Six Georgia qualifiers will compete in Sunday’s Drive, Chip & Putt national finals, which will be played at Augusta National and televised on the Golf Channel.
Three of the six competed in last year’s finals, with Duluth’s Sara Im winning her age group. Im has moved up to the next age group this year, but is back in the finals along with the two boys from Georgia who placed first in their regional qualifiers.
Im was one of four Georgians to win a regional qualifier at the Honors course outside Chattanooga. She was first in girls 14-15 with 139 points, 18 ahead of the runner-up. Im won the national 12-13 title in 2018 at Augusta National.
Also winning at the Honors course was Alpharetta’s Patmon Malcom, Jr., in the boys 10-11 division. Malcom won his regional by seven points with a total of 131.
The third returning Georgia finalist is Sahish Reddy of Duluth, who advanced from a qualifier at Muirfield Village in Ohio. Reddy won the boys 10-11 division with 112 points, seven ahead of the runner-up.
Also winning at the Honors course were Victoria Kuranga of Decatur and Elle Marie Reisner of Atlanta, giving Georgia three of the four girls winners at the Tennessee course. Kuranga won the 12-13 division by 11 points with a total of 138, while Reisner needed a playoff to advance after tying for first in the 10-11 age group with 109 points.
Advancing from a regional at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, Fla., was Kate Barber of Savannah, who won the girls 12-13 division with 120 points, 11 in front of the second place finisher.
This is the sixth year for the Drive, Chip & Putt competition, which is conducted by the PGA of America, USGA and the Masters. The competitions in the state were conducted by members of the Georgia PGA. The event began with 290 local qualifiers held in all 50 states, followed by 57 sub-regional events and 10 regionals. The winners at regionals advanced to the finals at Augusta National.