Congratulations to Ariel Collins, this week’s featured Junior Golf Hub member, competing in the 10th Annual Drive, Chip, and Putt National Finals on Sunday, April 7th.
The competition takes place in Augusta, Georgia and was started in 2014. Annually, the event commences before the Master’s Tournament. This year marks the 88th Masters at the Augusta National Golf Club. The Drive, Chip, and Putt competition is conducted in partnership with the USGA, the Masters tournament, and the PGA of America. Boys and girls of 4 age brackets, 7-9, 10-11, 12-13, and 14-15, will compete in three tests of essential golf skills and will be scored on their accuracy in driving, chipping, and putting. Scoring at the local, sub-regional, and regional qualifiers is based off of a 25-point-per-shot basis, with each contestant getting three shots per skill. With a maximum of 25 points per shot that can be awarded to a golfer, each skill can total up to possibly 75 points, with a perfect score coming out to 225. The point system on each skill is based on distance and accuracy for the driving portion and proximity for chipping and putting skills. Once a finalist is selected from each age/gender division at the regionals, they will be scored on a 30 point system at the Finals, 10 points max for each skill. The highest total score will be the winner.
Ariel is not only a local, sub-regional, and regional qualifier, but has gotten first place in both the local and regional competitions. At the local competition at John A. White Park in Atlanta, GA, Ariel won with a total score of 149, 20 points more than the second place winner. Though she received the highest score for each skill, her putting is what really stands out from the other two skills, as she received a 60, the highest putting score out of all competitors. Ariel came in second place at the TPC Sugarloaf sub-regional qualifier in Duluth, GA where she again received the highest score (65) in the putting category and received a total score of 123. Ariel won the regional qualifier at Sea Island Golf Club in St. Simons Island, GA with a final score of 158, this time receiving the highest driving score of 58.
Ariel started to play golf when she was just 3 years old after receiving her first set of clubs. She cites her introduction and passion for golf stemming from both her parents and going to the golf course with her dad. Her first tournament win came when she was 6 years old in 2016 at the Mystery Valley Golf Course, her first state title a year later at age 7. Two months after, Ariel was invited to her first world championship, the first of many. She has two world championships from the U.S. Kids Golf World Championships, the first in 2020 at age 10, the second in 2021 at age 11. She has also been named Player of the Year by U.S. Kids Golf, at age 11 in 2021. More recently, Ariel has joined the PGA Junior Tour in 2023, receiving several first place awards.
Ariel has already had many achievements at such a young age. Her passion and talent for the game are undeniable. Best of luck to her this April at the Drive, Chip, and Putt National Finals.
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