BERLIN- Worcester Prep freshman golfer Michael DePalma is heading to the Drive, Chip and Putt Nationals in Augusta, Ga. This weekend.
Last September, DePalma placed first in the boys’ 14-15 division of Drive, Chip and Putt (DCP) in the regional event in Rochester, N.Y. to earn a sport in the national competition, which takes place this week in Augusta. DePalma started playing golf with his father and grandfather at the age of 9. He realized his passion for the sport and started playing competitively a year later.
He started playing at Worcester Prep in the seventh grade and is now a member of the varsity team as a freshman. In addition to playing for Worcester Prep, DePalma also plays in the Under Armour Junior Tour’s Eastern Shore League, where he has won several tournaments. This fall, he will be competing in the Hurricane Tour.
At the DCP qualifier last fall, DePalma came in first in his age group to qualify for the nationals. Each golfer is given three attempts, and DePalma scored the highest in his division with a 69 in drive, 40 in chip and 45 in putt for a total qualifying score of 153, good enough for first place. DCP participants advance through local, sub-regional and regional events to earn a place in the national finals, which are held the Sunday before the Masters at Augusta National. The DCP nationals will be televised on the Golf Channel.
