AUGUSTA, Ga. – On Sunday, the Florida Junior Tour will have five players be among the 80 junior golfers competing in the eighth annual Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club, prior to the start of the Masters Tournament. For Leah Gram, Jolie Pastorick, Luke Parsons, Carson Perry and Alexandra Phung, their dream will become a reality on Sunday as they tee it up for a National Title.
The Drive, Chip, and Putt is a national junior golf development competition that is designed to grow the game by focusing on the three fundamental skills of golf: driving, chipping and putting. This joint initiative founded by the Masters Tournament, the USGA, and The PGA of America is a free competition, consisting of boys and girls ages 7-15, and each advance to the finals through local, sub-regional and regional qualifying rounds.
Leah Gram .jpeg)
Gram is making her first appearance at the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals. Making it to the finals has been a long time goal for Gram and she is proud to bring her family to this special event. She started playing golf at the age of six and the game has allowed her to meet friends and have fun.
Gram will be competing in the Girls 12-13 division and the strongest part of her game is driving. She is well-known around the Florida Junior Tour, holding several records in the Girls (11-12) Division including: lowest 18 hole score with a 67 at Fairwinds Golf Course, lowest 36 hole sore with a 138 at Fairwinds Golf Course, and the largest win margin by eleven strokes at Fairwinds Golf Course. She has also captured two wins and four top-3 finishes at Florida Junior Tour events.
"The Florida Junior Tour runs really great tournaments and it teaches you how to be an independent golfer, Gram said, "The competition is also really good.”
The Jupiter resident is looking forward to competing at Augusta National because it is a club with so much history and prestige. She is also excited to have the opportunity to watch the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and cheer on fellow Florida Junior Tour alumni.
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Jolie Pastorick
Pastorick started playing golf at six years old after watching The Short Game documentary. This eighth grader resides in Sarasota and will be competing on Sunday in the Girls 14-15 division. Pastorick likes to practice hitting her driver the most because she can hit it far and it is the strongest part of her game.
"It means a lot to me to be able to compete at Augusta," Pastorick said. "I am very happy all of my hard work finally paid off."
Pastorick captured her first FJT victory earier this year at the FJT University of Florida (13-15) *54-Hole Major* with scores of 77-74-72. Her other golf achievements include winning the Hurricane 13-Under National Championship, qualifying for the Notah Begay National Championship, and making it to the Drive, Chip and Putt Finals.
Luke Parsons
Parsons will be making his second appearance at Augusta National for the Drive, Chip and Putt National Final. This eighth grader resides in Palm Beach Gardens and started playing golf at the age of five. Parsons’ favorite club is his 4-Hybrid and he describes driving as the strongest part of his game. Parsons explains that the Florida Junior Tour has helped him prepare for competitions such as the Drive, Chip and Putt by competing with the top players in the state and sharpening his skills competitively.
"To return to the Drive, Chip and Putt Finals for a second time means a lot to me," Parsons said." To be able to compete at Augusta National is really special. I imagine it like being on the back nine on Sunday with a chance to win."
His Florida Junior Tour accomplishments include finishing second at the FJT Myakka Pines Open with scores of 70-74. Other career highlights include winning the 2017 IMG Academy Junior World Championship and the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship.
Carson Perry.webp)
This is Perry’s first appearance at Augusta National for the Drive, Chip and Putt competition. The Daytona Beach native is in the sixth grade and will be competing in the Boys 12-13 division. Perry describes his favorite club as his putter but he feels that the strongest part of his game is chipping. He has played in Florida Junior Tour events and describes the biggest accomplishment in his career as capturing the win at the 2021 FJT LPGA Open (9-12) with scores of 74-71. Other career highlights include securing a second place finish at the 2022 North Florida PGA Junior Championship. Perry’s favorite golfer is his sister, Vanessa, and he is happy that she can watch and cheer for him on Sunday.
Alexandra Phung.jpeg)
Phung will head to Augusta for the third time to compete in the Drive, Chip and Putt. Born in Manhattan, Phung started playing golf at the age of five when she played with her older sister, Amelie, at a Pitch and Putt in Queens. She will be competing in the Girls 9-10 division and her favorite club is her 5-wood, but she describes the strongest part of her game as putting.
Phung has already made a name for herself on the Florida Junior Tour, winning five times which includes breaking 70 four times. She holds numerous records on the Florida Junior Tour in the Girls (9-10) Division such as: lowest 18 hole score of 67 at Harbor Hills Country Club, lowest 36 hole score of 138 at Harbor Hills Country Club, and lowest final round of 67 at Harbor Hills Country Club. Phung also holds the 2022 largest win margin of seventeen strokes.
“The FJT is an affordable, fun and challenging tour that allows me to compete without a caddy," Phung said. "Being able to compete in the (9-12) Division and play a 36-hole tournament on my own has helped me to become a more mature player. The FJT has prepared me mentally with the three skills needed for Drive Chip and Putt.”
The Drive, Chip and Putt will begin at 8 a.m. (EDT) on Sunday, April 2. The competition will be broadcast live on the Golf Channel.
