Local boys look to future after competing in Drive, Chip and Putt

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Two local boys walked away from the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals without a title but knowing it was an honor just to play at Augusta National as the best junior golfers in the country converged for the competition.

Shane Strickland, of Aiken, competed in the boys 7-9 division and Colton Johnson, of Appling, competed in the boys 12-13 division during the event that’s held each year on the Sunday ahead of the Masters Tournament.

Colton placed sixth in his division, while Shane came in seventh place in his division.

First up locally was Shane, competing in the drive discipline in the first half hour, where he made 151.1, leading to a score of 1 in the point system that’s based on rank in each phase. Then he made 8 feet in the chipping phase for a score of 9, and scored 4 in the putting phase.

Joshua Hooper took the title in Shane’s division.

“I just got a little nervous on my putting and driving,” Shane said later.

It was a little intimidating, he said, “but the best part of it was that I enjoyed it and I had fun.”

He said playing at Augusta National was great, and at least he has some “bragging rights.”

How is he going the celebrate the rest of the day?

“I’m just excited to spend the rest of the day with my family,” he said.

“I think we’re gonna go eat some lunch here, and then go back home and, um – party.”

Although Augusta National is known for pimento cheese, “I’m gonna probably take the chicken salad sandwich,” he said.

When he heard his name announced, “I felt good. I wanted to smile but I knew I had to stay focused,” he said.

“I was kind hoping ... to maybe get first on chipping, but I guess that kid did better than me,” he said.

Is he going to win a green jacket someday?

“That’s what I’m headed for, but you never know,” he said.

If he does earn that green jacket, it will have been a long journey from his first homemade golf club.

He had so much energy as a toddler that his grandparents made him a special club out of PVC pipe and duct tape so he could take it outside and hit things.

They had an apple tree in their yard, and he used his club to hit fallen apples, and that’s how he found his natural talent for golf.

“Golf – it’s challenging, it’s fun, you can do it with a lot of people and you can do it for the rest of your life,” he said.

Colton, an eighth-grader at Greenbrier Middle School in Evans, started the drive competition shortly before 10:30 a.m. His first shot was out of bounds, but he made about 220 yards with his second. In the point system, he scored a 7 in driving, a 2 in chipping and a 7.5 in putting, for a total of 16.5.

Another Georgian, Hudson Justus, of Gainesville – Colton’s best friend – took the title in the division after making the hole with both of his putts.

Making it to the Finals has been a goal of Colton since he was eligible. He tried a couple of previous years but didn’t make it.

And now that he did, he was nervous.

“On the driving range, I mean, my legs were just shaking – I was so nervous,” he said after finishing.

It was still exciting.

“It definitely lived up to the hype, maybe ed it,” he said. “It’s just so fun having all the ers here from Augusta, just knowing everybody, and just the putt on 18 is so fun.

When he heard the crowd roaring at his name, he said, “I just stopped and took a second and just looked around and noticed everybody was cheering. It felt so good – I was so excited.”

It was important to have his dad there with him.

“It just means so much. He’s gone through everything with me, all the ups and downs,” he said. “When I found out I could have a caddie, I knew exactly who I wanted it to be.”

He’s glad he made it as far as he did.

“It’s definitely a big confidence booster just knowing that I got here out of all the kids that tried out,” he said.

“I’m gonna work hard to get back out here next year.”

Is there a Masters green jacket in his future?

“Hopefully,” he said.

PHOTO GALLERY: NATIONAL FINALS

Eighty junior golfers representing 28 U.S. states, two Canadian provinces and India earned an invitation to the 11th Finals.

They competed in three disciplines:

• Drive: Each participant attempts three drives down a 40-yard wide fairway. Drives must finish in the fairway to score points.
• Chip: Each participant attempts three 10- to 15-yard chips at the scoring hole. Chips are measured from the center of the hole with scoring rings.
• Putt: Each participant attempts one putt from 6 feet, 15 feet and 30 feet. Putts are measured from the center of the hole with scoring rings.

Decked out in bright shirts in colors that represent their various regions, they made the pilgrimage to Augusta National early Sunday after attending a welcome reception Saturday at the Augusta Marriott and Convention Center.

PHOTO GALLERY: WELCOME RECEPTION

Being here in Augusta gave many of them their first taste of a pimento cheese sandwich – the signature green-wrapped treat known well to golf patrons.

The Finals are another first for most of the competitors, who qualified at some of the greatest golf courses in the country.

Many past competitors have gone on to great things, including Akshay Bhatia, who last year became the first Drive, Chip and Putt alum to compete in the Masters.

Award presenters included golf notables Nick Faldo, Adam Scott, Mark O’Meara, Bernhard Langer, Tom Watson, Scottie Sheffler, Nancy Lopez and Carla Bernat Escuder, who just on Saturday took the title of champion in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

Conducted in partnership with the U.S. Golf Association, the Masters Tournament and the PGA of America, Drive, Chip and Putt is a free, nationwide youth golf development program open to boys and girls, ages 7-15, across four age divisions. The three-pronged competition tests the skills essential to playing the game – accuracy in driving, chipping and putting.

One national champion is named from each age/gender division.

Competitors 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 determines the winner.

Returning finalists included:

• Niko Ameredes (2022 National Finalist), of Pittsburgh, Pa.
• Eloise Fetzer (2023 National Finalist), of Charleston, S.C.
• Ava Frazier (2021 National Finalist), of Austin, Texas
• Ella June Hannant (2018 National Champion), of Pikeville, N.C.
• Hudson Justus (2023 National Finalist), of Gainesville Ga.
• Alexandra Phung (2023 National Champion and 2019, 2022 National Finalist), of Forest Hills, N.Y.

Local qualifying for the 11th season of Drive, Chip and Putt began in May and was held at hundreds of sites across the country this past summer.

The top three scorers per venue, in each of the four age categories in separate boys and girls divisions, advanced to subregional qualifiers in July and August.

The top two juniors in each age/gender division then competed at the regional level in September and October.

Regional qualifying was held at 10 courses around the country, including multiple U.S. Open and PGA Championship venues.

The top finishers from each regional site’s age/gender divisions – a total of 80 finalists – earned a place in the National Finals.

Registration is already open for the 12th Drive, Chip and Putt competition.

Local qualifying begins May 2 at 357 sites nationwide and will continue throughout the summer.

Online registration makes it easy for parents to sign up their junior golfer and find a local qualifier near them. Registration is open to age-eligible juniors of all skill levels with no prior experience in golf required to participate.

For more information, visit DriveChipandPutt.com and follow Drive, Chip and Putt on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

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