gaudin, a seventh grader, will be able to travel for competitions and live in Abu Dhabi, because USPA is an online education.
* * *
So, who lit a fire within Aarav Lavu of Wellesley, Mass., for this Drive, Chip and Putt business?
“It was watching Sritha Vemuri compete on TV in the very first one (at Augusta National in 2014),” said Lavu, who was friendly with Vemuri, then from Wayland, Mass., and now a freshman at Georgia State University. She is a member of the women’s golf team there.
Clearly, Vemuri made an impact because in what was Lavu’s sixth try at the Drive, Chip and Putt and his fourth trip to the regional qualifier, he broke through to win the Boys 12-13 division. He did so in a fashion that tested his mettle, too, because after winning the driving skill, he scored just three points in chipping and had to rally with 60 points in putting to total 126 points and win by just three.
* * *
Ava Taylor Estrella is soft-spoken, but she flashed a wide smile when asked how many times people express curiosity about her mother’s name.
“All the time,” Estrella said about her mother, Steffi Graf. (No, not that one.)
Well, let the questions now turn toward young Estrella’s game after the young lady from Brookville, N.Y., won the driving and putting competitions to prevail in the Girls 14-15 division.
* * *
Longest day for a winner? That title had to belong to Jacob Olearczyk, who left his home in Barneveld, N.Y., about an hour east of Syracuse, N.Y., before 8 a.m., started his competition at 2:50 p.m., and wrapped his hands around the winning medal about 4:10 p.m.
What would he think about on the six-hour ride home?
“How nice and well-manicured Augusta (National) is,” said the Boys 14-15 winner.
