Today the Masters Tournament, United States Golf Association (USGA) and the PGA of America officially opened the 2016 Drive, Chip and Putt Championship by announcing the qualifying schedule for young golfers hoping to earn an invitation to next year’s National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club.
Registration for the 2016 Drive, Chip and Putt Championship will begin on Thursday, January 22nd. Click here to register for a competition.
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 third year, the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship will provide playing opportunities throughout all 50 states during the months of May, June, July and August. Top performers at the local level will advance through sub-regional and regional qualifiers in July/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 3, the eve of the 2016 Masters.
The breakdown and schedule of the 2016 Drive, Chip and Putt Championship qualifying is as follows:
Stage 1: Local Qualifying (May - August)
Qualifying rounds are played at 253 host sites spread throughout all 50 states. Three juniors advance in each age and gender category from every venue.
Stage 2: Sub-Regional Qualifying (July - August)
Two juniors advance in each age and gender category from every one of the 50 host sites spread in 45 states across the country.
Stage 3: Regional Qualifying (September)
One junior will advance each age and gender category and rounds will be played at 10 host sites in 10 defined regions.
Stage 4: Championship Final (April 3, 2016)
The remaining 80 participants will play at the Finals at the Augusta National Golf Club.
The venues that will host the 10 regional qualifying events include several USGA Championship and PGA Championship sites: Chambers Bay Golf Course (University Place, Wash., site of the 2015 U.S. Open conducted by the USGA), Congressional Country Club (Bethesda, Md.), Golf Club of Houston (Humble, Texas), Hazeltine National Golf Club (Chaska, Minn., site of the 2016 Ryder Cup), Medinah Country Club (Medinah, Ill.), Oakmont Country Club (Oakmont, Pa., site of the 2016 U.S. Open), The Country Club (Brookline, Mass.), Torrey Pines Golf Course (La Jolla, Calif., site of the 2021 U.S. Open), TPC Sawgrass (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) and Valhalla Golf Club (Louisville, Ky., site of the 2014 PGA Championship).
Click here to download a full list of qualifying venues at the local and sub-regional level
