ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — For the first time, a local youth golfer has won their age group at the Drive, Chip, and Putt National Finals as St. Augustine’s Lily Wachter finished first in the girls 10–11-year-old division.
The event is annually held at Augusta National Golf Club on the eve of the Masters Tournament.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
Wachter is no stranger to the Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals, having qualified in 2023 as well.
In her second appearance, she used experience from last year and remembered her dad’s advice to stay calm and continue “playing [her] own game.”
Wachter, who plays locally at the Golf Club at South Hampton, started fast by winning both the drive and chip competitions to give herself a commanding lead heading into the final discipline. Two solid putts later and Wachter claimed the title.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
It was a memorable weekend in Augusta for Wachter, who had a chance to witness Florida State University golfer Lottie Woad’s victory in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur on Saturday.
Wachter enjoyed watching Woad’s process saying, “I thought it was amazing how she went through her routine and hit the shots, and mostly every shot was where she was aimed, and it went how she thought it was going to go.”
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.