Brycen Tisch, a freshman at Zionsville Community High School and member of the school’s golf team, recently competed in the Drive, Chip & Putt contest at the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. The tournament aired live on April 7 on the Golf Channel.
His mother, Breanne Tisch, says he enjoyed the experience.
“Brycen placed fourth in chipping, but it was not in the top three,” she says. “When we got back from the practice round, it was beyond any of our expectations. It was an amazing experience.”
She says Brycen has worked hard to achieve his goals over the past several years.
“Brycen has competed at Drive, Chip & Putt since 2016,” Tisch says. “This year, when competing at Scioto, he tied for first and had to compete in a sudden-death putt-off of 15 feet. Brycen went second and drained it, giving him the win to compete at nationals. It was definitely an exciting moment.”
Brycen has also consistently improved.
“At the local event, Brycen scored a personal best, 169, winning both the driving and putting competitions,” Tisch says. “His score here was the best, not only in his age division, but of the entire field of competitors in all age divisions.”
At sub-regionals, Brycen scored a 127, winning the driving competition yet again.
“His second-place finish qualified him for the regional competition in Columbus, Ohio,” Tisch says. “At regionals he scored a 154, winning the competition for his division with a tie-breaking 15-foot putt. With the exception of the tiebreaker in his division, his score bested the entire field of competitors in all age divisions.”
Brycen is one of 10 participants in the country who competed at nationals.
“He represents the Great Lakes region in the boys 14- and 15-year-old division,” Tisch says. “He competed on the 18th green at Augusta National for the putting competition.”
Brycen was excited before the tournament.
“Brycen has always watched the Masters, and had a goal to complete there,” Tisch says. “The realization that his hard work, dedication and perseverance has afforded him the privilege to see this dream come to fruition in person is very rewarding and exciting. This was his last year of eligibility and after seven years of trying, and it means so much to him.”
Brycen began playing golf when he was only 18 months old.
“My husband, Bryan, is a golfer and introduced him to the sport,” Tisch says. “Brycen, from a young age, had a love for the game, constantly wanting to play. Bryan took him golfing countless times and that is where Brycen always loved to be.”
Brycen spent a lot of time practicing at home, which seems to have paid off.
“My husband eventually put in an authentic golf hole in our backyard, and Brycen would spend hours there chipping and putting,” he says. “When he was five, we entered him into his first golf tournament through the Indianapolis Golf Tour. In the 5- to 7-year-old age group, the kids played three holes. Not only did he win his first tournament, he ended up winning player of the year for the Indianapolis summer tour. He continued with that program and earned player of the year every year he competed, from 2014 to 2019, winning most of the tournaments played.”
