AUGUSTA, Georgia – Taighan Chea was trawling through Netflix five years ago and came across “The Short Game” – a golf documentary that highlights the junior game. He might have only been four years old… but he was hooked. Now at nine, he’s achieved something many can only dream of. He’s competed, and won, at Augusta National Golf Club. “It feels like I won the Masters,” the fourth grader from Shelton View Elementary School in Bothell, Washington said after taking out the Boys 7-9 age group in the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship. He’d already placed third in the drive portion and second in the chipping when he was sent to Augusta National Golf Club’s famous 18th green. After a decent effort in his 30-foot putt attempt he stood over the infamous 15-footer that Adam Scott drained to get into a playoff in 2013 before winning his green jacket. “It felt like it was to win, and I just had to make it,” Chea said. And make it he did, getting his own version of the famous Augusta roars. “I learned from the other kids that it was bleeding left so I aimed two balls right. It was the best feeling ever to see it go in.” Chea is no stranger to good golf – he once made a hole-in-one during the IMG Junior Worlds – but this was his new stand out moment. He hopes he can check off one more dream. Seeing Tiger Woods play, and win, at Augusta National. Now in its fifth installment the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship continues to thrive as a joint initiative from the Masters Tournament, the United States Golf Association and the PGA of America. Points were awarded in each individual skill category (Drive, Chip and Putt), with the winner receiving 10 points, second 9 points, third 8 points and so on. The player with the most points following all three competitions was declared the overall winner of the age group. In the drive portion, the better of two scores was used for the score. Each golfer then took two chips with the cumulative distance from the hole totaled to determine the score. Players then moved to Augusta National’s 18th green where they had two putts – from 15 and 30 feet – with the cumulative distance from the hole totaled to determine the score. At daybreak the 80 finalists found their way down Magnolia Lane in awe of the famous drive entering Augusta National Golf Club before getting into competition. Scott admitted he enjoyed seeing them warm up and then produce their best. “It is pretty impressive. I saw three kids in a row who were right on plane and it was pretty awesome to see them ripping it like that,” he grinned. “What’s not to like about it? Kids getting to play out here for the day. It is pretty amazing,” the 2013 Masters champion added. “It’s done a lot of good so far and the momentum of this having a positive effect on junior golf, so I am all for that.” Scott was on hand to give 14-year-old Katherine Schuster her trophy after she was able to better her performance from 2015 where she was third overall at Augusta. Making the 30-foot putt certainly helped although she admitted to getting the shakes “like nobody’s business” and had to remind herself how to breathe calmly. “It’s like putting on tile,” she said of the green speeds. “To win where the best people that ever played the game of golf have won, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player… it’s amazing. It means a lot. I am really excited to have won it.” Some records were also broken. Conrad Chisman, a 13-year-old from Stanwood, Wash., became the first player to make both the 30-foot and 15-foot putts. He’ll never forget those cheers. Champions were crowned in 7-9, 10-11, 12-13 and 14-15 age groups in boys and girls. The winners were: 7-9, Chea and Ella June Hannant (Pikeville, N.C.); 10-11, Tip Price (Greenville, S.C.) and three-time Finals participant Vanessa Borovilos (Toronto); 12-13, PJ Maybank (Cheboygan, Mich.) and Sara Im; 14-15, Brendan Valdes (Orlando) and Schuster (Kill Devil Hills, N.C.).
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