COMPETITION TO BE HELD SUNDAY, APRIL 1 AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL AND TELEVISED LIVE ON GOLF CHANNEL.
JGAA member, Mackenzie McRee, 14, of Tucson, Ariz., earned the opportunity to compete in the 2018 Drive, Chip and Putt Championship Finals to be held Sunday, April 1 at Augusta National Golf Club. The event will air live on Golf Channel beginning at 8 a.m. ET with the national finalists from across the U.S. officially kicking off Masters week.
The field is made up of 40 boys and 40 girls, who advanced from more than 260 local qualifying events followed by 53 sub-regional and 10 regional qualifiers. McRee made it through local qualifying at Tucson Country Club in Tucson, Ariz.; Subregional Qualifying at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.; and Regional Qualifying at Torrey Pines Golf Club in San Diego, Calif.
On a personal note: McRee not only overcame obstacles on the golf course to make the championship, she overcame a rapid progression of scoliosis she has been battling since childhood. Learn more about her inspiring story here, and view her bio here.
Each competitor will participate in three skills: the Drive, Chip and Putt. Participants will accumulate points in each skill, with champions recognized in each skill across the eight age groups. McRee will compete in the Girls 14-15 Division. The participant with the highest number of combined points from all skills will be declared the overall champion of their age group.
The Drive skill will be contested from Augusta National’s Tournament Practice Area, with players hitting two drives; the longer of the two will be counted for score. The Chip skill, will include two chips, and the player’s score will be calculated based on cumulative proximity to the hole. The Putt skill, staged on Augusta National’s 18th green, will be measured based on finalists’ cumulative proximity to the hole from two different putting distances.
About Drive Chip and Putt
A joint initiative founded by the Masters, USGA and PGA of America, this free competition focuses on three fundamentals of golf. It’s open to girls and boys ages 7-15, and participants advance through qualifying to earn a place in the national finals at Augusta National on Masters Sunday. Visit www.drivechipandputt.com to learn more.
