Drive, Chip and Putt entries open for US kids
Alexandra Phung in the Girls 7 - 9 age group attempts a putt during the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club, Sunday, April 7, 2019.
AUGUSTA, Ga. – The USGA, Masters Tournament and PGA of America announced on Monday that registration for 2021 -2022 Drive, Chip and Putt qualifying is now open on DriveChipandPutt.com.
Local qualifying begins May 1, 2021, and will continue throughout the summer with 330 events in all 50 states for boys and girls, ages 7-15.
The full schedule of qualifying events includes 10 notable venues set to host regional qualifiers this fall for participants who advance. These regional venues, featuring several USGA and PGA Championship sites, include Medinah Country Club, Oak Hill Country Club, Colorado Golf Club, Quail Hollow Club, TPC River Highlands, Pebble Beach Golf Links, TPC Scottsdale, Alotian Club, The Bear’s Club and Oakland Hills Country Club.
Prioritizing the health and safety of participants and everyone involved, all qualifying events will follow protocols to mitigate the risk of COVID-19. These include wearing face coverings, social distancing and minimizing spectators; additional protocols are detailed on DriveChipandPutt.com.
“We are thrilled to be able to safely return to a full qualifying schedule this year for Drive, Chip and Putt,” said Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA. “The programme continues to be an important vehicle to introduce and encourage junior participation in golf and serves as a foundation for their lifetime enjoyment of the game. We all benefit annually from watching these young players having fun in a game they love.”
“Drive, Chip and Putt is a fun, accessible way for boys and girls of all skill levels to enjoy playing the game, and we are excited to offer this opportunity once again for participants across the country,” said Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament. “We appreciate the commitment of our partners at the USGA and PGA of America in our efforts to conduct this year’s qualifiers responsibly and provide a pathway for juniors to develop a lasting connection with golf.”
“Drive, Chip and Putt serves as a fun and engaging gateway to the game of golf for junior golfers across America to showcase their skills,” said PGA President Jim Richerson. “We’re proud of the PGA Professionals who will host these qualifying events, as Drive, Chip and Putt returns nationwide. Through a special partnership with the Masters Tournament and USGA, the PGA of America is excited to grow the game at the grassroots level through Drive, Chip and Putt.”
Drive, Chip and Putt is a free youth golf development initiative for junior golfers of all skill and ability levels, aimed at sparking a lifelong interest in the game. The initiative welcomes boys and girls, ages 7-15, to participate in local qualifying events in all 50 states throughout the months of May, June, July and August. Entrants will play in girls’ and boys’ divisions in four age categories, with scoring centred around golf’s three fundamental skills – driving, chipping and putting.
Top performers at the local level will advance through subregional and regional qualifiers in July/August and September/October, respectively. From these qualifiers, 80 finalists – 40 boys and 40 girls – will earn an invitation to compete in the National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday, April 3, the eve of the 2022 Masters Tournament. Qualifiers are conducted by all 41 sections of the PGA of America across the USA.
Local qualifying begins Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Miami Shores Golf Course in Troy, Ohio. The full breakdown and schedule of 2022 Drive, Chip and Putt qualifying is as follows:
Local (May/June/July/August): 330 host sites throughout all 50 states. 3 juniors advance in each age/gender category from every venue
Subregional (July/August): 61 host sites in more than 30 states. 2 juniors advance in each age/gender category from every venue
Regional (September/October): 10 host sites in 10 regions. 1 junior advances in each age/gender category from every venue
National Finals (April 3, 2022): 80 total participants at Augusta National Golf Club
The regional qualifying events in September and October of this year are set to take place at 10 host sites on the following dates:
Saturday, September 11 | Medinah Country Club
(Site of four USGA championships, including three U.S. Opens; and host of two PGA Championships and the 2012 Ryder Cup)
Sunday, September 19 | Oak Hill Country Club
(Site of six USGA championships, including three U.S. Opens; and host of three PGA Championships, the 1995 Ryder Cup and two KitchenAid Senior PGA Championships. Oak Hill will also host the 2023 PGA Championship)
Sunday, September 19 | Colorado Golf Club
(Site of the 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship and 2010 Senior PGA Championship)
Saturday, September 25 | Quail Hollow Club
(Site of the 2017 PGA Championship and the host of the 2025 PGA Championship)
Sunday, September 26 | TPC River Highlands (Site of the Travelers Championship)
Sunday, September 26 | Pebble Beach Golf Links
(Site of 13 USGA championships, including six U.S. Opens, and the future site of the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open and 2027 U.S. Open; and host of the 1977 PGA Championship)
Sunday, September 26 | TPC Scottsdale (Site of the Waste Management Phoenix Open)
Saturday, October 2 | Alotian Club
(Site of the 2013 Western Amateur Championship and 2019 Arnold Palmer Cup)
Sunday, October 3 | The Bear’s Club
(Founded December 31, 1999 by Jack and Barbara Nicklaus)
Saturday, October 16 | Oakland Hills Country Club
(Site of 11 USGA championships, including six U.S. Opens; and host of three PGA Championships and the 2004 Ryder Cup)
The 2021 Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals, which were rescheduled from April 2020 due to COVID-19, will feature 80 junior golfers competing at Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday, April 4. Golf Channel will broadcast the event live across North and South America.
For more information about Drive, Chip and Putt, including official rules, please visit DriveChipandPutt.com.
