SUDBURY — If a national title was awarded to a child who appears calm and unflappable, then it’s no contest.
The winner would be Champa Visetsin.
The 12-year-old Sudbury girl’s answers to questions posed during a recent phone interview were clear, succinct, and always delivered in a serene tone.
But the pressure is on — and that means Champa’s calm nature will be tested — when she competes April 4 in the Drive, Chip & Putt national finals at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia — home of The Masters, one of the world’s signature golf tournaments.
Drive, Chip & Putt has been around since 2013. It’s a partnership between the Masters Tournament, the United States Golf Association and the Professional Golfers’ Association. Its aim is to grow the sport.
Champa will be on the 18th green of Augusta, just four days before the first round of this year’s Masters is teed up. It is on that green that she will attempt three putts — from 6, 15 and 30 feet from the pin. And she will be judged on how close she comes to the hole on each shot.
The pressure will build, because the competition is broadcast live on the Golf Channel.
The drive and chip portions of the competition are held in Augusta’s practice area, and the judging is scored similarly to the putt portion. Three drives and three chips, and points are awarded based on how close Champa comes to the hole on each shot.
If Champa earns the highest cumulative point total on all nine shots, she will walk away with the title in the girls’ 10-11 age bracket. And hoist a trophy.
“Have a fun experience, make great memories, and hopefully win as well,” Champa said of her goal in Augusta. She’ll compete against nine others in her age group.
Technically, Champa missed the cut-off in the 10-11 age bracket. But organizers said that is acceptable, because she was denied the chance to compete in last year’s national final — it was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
To earn the right to compete at Augusta, Champa cleared three hurdles in Drive, Chip & Putt — she finished in the top three in a local competition, top two in a sub-regional and won a regional event.
Strengths— and one challenge
Of the three skills Champa must excel at to win next month’s title, she said putting and chipping are her strengths. They’re closer to the hole, giving her the feeling that she has more control over the outcome.
The drive is more challenging, Champa said, because it’s a longer shot and anything can happen, like a gust of wind that could send her shot off course.
To make sure she’s ready for the big stage, Champa said practice is the key.
“I will work on all parts of my game, so I can be at my best when I go down to Augusta,” she said.
On the links since age 5
Champa has been at her best since her father, Khamphay Visetsin, introduced her to golf at the age of 5. She scored a hole-in-one at a course in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, at age 7, a par-3 hole that Champa said was about 90 yards long. She hasn’t experienced another one since, but has won a few tournaments.
“I’ve done decent. I always want to do better,” she said.
Champa’s mother, Latsamy Visetsin, described her daughter as an “introvert” and “very modest.”
“To see (my daughter) accomplish things has been amazing. We’re so proud of her,” she said.
Golf isn’t Champa’s entire world. She also loves reading, writing and drawing. And baking, too, although she said her latest attempt at making peanut butter cookies didn’t go so well.
“I used the wrong ingredients,” she said.
The pandemic has put her in remote learning for more than a year, separated from her friends at the Ephraim Curtis Middle School.
“I really miss being around my classmates,” Champa said.
Long drive to Augusta
The Visetsins will drive to Augusta, so Champa will have plenty of time to think about how’ll she’ll perform at Drive, Chip & Putt.
Win or lose, she will remain calm, a trait she said comes from her dad.
“Golf is pretty terrifying, in general,” Champa said. “I take deep breaths, and just hit the ball. If it’s bad, you get another one.”
Henry Schwan is a multimedia journalist for the Daily News. Follow Henry on Twitter @henrymetrowest. He can be reached at hschwan@wickedlocal.com or 508-626-3964.