By Theresa O’Connor
Augusta National Golf Club, the Georgia golf course that hosts the Masters Tournament every year, is where the most prestigious and professional golfers have set foot.
That is also where sophomore Jay Nergard played at the National Finals, hosted by Drive, Chip & Putt, or DCP, – a joint initiative founded in 2013 by the United States Golf Association, the Masters Tournament and the PGA of America.
Jay tied for fifth at the tournament. He says it was the best course he has every played and feels lucky for the opportunity given to him. He says, “It was an amazing experience because most people can only dream of going to this course, much less playing on it, so being able to hit balls at Augusta National was great.”
During his stay, Jay enjoyed some exclusive opportunities. “After the competition, I got to eat in the founders’ room, which is a place for only the members, “he says,” I got to meet a lot of tour pros there, an experience like no other. All in all, it was probably my favorite trip yet.”
The National Finals took place on April 3, rounding up only the top golfers from each state. To qualify for the tournament, Jay first competed among 326 golfers at the Local Qualifiers tournament. After advancing, he went against 60 others in the Sub Regional Qualifiers, before finally placing first among 10 at the Regional Qualifiers.
Jay was one of 80 junior golfers out of the tens of thousands of participants nationwide who earned a spot to compete in this esteemed tournament.
The tournament requires golfers to showcase their skills in driving, chipping and putting. The competitors take three shots in each category, accumulating a maximum of 75 points per skill. These three scores are then added up out of a maximum of 225 points. The winner has the highest score, typically ranging from 140-160 points.
Jay has been playing golf for seven years, three of them competitively. He has been competing in the DCP program for seven years and previously qualified for the regional tournament at Torrey Pines Golf Course in 2019.
Up to this point, Jay has been working with his golf instructor, Jake Thovadson, or J.T., who has helped him with his “drivers, chippers and putters.” To prepare for the national competition, he practiced meticulously after school to work on “sharpening the game.”
As he continues to advance in his golf career, Jay hopes to be the No. 1 golfer in Arizona. He participates in the Junior Golf Association of Arizona and competes in multiple “big shot” tournaments. Tempe Prep wishes Jay the best of luck in his golfing endeavors!