Defending champion Jordan Spieth will be at this year’s Masters Golf Tournament – and so will Bubba Watson, Jason Day and Phil Mickelson.
Add to that list, Roanoker Owen Bright.
Although not competing for the sizable Masters purse, Bright nevertheless was inside the ropes looking to win his age group in the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship held at one of the most well-known courses in golf history.
A joint initiative founded in 2013 by the Masters Tournament, United States Golf Association and the PGA of America, the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship is a free nationwide junior golf development championship aimed at growing the game by focusing on the three fundamental skills employed in golf.
The Masters Tournament Foundation, inspired by the enduring philosophies of Masters Tournament founders Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, was key in bringing the Drive, Chip and Putt to their prestigious club, being committed to promoting golf’s domestic and international development through financial investment and active participation in initiatives aimed at preserving the traditions of the game and sharing its many virtues. Teaming with the USGA and PGA of America likewise elevated the standards of Drive, Chip and Putt to an exceptional national championship among junior golfers.
By tapping the creative and competitive spirit of girls and boys ages 7-15, the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship provides aspiring junior golfers an opportunity to play with their peers in qualifiers around the country.
Participants who advance through local, sub-regional and regional qualifying in each age/gender category earn a place in the National Finals, which is conducted at Augusta National Golf Club the Sunday before the Masters Tournament and is broadcast live by Golf Channel.
The current season of the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship concluded with 80 junior golfers, 40 girls and 40 boys, divided into 4 age groups of 10 players of each gender, representing 30 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces.
Bright, age 11 and a fifth-grader at Roanoke’s Faith Christian School, competed in the boys 10-11 age group finals at Augusta National after advancing through the local qualifier at The Virginian in Bristol, the sub-regional at Tennessee National and the regional at Vahalla Golf Club where he had to win in order to punch his ticket to Augusta.
The Drive, Chip and Putt format awards cumulative points in three disciplines, driving distance and accuracy throughout a driving grid, chipping accuracy based on the cumulative distance from the hole on two chips, and putting accuracy from 15 and 30 feet held on Augusta’s famous 18th green.
Although Bright had competed in DCP the prior two years, the third time was the charm. Despite plenty of pressure for the young golfer in the regional qualifier after he had to be the first of 10 players to play, He posted a 110 point total, then looked on as his closest competitor finished with 97 points, giving Bright the 13-point win and trip to The Masters.
Was he nervous?
“Well, maybe,” Bright admitted while sitting down for the interview outside his home course pro shop at Roanoke Country Club the week before heading to Augusta.
Owen is the son of Michele and Marvin Bright. Both were watching as the finals unfolded on April 3rd. “We’ve been to The Masters several times, but we’ve never had access to the greens,” Marvin Bright noted.
The Brights quickly acknowledge the role of Roanoke Country Club professional and teaching pro, Steve Prater. “Steve gets the credit,” Marvin says of Owen’s talent. “Fifty-nine players that Steve has taught have gone on to play college golf.
“He’s a great teacher who has helped make my golf game so much better,” Owen says of his mentor.
Prater says Owen has natural ability. “Owen is very smart and he comes from a golfing family,” Prater noted. “He understands golf and tries real hard to continually improve. He’s straight off the tee and his putting is strong, but it’s his chipping that makes Owen stand apart from the rest.”
“Chipping for kids that age is tough,” Prater adds. “Of the three elements of Drive, Chip and Putt, chipping is the hardest thing to master. Owen has a great imagination in that aspect of golf.”
Owen is also devoted to the game. “I’ve been playing since age three and practice about four times a week,” he noted.
“It’s all about working hard,” Prater points out. “Owen has a very bright future. He’s a tournament player.”
Prater was prophetic with his assessment of Bright.
With the likes of Jason Day, Adam Scott, Matt Kuchar, Mark O’Meara and Bubba Watson looking on, Owen took the gold in the chipping discipline of his age group, getting to within an amazing cumulative distance of 6′-1″ on his pair of chips. Overall in the 10-11 boys age group, Bright finished fourth.
Announcers Peter Jacobsen and Rich Lerner acknowledged Bright’s chipping championship to the Golf Channel viewers.
And, at the Saturday night gala dinner prior to the Sunday finals, keynote speaker Billy Payne, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, best described the accomplishments of these young players.
“There’s no doubt, your amazing talent in golf is what got you here,” Payne told the group.
“A huge number of kids started in this competition and Owen worked hard,” Michele Bright said. “It’s been a long journey.”
Bill Turner
