Denver, CO – PJ Maybank, a 12-year old from Cheboygan, Michigan and a member of the Jack Nicklaus Academy Junior Elite Team based at Hawks Landing Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, won the 12-13 Boys Age Group at the 2018 Drive, Chip & Putt Championship. PJ placed 6th as a 10-year old in his first appearance at Augusta National Golf Club. PJ was accompanied by Brian O’Neill, Director of Instruction at the Nicklaus Academy Orlando, who has coached PJ since he was 4-years old.
PJ placed 2nd in Driving with a drive measured at 237 yards and 4th in the Chipping portion of the competition. He stepped up to the Putting portion knowing what he needed to do to claim the top price. His 2 pressure packed putts on the famed 18th green at Augusta National, broadcast on Golf Channel, totaled an amazing 1 foot 7 inches, more than enough to win the Championship. In a tip of the cap to Jack Nicklaus, PJ and Brian were sporting socks from STANCE celebrating Jack’s 6th Masters Victory in 1986.
“PJ has put in the time and work on all facets of his game,” says O’Neill. “We knew from past experience that it would probably come down to putting. We have been working with Blast Motion in Orlando at the Orlando World Center Marriott and while PJ is back in Michigan. This technology allowed us to see where PJ’s flaws were and develop a program on how to fix them – regardless of where we were stationed. Drive for show, putt for dough, right?”
PJ has been invited to appear on Golf Channel on Morning Drive LIVE on Saturday, April 28th from 10-12pm as part of Golf Channels’ Junior Golf Week feature.
On a related note, the Jack Nicklaus Academy of Golf at Hong Kong Golf & Tennis Academy is hosting Hong Kong’s first-ever Drive, Chip & Putt format competition on May 26 and 27. 150 competitors are expected to compete.
Contact:
Jennifer Lyons
Synergy Group Marketing SBC
jennifer@synergygroupmarketingsbc.com
