BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Drive, chip and putt are three imperative skills in the game of golf, and they’ve led 13-year-old Bismarck native Brody Horner to the biggest stage in golf. He qualified for the national drive, chip and putt competition this past weekend, which is hosted at Augusta National Golf Club.
“It was so special,” Horner said. “I mean, like, I could dream about that every day, and it’s finally happening.”
Horner outhit 11 other 14-15 year old’s to earn one of ten spots in April’s competition, which comes the weekend before The Masters. He’ll be just the second North Dakota native ever to compete in the national competition, which began in 2014.
“It’s insane just watching pros go there every year and just thinking that I’m going to be on the same grounds as they are,” Horner said.
It’s a unique competition that tests your mental approach as much as the physical. Horner learned that the hard way two years ago when he came up one round short of qualifying for nationals.
“It’s really hard mentally because you basically have to hit nine shots perfect,” Horner said. “In an 18-hole match you can miss a couple shots and recover. Nine shots, you don’t have a lot of time to recover.”
Now in his fifth year competing, Horner is learning the nuances of the game and putting a big emphasis on putting and chipping. Those are the same areas that he said kept him from qualifying in 2024.
“I’ve just worked for it every year, and I knew it was bound to happen at some point just by my hard work and hoping it paid off,” Horner said.
Horner said he’s tempering his expectations for the big stage.
“It’s hard not to be super competitive because I’m a very competitive person, but it’s also like you’re going to Augusta,” Horner said. “You still get to shots on Augusta no matter what happens.”
Regardless of the result, he’ll have one more swing at Augusta again next year, but until April he’ll be chipping away and waiting to experience one piece of a tradition that’s unlike any other.
Horner said his family plans to stay in Augusta to hopefully experience watching a round of The Masters as Patrons. He said he’s most looking forward to seeing his favorite golfer, Scottie Scheffler.
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