AUGUSTA, Ga. – One thing is certain, and it is a busy time in Augusta, Georgia. Upon the completion of the elite women’s amateur event, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in which we have six players from Florida all competing, there is one open day before the Masters tournament week begins and that day is filled with the Drive, Chip, and Putt National Finals. The competition will take place Sunday, April 7 and will consist of eighty junior golfers representing thirty-one states across the United States, as well as one Canadian province. Australia is also among the invitees that have earned a place in the competition.
This year, among the eighty invitees, are five Florida juniors. Madelyn Dickerson, Jyden Sonnabend, Lily Wachter, Jacob Thompson, and Alyssa Sumulong are all finalists. Moreover, Madelyn Dickerson, Lily Wachter, and Jyden Sonnabend all regularly compete on the Florida Junior Tour. The Drive, Chip, and Putt in partnership with the USGA, the Masters Tournament, and the PGA of America Drive, Chip, and Putt is a free nationwide youth golf development program open to boys and girls, ages 7-15, spread out among four age divisions.
Madelyn Dickerson | Debary | Girls 7-9
Dickerson earned her place in the Drive, Chip, and Putt competition through Regional Qualifying at Sea Island Golf Club. She outlasted her division by three strokes after earning 135 points.
In addition, this is Dickerson’s first year playing on the Florida Junior Tour and she has already established a name for herself. In the five events she has played, she has never finished outside of the top-two. She has also captured one victory at the FJT Ocala Open firing scores of 73-76. However, Dickerson describes her biggest golf accomplishment as winning the US Kids World Championship in Pinehurst. She finds golf to be difficult because it presents a new challenge everyday, and no two days are the same. Dickerson states, "It took me three years to finally get to Augusta. Never give up and keep trying. Trust the process."
Jyden Sonnabend | Windermere | Boys 14-15
Sonnabend sailed through Regional Qualifying at Sea Island Golf Club with an impressive 174 points. He outlasted his competition by eight strokes to earn a well-deserved spot in the Finals at Augusta National Golf Club. The 2027 grad is a regular competitor on the Florida Junior Tour.
In 2023, Sonnabend captured three top-10 finishes and he advanced to the Round of 16 in the Junior Amateur Match Play Championship. He secured a tied-for-seventh finish at the FJT Saddlebrook *54-Hole Major* where he posted rounds of 72-72-76. However, Sonnabend says that his biggest achievement in golf so far is advancing to the National Finals for Drive, Chip, and Putt. When asked to list his strongest attributes he named driving first, then putting, and lastly he named chipping.
Lily Wachter | Saint Augustine | Girls 10-11 
Wachter advanced to the Finals through Regional Qualifying at Sea Island Golf Club. She earned 147 points and captured the first spot by three strokes over her competition.
Wachter has competed in three Florida Junior Tour events this season and has never finished outside of the top-10. She carded her best finish, solo third place, at the FJT Palm Harbor Open with rounds of 71-75. However, Wachter career low score is a 66 on 18 holes and a 27 on 9 holes. She says that the short game is her favorite thing to practice and her biggest golf accomplishment thus far is winning the U.S. Kids World Championship.
