Last month on Sunday, just ahead of the Masters, the National Finals of the Drive, Chip & Putt (DCP) wer e held at Augusta National Golf Club. Four Ohio junior golfers made it through local, subregional and regional qualifiers to compete at the home of the Masters. Preston Tolnar Preston Tolnar’s father, Brian is the Director of Golf at Mill Creek Golf Course in Boardman and introduced Preston to golf when he was just six years old. He plays a full schedule of junior tournaments in Northeast Ohio and has a goal to be on the PGA Tour someday. His favorite part of the game is chipping and spends over two hours daily practicing at the Mill Creek facility. Preston said of this opportunity to compete at Augusta National, “I practice a lot and you have to work hard to get to Augusta. I practice for two and half hours a day.” Preston’s father Brian said of the experience, “Only 10 kids have the opportunity to go there and no matter how it plays out, just having the opportunity to walk off the 18th green, where the champions walk off , I think is very, very, special. It’s like going to Disneyland. Just to have Preston compete at the highest level, to play the world’s best juniors and to say you stepped foot on Augusta at age 9 is unbelievable.” Preston totaled 17 points at the DCP Finals, good for fifth place and garnered a lifetime of memories for his time at Augusta National. Nikitha Suresh Nikitha Suresh from Plain City made it to the DCP subRegional in 2019, but was able to win a playoff at the Scioto Country Club Regionals last September to qualify for the 2024 DCP Finals. She loves watching Victor Hovland on television and enjoyed watching Jon Rahm win the 2020 Memorial at Muirfield Village. Four Ohio Junior Golfers Make It To Drive, Chip & Putt Finals
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