Two Palm Beach County residents qualify for DCP National Finals
JUPITER — Jupiter resident Leah Gram and Luke Parsons of Palm Beach Gardens share the same favorite golfer -- Justin Thomas -- and next spring they will share the same experience:
Competing in the Drive Chip & Putt Finals at Augusta National on the eve of the Masters.
Both players qualified for the trip to golf’s heaven Sunday by winning the Regional Finals at the Bear’s Club. Gram advanced in the Girls 12-13 with 129 points while Parsons won the Boys 14-15 with 156 points. It will be the second Finals trip for Parsons (he made it in 2018 in the 8-9 division, finishing third) and the first for Gram, who was second in the Regional last year.
But Gram and Parsons – no, not the 1960s musician – have vastly different personalities. That’s obvious when looking at Parsons’ golf bag.
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It reads: “Luke Parsons. Two-time world champion.”
“I won at Midland Country Club in Pinehurst when I was at 6 and at Torrey Pines when I was 8,” Parsons said.
He doesn’t lack confidence. That was apparent when he was asked why Thomas is his favorite golfer.
“We’re sponsored by the same company,” Parsons said, “and when I met him at PGA National in 2018 before the Honda Classic, he signed my golf bag and I signed him a ball.”
Come again?
“He said it’s the first time someone had signed something back for him,” Parsons said.
Why wouldn’t Thomas want an autographed ball from an 8-year-old two-time world champion who hopes to add another title at Augusta National next April?
Asked what would be the first thing he does when he returns to Augusta National, Parsons didn’t blink. “Win it,” he said. “I didn’t play great last time, but I still walked away with some hardware.”
Gram is just thrilled to make her first drive down Magnolia Lane. The 12-year-old seventh grader at Independence Middle School was disappointed when she just missed out last year, and she was worried that would happen again Sunday.
“I didn’t think I won at all,” Gram said. “My putting and chipping were so-so today.”
Fortunately, she crushed three drives to earn 52 points, giving her a cushion for her 13-point victory over Maya Lilja. Gram admitted she was nervous starting Sunday’s competition.
“When I was hitting the driver, my hands were shaking,” Gram said. “Driving is my favorite because I can hit the ball far. I was able to calm down and just play my own game and not worry about anyone else.”
Gram's father played against Swedish stars Henrik Stenson, Peter Hanson
Gram started playing golf five years ago when the family moved from New York to Jupiter. Her father, Peter Andersson, played golf while growing up in Sweden and played against Swedish stars Henrik Stenson and Peter Hanson.
“I wanted to get her in the same sport I love,” Andersson said. “It’s a great sport because you can play with anyone you want at any level or age. It’s a dream come true for her to make it to Augusta after coming close last year.”
Gram and Parsons were among four players from the South Florida PGA Junior Tour who advanced Sunday. The others were Larissa Wheelless of Miami in Girls 7-9 and Daniel Barcenas of Weston in Boys 10-11. The South Florida PGA ran Sunday’s event.
In addition to earning a trip to Augusta National, the winners also received an autographed flag from six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus, founder of the Bear’s Club.
“It’s super cool to get a signed flag from one of the greatest golfers of all time,” Gram said.
No word if Parsons left an autographed item for the Golden Bear.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Drive Chip & Putt on eve of Masters includes 2 Palm Beach County golfers
