Two drives, two chips and two putts added up to one victory for eight 2023 Drive, Chip and Putt champions.

Focus, forget the nerves and feed off family support. These concepts were a winning formula for success for the eight victors at the 2023 Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals.

Another simple mantra vaulted Boys Divisions winners Jake Sheffield of Knoxville, Tennessee (ages 14-15) and Leo Saito of Hilo, Hawaii (ages 12-13) to the top of the leaderboard. Victory was only six shots away.

“You’re just trying to take it all in, but you’re also trying to focus and win,” said Jake. “It’s just six shots and something you do every round, so it’s obviously just normal practicing. But you have to be under that pressure and be able to succeed.”

Family Ties

Calling Drive, Chip and Putt “the biggest stage in junior golf,” Jake started the competition with a 259-yard drive that landed him in second place after the first discipline. He placed fourth in chipping and took the division title with a 30-foot putt attempt that stopped within two feet of the hole.

After finishing third at the 2022 Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals, Leo brought the benefit of experience to last year’s competition. On the 18th green, he poured in one putt and knocked the other within two feet of the hole. His putting skills left him in a tie for top overall honors with Aarav Lavu of Wellesley, Massachusetts. Leo claimed victory in a playoff after draining a 15-foot putt.

“It’s a little different than winning an 18-hole tournament. It’s only six shots for the whole thing, so it’s a little different. But I am really happy I won,” he said.

Another competitor from the Aloha State, Nealson Manutai of Laie, Hawaii, won the Boys 10-11 Division. His winning 237-yard drive, which was more than 40 yards farther than the runner-up in that competition, and his second-place finish in chipping was enough for him to earn the overall title.

“I really tried to get my drive in play, my chips close and my putts close to win this tournament,” said Nealson.

After his victory, he also said he has gotten more golf tips than he can remember from his Uncle Tony – aka PGA Tour player Tony Finau. (Finau’s wife and Nealson’s mother are cousins.) “He’s really pushing me to keep going and to keep working hard,” Nealson said.

Other family ties helped Knox Mason of Portland, Tennessee win the Boys 7-9 Division. With his dad as his caddie, Knox took the top spot in driving and ninth place in chipping. He was tied for the overall lead with Jacob Eagan of Castle Rock, Colorado after putting.

“I had to go into a playoff and had to make the putt to win, and then I made it,” Knox said. “I was like, ‘I couldn’t feel myself making that.’”

However, his dad gave him great advice to help him roll in the extra 15-footer. “He said, ‘Just don’t be nervous. Just try to sink the putt,’” said Knox.

Experience and Consistency

While none of the Girls Division winners required a playoff to earn the overall trophy, their competitions provided plenty of excitement.

In her first Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals appearance, Ashley Kim of Cerritos, California drove the ball 171 yards to start the competition with the lead in the Girls 7-9 Division. “When my turn came I was really nervous, and I was shaking when I was swinging,” she said.

Ashley placed third in chipping and rolled her 15-foot putt within three feet of the hole to secure the overall win.

As a veteran of the competition, Alexandra Phung of Forest Hills, New York made her third appearance at the National Finals last year. After finishing in third place in the driving portion of the Girls 10-11 Division, Alexandra found herself with a three-point lead when she surprised herself with her first-place chipping performance.

“I felt like my chipping normally is not the best, but this time I definitely came through with it,” she said.

Although she did not win any of the individual disciplines, Girls 12-13 Division winner Maya Palanza Gaudin of East Falmouth, Massachusetts took the overall title with consistency. She finished third in driving and claimed the second spots in chipping and putting.

“My dad always says that routine is very important,” said Maya, who made it to the National Finals in her sixth attempt to qualify. “Skill is important, also, but if you have a routine, then you can always rely on your routine when you’re nervous. And that’s what I did.”

Appearing in her second National Finals, Martha Kuwahara of Northbrook, Illinois won the Girls 14-15 Division with a 241-yard drive and a putt that stopped two inches from the hole.

However, Martha, who traveled to the competition with her parents and her coach and his family, missed all the preliminary events because their flights were delayed by inclement weather. They didn’t arrive in town until midnight, and the finals began only hours later.

“We were all like, ‘Oh yeah, we got all the bad luck out yesterday, so all the good luck is today,’” said Martha. “And it just all worked out.”

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Drive, Chip and Putt competition, and the National Finals will be held on Sunday, April 7. The field will include Evans resident Kipp Madison, who advanced through regional qualifying at The Golf Club of Tennessee after placing first overall in the Boys 12-13 age group.

Kipp, who plays regularly at West Lake Country Club, is the second member of his family to compete in the Drive, Chip and Putt competition. His brother, Zane, made it to the finals two years ago as an 8-year-old.

In addition, seven of the 80 competitors are repeat finalists including three-time national finalist Champa Visetsin and 2022 national champion Hudson Knapp. The junior golfers represent 31 states, one Canadian province and Australia.

By Betsy Gilliland