A decade later, Drive, Chip & Putt's first finals remain fresh in winners' minds
Chairman Billy Payne stood beneath Augusta National’s clubhouse oak tree on April 6, 2014.
“Anytime you do something new,” Payne said that day, “you truly don’t know what to expect.”
That day, 88 youngsters embarked upon the inaugural Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals.
The event was the genesis of children participating at Augusta National.
“Even today, people come up to me and say, ‘Didn’t you do the Drive, Chip & Putt?’” said Patrick Welch, who competes on the Korn Ferry Tour. “That day in 2014 gave me a ton of confidence. Being on TV, winning the event. Not only did it propel our inaugural class, but also the next group of golfers coming in.”
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Welch hasn’t returned to Augusta since 2014, but still daydreams of a decade ago. His drive down Magnolia Lane; being greeted at the club by Lou Holtz; grinding for an hour on the member’s driving range.
“I want to earn my way back,” Welch said of being invited to the Masters Tournament. “That’s one of my dreams, 100 percent.”
One of four female champions from 2014 was Kelly Xu, who conquered the 7-9 girls division. A decade later, Xu, now 19, is competing this week in her first Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
“It’s a full circle moment,” said Xu, a sophomore at Stanford University. “The Drive, Chip & Putt was one of my first achievements in golf, and it really helped foster my journey. What Augusta National has done, generously allowing us to use their course, has meant so much.”
Xu praised former Chairman Payne, saying, “If it wasn’t for the Drive, Chip & Putt, I wouldn’t have gotten that push.”
Eight kids were crowned champions in 2014, while their resumes have bolstered over the past decade.
As an 11-year-old, Lucy Li would become the youngest to ever qualify for a U.S. Women’s Open. Welch earned a scholarship to the University of Oklahoma and has full status on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Bryson Bianco would become a Division I golfer at Troy University,
“It’s hard to explain how much that day helped my confidence,” said Bianco, who now works in wealth management in Dallas. “I started winning more tournaments; schools started to recognize me. I owe so much to the Drive, Chip & Putt.”
But 10 years later, what Bianco remembers most fondly is his caddie.
“My granddad always says, ‘That was one of the best days of my life,’” Bianco recalled. “It truly meant so much to my family.”
In 2014, 17,000 children signed up for qualifiers in 19 states and the District of Columbia. As Golf Channel broadcast the inaugural event live, interest sparked across the country, and in 2015 more than 50,000 kids signed up.
"We'll keep track of them," Payne said in 2014 of the first participants. "We'll measure success not by what they do on the golf course, but by how many kids they bring to golf.”
Payne stepped down as chairman in 2017, handing the reins to Fred Ridley.
In his first year as head man, Ridley addressed the significance of the Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals.
“This event remains one of the most meaningful endeavors in the history of our club,” Ridley said. “Our goal here is to inspire a lifelong passion for the game of golf, and if our participation helps, then we've accomplished our mission.”
2014 Drive, Chip and Putt Championship Winners
Girls
7-9: Kelly Xu, Santa Monica, Calif.
10-11: Lucy Li, Redwood Shores, Calif.
12-13: Natalie Pietromonaco, Auburn, Calif.
14-15: Hunter Pate, Las Vegas
Boys
7-9: Treed Huang, Katy, Texas
10-11: Leo Cheng, Northridge, Calif.
12-13: Bryson Bianco, Tallahassee, Fla.
14-15: Patrick Welch, Providence, R.I.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: On 10th anniversary, Drive, Chip & Putt finals spur memories, growth
