80 Regional Winners Earn Invitations to 2020 National Finals

Eighty junior golfers representing 30 U.S. states, two Canadian provinces and France have earned their spot to compete in the seventh annual Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals, to be played on Sunday, April 5, 2020, at Augusta National Golf Club, prior to the start of the Masters Tournament.

Conducted in partnership among 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 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 conducted at the nation’s most storied championship sites – yielded 17 returning competitors, including impressive four-time National Finalist Kasey Maralack. Returning finalists are:

- Brady Barnum (2018 National Finalist), of Dublin, Ohio
- Luke Coyle (2017 National Finalist), of Campbellsville, Ky.
- Lance Hollingshead (2018 National Finalist), of Basking Ridge, N.J.
- Maye Huang (2017 National Champion and 2019 National Finalist), of Katy, Texas
- Chase Hughes (2019 National Finalist), of Oklahoma City, Okla.
- Cole Kim (2018 National Finalist), of La Crescenta, Calif.
- Kasey Maralack (2014, 2018 and 2019 National Finalist), of Snoqualmie, Wash.
- Ali Mulhall (2018 National Finalist), of Green River, Wyo.
- Alexandra Phung (2019 National Finalist), of Forest Hills, N.Y.
- Andrew Ramos (2018 National Finalist), of Blaine, Minn.
- Mateo Rascon (2017 National Finalist), of Mediapolis, Iowa
- Miles Russell (2018 National Finalist), of Jacksonville Beach, Fla.
- Howard Shu (2017 National Finalist), of Saratoga, Calif.
- Ryan Nana Tanke (2019 National Finalist), of Paris, France
- Sam Udovich (2016 and 2018 National Finalist), of Inver Grove Heights, Minn.
- Yana Wilson (2019 National Champion), of Henderson, Nev.
- Lucy Yuan (2017 National Finalist), of San Diego, Calif.
- Avery Zweig (2016 and 2018 National Finalist), of McKinney, Texas

Local qualifying for the seventh season began in May and was held at more than 300 sites throughout all 50 states this summer. The top-three scorers per venue, in each of the four age categories in separate boys’ and girls’ divisions, advanced to more than 60 subregional qualifiers in July and August. The top two juniors in each age and gender division then competed at the regional level in September and October. Regional qualifying was held at 10 courses around the country, including several U.S. Open and PGA Championship venues.

The top finisher from each regional site’s age/gender divisions – a total of 80 finalists – earned a place in the National Finals which will be broadcast live on Golf Channel. All local, subregional and regional qualifiers were conducted by the 41 Sections of the PGA of America, with PGA Professionals providing support at each facility hosting a qualifier.

Notes from Regional Qualifying:

At storied Oakmont Country Club (host of nine U.S. Open Championships), Jillian Burks claimed the Girls 10-11 division by 32 points over the nearest competitor. “Just watching the other girls hit the ball, I would have never expected to win,” she said. When Burks drives up Magnolia Lane next April, she will follow in the footsteps of her cousin Paul Stankowski, who played on the PGA TOUR and finished as high as T5 in the Masters Tournament in 1997. After his first drive went out of bounds, Gavin Baker calmed himself and put on an impressive performance to win the Boys 10-11 division. Faced with a final 30-foot putt breaking left-to-right, he drained the putt. “I had seen everyone miss it short, but I put it in,” said Baker. “That was good for a fist pump.”

Saia Rampersaud relied on a little superstition to win the Girls 12-13 division at Atlanta Athletic Club (site of three PGA championships, the 1976 U.S. Open, the 1990 U.S. Women’s Open, and the 2014 U.S. Amateur), bringing a lucky driver head cover that is a replica of her 85-pound Airedale terrier. She attended the Augusta National Women’s Amateur last year and is looking forward not only to playing golf on her next trip, but also to returning to shop. “That was fun,” she said. In Jackson Skinner’s first-ever regional qualifier, he posted a division-best 50 points in the chipping skill and won the Boys 12-13 division by three points. “I didn’t feel comfortable until after I was done,” he said. The 12-year-old has a twin sister, Maggie, who doesn’t play golf, but will be supporting him every step of the way next April.

Kasey Maralack’s short game propelled her to history at Chambers Bay Golf Club (site of the 2015 U.S. Open), where she became the fourth four-time National Finalist by winning the Girls 14-15 division. “I’m really excited to go back and do the whole experience again,” she said. In the 2018 National Finals, Maralack tied for second overall in the Girls 12-13 division, but she says winning in 2020 would be the “cherry on top.” Loden Chen created a buzz when he climbed from sixth place to first in the Boys 7-9 division, thanks to a strong putting performance. “I just practiced well, and I was feeling it,” he explained. Looking ahead to his first trip to the National Finals next April, Chen said, “I’m going to try and win it and hopefully shake Tiger’s hand.”

Reese Wallace celebrated an 11^th birthday to remember at Colorado Golf Club (site of the 2010 Senior PGA Championship and 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship). In a winner-take-all playoff with Evyn Cannon, Wallace lagged a putt that Cannon’s rolled past to take the Girls 10-11 division title. “I’ve waited the last five years just to get to regionals,” she said. “And now I’m going to Augusta!” Nine-year-old Chase Hughes, who placed fourth in the Boys 7-9 division in last year’s National Finals, was determined to return. Chase said he “couldn’t figure out those fast greens” at Augusta National, but he’s looking forward to another try in 2020.

In the first playoff in Western Regional history, 9-year-old Grace Oh overcame a nervous putter at Torrey Pines Golf Course (site of the 2008 U.S. Open) to win the Girls 7-9 division. Under playoff pressure, she excelled in the drive skill discipline with the club she said she’s “liked the best since I was born.” Cole Kim commanded the greens at Torrey Pines with a perfect score of 75 in the putt skill discipline en route to winning the Boys 10-11 division. Kim will return to the National Finals for the second time in his young career, last qualifying in 2018. “I learned Augusta’s greens are really fast. I learned that if I try hard, I can make it to Augusta, and I did,” he said.

Trailing the leader by 30 points entering the final skill discipline of the day at Interlachen Country Club (site of the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open Championship and 2016 Junior Ryder Cup), Ashleyjen Powell made both her five-foot and 15-foot putt attempts and stopped her 30-foot attempt within a foot of the cup to win the Girls 14-15 division by five points. When asked what the highlight of her golf career has been so far, she replied, "Can I say this? What I just did today." Sam Udovich scored 150 total points to win the Boys 12-13 division and a return trip to the National Finals, the third of his young career. Braving winters in Inver Grove Heights, Minn., Udovich travels to keep his game in top shape. "We travel year-round," his father Michael noted. "Every month during the winter, we go someplace where we can play golf."

A recent junior golf inductee into the African-American Golf Hall of Fame, Morgan Rodriguez added another resume highlight at TPC Sawgrass (site of THE PLAYERS) by scoring 145 total points to win the Girls 12-13 division. “This was one of my biggest dreams,” she said. “I’m very happy that I get to go to Augusta before I age out." In the Boys 14-15 division, eighth-grader Elijah Zamarron dominated the field for a 39-point margin of victory. He had previously attempted to qualify for the National Finals three times and credits his success this year to his practice. “I practiced every day, and I practiced until dark, but it was worth it,” said Zamarron.

The Phung sisters dominated their competition at TPC River Highlands (site of the annual Travelers Championship). Both Alexandra and Amelie won their division and will compete at Augusta National in the Girls 7-9 and Girls 12-13 division, respectively. “It’s really amazing that we were both able to step up on the same day, handle the pressure and everything,” said older sister, Amelie. Facing a close competition in the Boys 12-13 division — just 22 points separated the top nine finishers — Brayden Dock took home the top spot thanks to solid performances across all three disciplines. He topped the leader board with 130 points. “I’ve never been to Augusta, and I’m really excited to go,” said Dock. “I don’t care how well I do, I just want to be there.”

Armed with the poise and experience of a veteran, Maye Huang won both the Drive and Putt skill disciplines to win the Girls 12-13 division at The Alotian Club (site of the 2019 Arnold Palmer Cup) to return to the National Finals for the third time. “This gives me confidence, and I know what it’s like if I mess up or something,” she said. Huang, whose brother Treed was a two-time National Champion and a four-time National Finalist, was the 2017 Girls 7-9 National Champion and said she was “really excited to go back.” In the Boys 10-11 division, 11-year-old Henry Guan was simply dominant, winning all three skill disciplines to amass 162 points and win the division by more than 30 points. “One of my dreams has always been to play Augusta National,” Guan said, hardly able to sit still while holding four gold medals – one for each skill and one for the overall. “On a scale of one to 10, qualifying to go there is a 10 for me, I cannot describe the feeling.”

As a freshman this high school golf season, 15-year-old Kate Brody averaged 73 strokes. She brought those skills to the regional qualifier at Oakland Hills (site of six U.S. Opens and three PGA Championships), scoring a total of 130 points to place first in the Girls 14-15 division. Of her putting skills, Brody said, “From the time my brother and I could walk, we had putters in our hands and my dad [a golf professional] took us to play miniature golf at least once a week." After his first drive went out of bounds, Brady Barnum made a comeback to place first overall in the Boys 10-11 division. “I like the short game,” he said after scoring 50 points in both the Chip and Putt disciplines. Since taking up golf at the age of 3, Barnum has traveled across the country to play golf—including the 2018 Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals, where he placed fifth overall.

All championship scoring at the local, subregional and regional qualifiers was 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 between all three skills (maximum of 225 points = 75 points per skill x 3).

For each skill, the point system was based in incremental distance measurements, rewarding accuracy and distance in the drive skill, and proximity for chipping and putting skills. Difficulty increases with age.

At the National Finals, one champion will be named from each age/gender division. Each 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.

Full 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