Local qualifying opportunities nearly triple in the second year of youth golf development initiative
The Masters Tournament, United States Golf Association (USGA) and The PGA of America have announced that local qualifying registration is now open on the event's website, (www.drivechipandputt.com), for young golfers hoping to earn an invitation to next year's National Finals.
Results from the recently-completed National Finals can be found at www.drivechipandputt.com under 'Scores.' Competitors from the Northwest finished well, with two finishing second and two finishing third with three individual skill winners. The photo shows the winners (photo courtesy Drive, Chip & Putt).
Open to girls and boys ages 7-15, this exciting program has been expanded for next year to 256 Local Qualifying sites in all 50 states. Here in the Pacific Northwest, there will be 13 Local Qualifiers in Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Montana. Each of the Local Qualifying sites will accept 200 participants, 25 in each age/gender division. The event is free to all participants.
This youth golf development initiative will again include boys and girls ages 7-15 who will compete in separate divisions in four age categories. In only its second year, the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship will nearly triple the number of local qualifying spots, expanding to more than 50,000 playing opportunities at 256 host sites throughout all 50 states during the months of May, June and July. Top performers at the local level will advance through sub-regional and regional qualifiers in August and September, respectively. The top 80 performers - 40 boys and 40 girls - will earn an invitation to the National Finals at Augusta National on Sunday, April 5, the eve of the 2015 Masters.
The breakdown and schedule of Drive, Chip & Putt Championship qualifying is as follows:
Local (May/June/July): More than 50,000 total participants; 256 host sites
3 juniors advance in each age/gender category from every venue
Sub-Regional (August): More than 6,000 total participants; 50 host sites
2 juniors advance in each age/gender category from every venue
Regional (September): 800 total participants; 10 host sites
1 junior advances in each age/gender category from every venue
National Finals (April 5, 2015): 80 total participants at Augusta National Golf Club
Additionally, golf fans wishing to attend next year's National Finals can now request a ticket application. Tickets to the 2015 Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals will again be sold in advance, by random selection, and only after receipt of an online application. Applications will be emailed in September 2014.
For more information about the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship, including official rules, a full listing of local qualifying sites, ticket information and to register, please visit www.drivechipandputt.com.
PACIFIC NORTHWEST LOCAL QUALIFYING
ALASKA
| Anchorage | Anchorage GC | June 23, 2014 |
MONTANA
| Missoula | Canyon River GC | July 24, 2014 |
OREGON
| Eugene | Emerald Valley GC | July 14, 2014 |
| Hillsboro | Meriwether National | July 15, 2014 |
| Portland | Heron Lakes GC | June 04, 2014 |
| Woodburn | OGA Golf Course | July 01, 2014 |
WASHINGTON
| Bellingham | Lake Padden GC | June 17, 2014 |
| DuPont | The Home Course | July 28, 2014 |
| Kent | Meridian Valley CC | June 26, 2014 |
| Richland | Pasco Golfland | July 02, 2014 |
| Snoqualmie | Mount Si GC | June 22, 2014 |
| Spokane | The Creek at Qualchan | July 13, 2014 |
| Tacoma | Meadow Park GC | June 25, 2014 |
ELIGIBILITY
- The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship is open to boys and girls ages 7-15. Boys and girls compete in separate divisions in four age categories: 7-9 years old; 10-11 years old; 12-13 years old; and 14-15 years old. Participants will be grouped based on their age as of the National Finals on Sunday, April 5, 2015.
- Participants may register to compete in only one local qualifier.
- All competitors must conform to the USGA Rules of Amateur Status.
- Only golf clubs on the most current USGA List of Conforming Clubs may be used in the competition.
ENTRIES
- For local qualifying, parents/guardians must complete an online entry application on behalf of participants at the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship website, www.DriveChipandPutt.com.
- Entries will be limited to 200 participants per local qualifying site.
- Entries must be received no later than 5 p.m. on the date five (5) days prior to the local qualifier.
- There is no entry fee for the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship.
SCHEDULE OF COMPETITION
- The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship will be conducted in four stages. Click here for a full schedule:
- Local qualifying - 256 qualifying events will be conducted in May, June and July at courses throughout all 50 States.
- Sub-Regional qualifying - 50 qualifying events to be conducted in August in 32 States.
- Regional qualifying - 10 qualifying events to be conducted in September in 10 States.
- Championship final - To be conducted Sunday, April 5, 2015, at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.
- All participants must begin the competition at the local qualifying level.
- From local qualifying, the three overall point earners in each of the boys and girls divisions from the four age brackets will advance to the sub-regional qualifying level of the competition.
- The sub-regional competition is a new competition with no carryover from the local competition. The top two performers in each of the boys and girls division from the four age categories will advance to the regional qualifiers.
- The regional competition is a new competition with no carryover from the sub-regional competition. The top performer in each of the boys and girls division from the four age categories will advance to the National Finals to be held the Sunday before the Masters Tournament (April 5, 2015).
- The National Finals will take place at Augusta National Golf Club and be staged on its Tournament Practice Facility (Driving / Chipping) and Clubhouse putting green / 18th green (Putting). The National Finals is a new competition with no carryover from the regional competition.
- The National Finals will be produced and broadcasted by Golf Channel.
SCORING / COMPETING
- Each participant will compete in all three skills (Drive, Chip & Putt). An individual rules sheet for each skill competition is available on the championship website, www.drivechipandputt.com.
- Participants will accumulate points in each skill. The participant with the highest number of accumulated points will be declared the overall champion of their age category.
