Drive, Chip and Putt recap: Bubba Watson fan Autumn Solesbee among winners
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Waiting for Autumn Solesbee under the iconic oak tree behind Augusta National’s clubhouse was Bubba Watson. As a former Masters champion, Watson has become a regular award presenter at the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals, and Solesbee, who won the girls 7-9-year-old division, couldn’t hide her excitement.
“So inspiring because that’s my favorite golfer and do you know why? Because he adopted his kids, and I am adopted,” Solesbee smiled. “[Watson] was so proud of me, and I was proud of myself, and I was tearing up on the 18th hole.”
Solesbee was one of eight champions on Sunday at the Drive, Chip and Putt finale, and although her victory might have been the most emotional, it wasn’t the most dominant performance in the girls divisions. That honor went to Mia Hammond, who won the girls 14-15 division by six strokes after winning the putting competition and finishing second in the driving and chipping.
Kylie Chung finished with 18 points for a half-point victory over Jordin Christine de Graaf in the girls 10-11 division while Jenna Kim won the girls 12-13 division with 26 points.
Jaden Dumdumaya was even more dominant in the boys 14-15 division with a 29-point total (out of a possible 30 points) and a 10-point victory. Dumdumaya only needed to keep his last putt within 10 feet of the hole to win the division but instead holed the final putt in walk-off fashion.
“I told myself that the putt at the end is to win The Masters so I kind of imagined just like throwing up a Tiger fist pump and all that,” Dumdumaya said. “I was more worried about the celebration kind of because I really wanted it to be something that I remember for the rest of my life so it was a good way to end it.”
Hudson Knapp won the boys 7-9 division by one point and Bentley Coon edged Hagen Williams by a half point in the boys 10-11 division. Michael Jorski won the boys 12-13 division in a tie-breaker after finishing tied with Jacob Thompson at 21 points.