EL PASO, Texas ( KTSM ) — Natalia Velasquez, a 13-year-old golfer with the First Tee-Greater El Paso program, punched her ticket to the nationally televised Drive, Chip, and Putt National Finals held at the prestigious Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia every year, a week before the Masters tournament.
“It just felt so surreal. You dreamt of it. You’ve seen it in your mind 100 times, and it’s just amazing to actually be there,” Velasquez said.
Velasquez will be one of 10 finalists competing at Augusta National in her age category of 12- to 13-year-olds.
The Drive, Chip, and Putt competition challenges young golfers between the ages of 7 to 15 to showcase their driving, chipping, and putting skills through three attempts of each shot at regional qualifiers throughout the country.
Velasquez will represent the South-Central region after placing first at the regional qualifiers held on Sept. 29 at the Fields Ranch at PGA Frisco, Texas.
“It’s really hard to stay in the moment, because you know what you’re looking up to, what you’re fighting for. You just have to stay in the moment and be calm,” Velasquez said.