Junior Golf Association of Arizona (JGAA) member and Scottsdale resident, Mason Quagliata, earned top honors in the Boys 14-15 age group at the 2017 Drive, Chip and Putt national championships held during Masters week at Augusta National Golf Club. To secure the victory, Quagliata carded a 270.2 yard drive (3rd best in the field), an 11’1” chip aggregate (2nd best in the field) and a 5’10” putt aggregate (5th best in the field).

“Playing in front of a big crowd for the first time was incredible,” said Quagliata. “I had to take deep breaths and play quickly to keep from thinking about it too much. My dad, as well as my coach, John Kostis, gave me tremendous support and I can’t thank them enough.”

Quagliata advanced through the local qualifying in June at The Phoenician Golf Club, a sub-regional qualifying at Grayhawk Golf Club in May and a regional qualifying at Riviera Country Club in October to become one of 20 finalists in the Boys 14-15 age group.

To view Quagliata’s Q & A bio visit Drive Chip Putt Bio. To view Quagliata’s post-event interview on Golf Channel visit Post-Event Interview.

For more information about the JGAA, visit www.JGAA.org or call 602.944.6168.

About Drive, Chip and Putt

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 competition aimed at growing the game by focusing on the three fundamental skills employed in golf.

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.

Registration for the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship is open. Local qualifying will be available in all 50 states. For more information, visit https://www.drivechipandputt.com/.

 About the JGAA

The Junior Golf Association of Arizona is a 501(c)(3) organization with the mission to educate, motivate and inspire Arizona’s youth through golf and all of the valuable lessons and life skills inherent to the game. In addition to hosting competitive events, the JGAA develops programs for local schools, assists golf courses with their junior programs, conducts college prep seminars and etiquette clinics.  The Junior Ambassador and Guest Speaker Programs give JGAA students the opportunity to learn, develop and adopt successful habits and practices – both on and off the golf course – from a collection of prominent, civic-minded community and business leaders. The JGAA also awards two scholarship funds annually to high school senior members of the JGAA for their college education – the Tres Arnold and the John Wolfinger Memorial College Scholarships. The JGAA’s strong belief in teamwork and cooperation has guided the organization for more than 30 years and is instilled in all of its members. For more information on JGAA, visit www.jgaa.org or call 602.944.6168.