DRIVE, CHIP & PUTT CHAMPIONSHIP REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
As the 2014 Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals commence today at Augusta National Golf Club, 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.
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 and 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 and 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, also at www.DriveChipandPutt.com. Tickets to the 2015 Drive, Chip and 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 and Putt Championship, including official rules, a full listing of local qualifying sites, ticket information and to register, please visit www.DriveChipandPutt.com.
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About the Masters Tournament
The Masters Tournament Foundation, inspired by the enduring philosophies of Masters Tournament founders Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, is committed to promoting golf’s domestic and international development through financial investment and active participation in initiatives aimed at preserving the traditions of the game and sharing its many virtues.
The Masters Tournament – since its very beginning – strives to provide added exposure to the game of golf and inspire interest in the sport worldwide. For more information about the Masters, visit www.masters.com.
About the United States Golf Association
The USGA conducts the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open, as well as 10 national amateur championships, two state team championships and international matches, attracting players and fans from more than 160 countries. Together with The R&A, the USGA governs the game worldwide, jointly administering the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, equipment standards and World Amateur Golf Rankings. The USGA’s reach is global with a working jurisdiction in the United States, its territories and Mexico, serving more than 25 million golfers and actively engaging 150 golf associations.
The USGA is one of the world’s foremost authorities on research, development and support of sustainable golf course management practices. It serves as a primary steward for the game’s history and invests in the development of the game through the delivery of its services and its ongoing “For the Good of the Game” grants program. Additionally, the USGA’s Course Rating and Handicap systems are used on six continents in more than 50 countries.
For more information about the USGA, visit www.usga.org.
About The PGA of America
Since its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has maintained a twofold mission: to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, The PGA enables its professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in the multi-billion dollar golf industry. By creating and delivering world-class championships and innovative programs, The PGA of America elevates the public’s interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere. As The PGA nears its centennial, the PGA brand represents the very best in golf.
Contact Details
Augusta National Golf Club
Steve Ethun, Director of Communications
(706) 667-6705; spethun@augustanational.com
United States Golf Association (USGA)
Pete Kowalski, Director, Championship Communications
(908) 326-1886, pkowalski@usga.org
The PGA of America
Julius Mason, Senior Director, Communications & Media Relations
(561) 624-8444, jmason@pgahq.com
FACT SHEET
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.
