AC Flora freshman sees ‘great opportunity’ in Drive, Chip and Putt finals in Augusta

It’s Monday, and the big day is almost at hand. Spring break provides extra opportunity for Owen Atkinson to zero his concentration on the bullseye.

“Preparing the best I can,” he said. “Getting in the right head space.”

That focus centers on golf, both the physical and mental aspects of the game, and the goal is success on Sunday in the Drive, Chip and Putt competition at the Augusta National Golf Club.

Atkinson, a freshman at A.C. Flora High and a member of the Falcons’ high-powered golf program, will compete in the boys’ 14-15 age group. Antsy anticipation comes naturally.

“It’s a great opportunity,” he said prior to Monday’s session with Paul Woodbury, the PGA of America professional who heads Florence Country Club’s acclaimed junior program and works with Atkinson on both his swing and the mental aspects of the game.

Indeed, making the Drive, Chip and Putt finals puts a young golfer in a rare place. Only 80 players — 10 in each age group — out of the thousands who entered the program last spring earn the chance to compete at Augusta National the Sunday prior to the Masters.

Atkinson advanced by leading his age group through local qualifying at Par Tee Golf Center, then the sub-regional at Fort Jackson Golf Club and the regional at the Golf Club of Tennessee. The latter — with a spot at Augusta at stake — unfolded with plenty of drama and tense moments.

“I had the lead after the driving, but I didn’t chip well and think I was third going into the putting,” he said. “I knew I had to putt well.”

He did.

He made his first two, then lagged his third to take the lead — and prevailed by one point.

“The waiting wasn’t easy,” he said, “and I was thinking, ‘This is surreal.’ ”

Atkinson’s performance did not surprise Flora coach Robert Dargan, who called the freshman “a very capable player who is going to get better and better each year. You’ll be seeing his name a lot in the future.”

For now, it’s Augusta, and the Drive, Chip and Putt appearance is a step along his growth path that began with his grandfather, Steve Zimmerman, introducing him to golf.

“He took me to the course when I was about 4, and I fell in love with the game,” Atkinson said. “I knew golf was my sport and that’s been my focus.”

He won his age group in the 2022 Grant Bennett Junior Invitational, and his earning a place in the DCP finals is another step forward toward his long-term ambition of playing professional golf.

His cheering section Sunday will include dad Zack, mom Katie and younger brother Zim, and he hopes to provide plenty of reason to celebrate.

“It’s going to be a great experience,” Owen said, thinking ahead to Sunday and the competition that ends with putts on the fabled 18th green — the site where so many Masters have been decided.

Anything else? Well, meeting his golfing idol Jordan Spieth would be icing on the cake.

How to watch Drive, Chip and Putt finals

• When: 8 a.m. Sunday
• TV: Golf Channel
• Streaming: Peacock