The Masters are the most prestigious tournament in golf and this year a number of player are favorites to win, including Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, and next year when the stars play they will be joined by some young golfers as well.
According to ESPN.com, Augusta National is planning on bringing in a number of junior golfers from ages seven to 15 for a drive, chip and putt competition that will go on the week before the Masters in 2014. The new event was announced on Monday by chairman Billy Payne, who said that the children will be both boys and girls and that they will be speared into four groups.
The competition will be determined with local and regional qualifying events and will take place April 6, 2014, the Sunday before the Masters begins. The report says that 88 golfers will qualify for the special event, which has the name of the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship. It will be held on the practice range, while the 18th hole will star for the putting competition.
The event will have some spectators and other tickets will also be available for family and friends and others through a lottery system, which is something the course has not usually done, as the club is traditionally closed on that Sunday. The report says that ticket holders will be able to see the practice range and will be able to gather near the 18th green.
Like always, Augusta members and players in the tournament will be able to play on the course that Sunday, much like Phil Mickelson did with Condoleezza Rice this past week. The qualifying events will go on across 19 states as well as Washington DC and the organizers expect over 15,000 players to enter.
The qualifying events will be in Illinois, Massachusetts, Virginia and Washington, New Jersey, Texas, Arizona, California, Florida and Georgia, with two going on in Texas.
"It is our collective hope and belief that this quest to make it to Augusta National will become the dream of kids all over the country and their participation will inspire others to make the effort, and by doing so, to discover this wonderful, wonderful game," said Payne, who was joined by USGA president Glen Nager and PGA of America president Ted Bishop.