Work Hard but Have Fun: National Finalists Keep Competition in Perspective on Journey From Alotian Club to Augusta National

The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Isabella Reeves bumps fist with her father Ryan while warming up during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Players who qualified for the National Finals out of the Alotian Club can’t wait to get their feet on the ground at Augusta National to take in the surroundings and brush shoulders with the pros.

ROLAND, Ark. – Moments before Matt Fraser, head golf professional at the Alotian Club, announced the medal winners in the Girls 7-9 division of Drive, Chip and Putt regional qualifying, Berklee Turner jumped into her mother’s arms and joyfully cried out, “We did it, Mom!”

The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Berklee Turner and mother Tracy try to stay dry during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Turner was one of eight golfers – four girls and four boys – from the field of 95 to advance to the National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club on April 3, 2022.

The Alotian Club, located about 10 miles west of Little Rock, Ark., has hosted the 2013 Western Amateur, 2019 Arnold Palmer Cup and later this month will host the inaugural Jackson T. Stephens Cup, a match-play-style college golf tournament. As a Drive, Chip and Putt regional host, the Alotian Club welcomed some of the nation’s most talented up-and-coming junior golfers like Turner, who said she felt good going into the competition despite a steady but light morning rain.

“I was a little nervous, but more excited than nervous,” she said. “I have played in the rain before.”

The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Neely Stephens dries off her driver in the rain during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Eleanor Huffman high fives her father while warming up during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Isabella Reeves and her father Ryan warm up during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Berklee Turner and mother Tracy try to stay dry during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Grounds crew try to keep the putting green dry during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Golfers and parents waiting out a rain delay during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Girls 7-9 overall winner Berklee Turner from Cabot, AR during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Girls 7-9 overall winner Berklee Turner from Cabot, AR during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: (L-R) Girls 7-9 overall winner Berklee Turner poses with second place Jessie Lee and third place Isabella Reeves during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: (L-R) Boys 7 - 9 overall winner Cole Murphy poses with second place Alexander Hammonds and third place Mir Lama during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Boys 7-9 overall winner Cole Murphy poses during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Boys 7-9 overall winner Cole Murphy poses during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: (L-R) Girls 10 - 11 overall winner Kylie Fisher poses with second place Sasha Challagolla and third place Aleah Shields-Rodipe during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Girls 10-11 overall winner Kylie Fisher poses during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Girls 10-11 overall winner Kylie Fisher poses during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: (L-R) Boys 10 - 11 overall winner Lincoln Rubis poses with second place Tristan Panyanouvong during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Boys 10-11 overall winner Lincoln Rubis poses during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Boys 10-11 overall winner Lincoln Rubis poses during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Isabella Reeves bumps fist with her father Ryan while warming up during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Boys 10-11 overall winner Lincoln Rubis receives his medal during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: (L-R) Boys 10-11 second place finisher Tristan Panyanouvong poses with his mom during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Girls 10-11 overall winner Kylie Fisher is interviewed by Executive Director of the Arkansas State Golf Association Jay Fox during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Parents and players gather in the rain on the putting green during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Parents and golfers practice in the rain during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Exterior of the Clubhouse during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Girls 12 - 13 golfer Lilly Garner and her father talk during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Girls 12 - 13 golfer Lilly Garner chips onto the green during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Golfers warm up on the practice green during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Golfers warm up on the practice green during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Staff squeegee the rain soaked course during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Boys 12-13 overall winner Carson Treadwell poses during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Boys 12-13 overall winner Carson Treadwell poses during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: (L - R) Boys 1 -13 overall winner Carson Treadwell poses with second place Carson James and third place Gavin Hymer during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Girls 12-13 overall winner Delaney Anderson poses during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Girls 12-13 overall winner Delaney Anderson poses during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: (L-R) Girls 10-11 overall winner Delaney Anderson poses with third place Naomi Koontz during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Boys 12-13 overall winner Carson Treadwell prepares to be interviewed by the Golf Channel during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Boys 14-15 overall winner Samuel Bonaobra warms up with his dad Roger during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Girls 14-15 overall winner Krysta Loftin poses during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Girls 14-15 overall winner Krysta Loftin poses during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: (L - R) Girls 14-15 overall winner Krysta Loftin poses with second place Rumi Kurihara and third place Chloe Freville during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: (L - R) Boys 14-15 overall winner Lucky Cruz poses with second place Shiv Parmar and third place Bryson Clark during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Boys 14-15 overall winner Lucky Cruz poses during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Boys 14-15 overall winner Lucky Cruz poses during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Boys 14-15 overall winner Lucky Cruz with his father Fred during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Girls 7 - 9 overall winner Berklee Turner from Cabot, AR hits a drive shot during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Exterior of the Clubhouse during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Exterior of the Clubhouse during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Exterior of the Clubhouse during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Staff squeegee the rain soaked course during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Eleanor Huffman from Dallas, TX hits a drive shot during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Girls 7 - 9 overall winner Berklee Turner from Cabot, AR gets her medal during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Exterior of the Clubhouse during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Exterior of the Clubhouse during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Exterior of the Clubhouse during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Eleanor Huffman from Dallas, TX hits a drive shot during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Eleanor Huffman from Dallas, TX hits a drive shot during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Girls 7 - 9 overall winner Berklee Turner from Cabot, AR hits a drive shot during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Drive and Chip set up during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Staff squeegee the rain soaked course during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Exterior of the Clubhouse during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Exterior of the Clubhouse during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Golfers warm up during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Staff member measures a drive during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Golfers warm up during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
<> at The Alotian Club on October 2, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas.
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Golfers warm up during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Golfers warm up during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Golfers warm up during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Golfers warm up during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Golfers warm up during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Golfers warm up during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
1 of 72

Turner, who turned 9 years old the day before regional qualifying, got interested in golf at the age of 2 by playing a video game. When she was 4-and-a-half, her parents, Tracy and Rob Turner, were headed back to their home in Cabot, Ark., when Berklee spotted a golf course, the Greens at North Hills. As fate would have it, they stopped and met head golf professional Dawn Darter, who played college golf for the University of Oklahoma and is an Arkansas Golf Hall of Fame inductee.

“Right away it was easy to see her enthusiasm to want to play,” Darter said. “She is an overall sponge of information. Not too many like Berklee come along.”

By the time she was 6 years old, Berklee was beating 10-year-old boys, and Darter knew it was time to take a leap forward.

To prepare for Drive, Chip and Putt, Darter and her student put together a routine of practicing chipping and putting by stringing yarn on the practice green in a tic-tac-toe grid.

“Berklee is better with a 60-degree wedge than almost all of my students,” Darter said. “Her touch is phenomenal.”

The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Girls 10-11 overall winner Kylie Fisher poses during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

In the Girls 10-11 division, Kylie Fisher of Tahlequah, Okla., earned her second trip to the Drive Chip and Putt National Finals. With a final score of 119 points, she narrowly edged Sasha Challagolla (118) of Lake Charles, La., and Aleah Shields-Rodipe (117) of Spring, Texas.
When asked what she was most looking forward to about her second trip to Augusta National, Fisher replied “seeing all the beautiful flowers and meeting more pros.”

Was she going to prepare any differently for her second trip?

“I am going to work on my putting because putts on the 18th green are really fast,” she said.

I can’t wait to get both of my feet on Augusta National dirt, but more important is just being there and having fun.

First-time qualifier Krysta Loftin, 13, of Pearland, Texas, said she was most excited about meeting the pros when she goes to Augusta National.

“I hear there is a pro at every table, and I am excited to meet them,” she said. Her father Justin got her started in golf, but she didn’t get serious about it until she was 11. Loftin credited her development to her golf pro back home at Golfcrest Country Club, John Martin, who she said has helped her “keep things simple.”

The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Girls 12-13 overall winner Delaney Anderson poses during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Delaney Anderson, 12, of Lewisville, Texas, has been working hard after school and on weekends with her coach on getting the club more around her body and not too steep.

“I cannot wait to get to Augusta National,” she said. “It is really beautiful.”

Cole Murphy of Prosper, Texas, earned 123 points in the Boys 7-9 division to edge Alexander Hammonds (119) of Atlanta, Texas, by four points. In an even closer contest, Carson Treadwell, 13, of Frisco, Texas, won the Boys 12-13 division by one point and could hardly sit still thinking about going to Augusta National.

“It’s such an exclusive club and only a handful of people get to go there,” said Treadwell, who earned 140 points total. “Just to say I have been to Augusta National – that just feels great.”

He started playing golf at the suggestion of his dad when he was 8 months old and has never had any formal lessons.

The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship - The Alotian Club
ROLAND, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 02: Boys 12-13 overall winner Carson Treadwell poses during the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at The Alotian Club on October 02, 2021 in Roland, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for the DC&P Championships)
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

“I thought I was going to lose by one or two points,” Treadwell said. “I saw 139, and I asked Dad how many I had. When he said 140 points, I was thrilled.”

Rain began an hour before the first starting time and continued throughout the morning. When lightning moved within 15 miles of the Alotian Club by mid-morning, play was suspended for nearly two hours with the Boys and Girls 12-13 and 14-15 divisions yet to begin.

Lincoln Rubis, a 9-year-old from Farmers Branch, Texas, was not nervous about the rainy conditions.

“I know how to play in the rain,” said Rubis, whose dad, Jon, put a plastic golf club in his hands when he was 11 months old. “I am very excited to get to Augusta National and see all the pros, especially Justin Thomas.”

Despite the clouds and rain, Lucky Cruz, 14, of Magnolia, Texas, may have best summed up the feelings of all the National Finalists.

“I can’t wait to get both of my feet on Augusta National dirt, but more important is just being there and having fun.”

Share
group.svg
Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter!
Something went wrong! We couldn't sign you up for our newsletter.
This field is required.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Stay up to date with all the latest news on Drive, Chip and Putt.