“It’s really cool just to honor Team Ohio and be a part of this,” Zitzner said. “Going to the national championship is just really cool.”
The group of nine golfers ages 10 to 13 will partner with PGA REACH Southern Ohio, the section’s 501(c)(3) foundation dedicated to supporting veterans, youth and underserved communities through golf, during the national championship in Texas.
Chaz’s father Brad Zitzner said he’s looking forward to the golfers having “a chance to get excited together.”
“One of the things I’m excited about is to get the word out that PGA REACH exists,” Brad Zitzner said. “I think that people should know that if golf is something they want to get into and they don’t have the financial resources that PGA REACH can help make that happen. So they provide lessons, grants for lessons. They provide clubs, and in some cases, bags, so hopefully they can capture kids who really want to get into golf that otherwise couldn’t.”
Team Ohio is asking for monetary pledges for every birdie made during the national championship to be donated benefitting PGA REACH Southern Ohio.
According to a release, “with four two-player teams competing over 36 holes, the group expects to make between 50 and 65 birdies, with each one turning into a donation toward programs that remove barriers to the game.”
“Every birdie we make will help someone right here in Southern Ohio,” head coach Chris Yoder stated in a release. “Our kids are not only great players, they’re learning how golf can be a force for good.”
Chaz Zitzner said preparation for the national championship began when Team Ohio qualified in September.
“We’re playing on the simulator a lot as a team,” Chaz Zitzner said. “We’ve done a lot of playing with our partner and just getting more team chemistry with them, and just practicing a lot with the team.”
In addition to competing for a national championship, Team Ohio wants to extend its community outreach.
Credit: Kieran Cleeves/Augusta National
Credit: Kieran Cleeves/Augusta National
With each donation, initiatives such as “Clubs Fore Kids,” which provides new golf equipment to students in need, and PGA HOPE Southern Ohio, which introduces golf to veterans and active duty military, will benefit.
Chaz Zitzner said he enjoys volunteering and giving back to others through the game of golf.
“We also volunteer at Nationwide Children’s Hospital,” Chaz Zitzner said. “We set up like mini-golf courses and stuff, and when kids walk by we kind of get them and teach them how to play golf and it’s really cool.”
The national championship represents the latest challenge in Chaz Zitzner’s young golf career. It also symbolizes what the game means to him.
For Team Ohio, the PGA Jr. League National Championship will give them a chance to compete on a national stage while making an impact at home.
“It’s awesome for this opportunity,” Chaz Zitzner said. “Hopefully make a lot of birdies and donate a lot of money.”
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