Rising to the Moment: Nirvika Koduru’s Drive, Chip, & Putt Journey
Many junior golfers dream about competing at Augusta National. For Nirvika Koduru, that opportunity arrived earlier this spring and she made the most of it.
On April 5, 2026, Koduru competed in the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club, earning the Girls 14–15 title against some of the top junior players in the country. Her consistency across all three skills, especially around the greens, separated her throughout the competition.
Koduru’s path to Augusta began long before the qualifying season. A regular on the South Florida PGA Junior Tour, she opened her 2025 season with a fifth-place finish at The Links at Boynton Beach on the Srixon Medalist Tour and continued to test herself in competitive events throughout the year. Those tournament rounds helped lay the groundwork for her Drive, Chip and Putt run.
As qualifying progressed, so did the level of competition, but Koduru continued to pull away from the field. She won the Local Qualifier at The Old Course at Broken Sound by more than 40 points, followed it with a nearly 20-point victory at the Sub-Regional Qualifier at BallenIsles Country Club, and then claimed the Regional Qualifier at TPC Sawgrass by seven points.
“Winning the Local Qualifier gave me confidence heading into the next stages,” Koduru said. “My short game was probably the biggest reason I advanced. I chipped in during every qualifier, which was pretty memorable.”
Her preparation for Nationals stayed simple. Most days were spent practicing at Stonebridge Country Club in Boca Raton, FL alongside her sister, Nishika Koduru, where the two regularly turned short-game sessions into competitions.
“We’ve always practiced that way,” Koduru said. “It keeps things competitive, and I think that helped when the pressure picked up at Nationals.”
Arriving at Augusta National was still a surreal moment. Koduru described walking onto the property, meeting players like Annika Sorenstam, and sharing the practice areas with professionals as one of the highlights of the week. But once the competition began, she settled into a familiar routine.
Koduru entered the putting portion with a four-point lead after strong performances in both driving and chipping. The moment that effectively secured the title came on a 30-foot putt.
“Once that putt went in, I felt like I could finally relax a little,” she said. “After that, I just wanted to finish strong.”
With the Drive, Chip and Putt title behind her, Koduru is now focused on the rest of the 2026 season. Her goals include contending in South Florida PGA Junior Tour majors and earning a spot in the inaugural Cameron Young and Justin Thomas Junior Challenge Cup.
“I feel like my game is improving in a lot of areas,” Koduru said. “I want to keep building from this and see how far I can take it.”
For Koduru, Augusta was not the finish line, just another step forward.
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Lake Worth, FL – Matthew Marigliano of Palm Beach Gardens and Esha Nagalla of Pinecrest were crowned champions at the Srixon South Florida PGA Junior Medalist Tour event, held May 2–3, 2026, at Park Ridge Golf Course. Boys 13–18 Division After the first round, Marigliano and Jack Smith of Miami Springs led the Boys 13–18 Division with scores of 4-under par. Round two brought significant movement on the leaderboard, resulting in a three-way tie at 5-under par between Kenny Klein of Palm Beach Gardens, Reed Weekley of Davie, and Marigliano. Marigliano secured the championship after one playoff hole with a birdie on the par-5 10th hole. Klein finished as runner-up, winning a scorecard playoff by two strokes. Girls 13–18 Division Esha Nagalla of Pinecrest played two consistent rounds, posting scores of 2-under par in round one and 3-under par in round two. Nirvika Koduru of Boca Raton fired the tournament-low round of 5-under par to force a sudden-death playoff following round two. After three playoff holes, Nagalla secured the championship with a par. This marks Nagalla’s first victory on the Srixon Medalist Tour since joining in 2025. The Srixon South Florida PGA Medalist Tour welcomed 57 boys and 28 girls across two divisions. The Medalist Tour, the premier membership-based junior golf program of the South Florida PGA Foundation, continues its season June 5–6, 2026, at PGA National Resort on the Fazio Course. Leaderboard | Event Photos
BOYNTON BEACH, FL – Andrew Tsar of Palm Beach Gardens and Mia Heuberger of Palm Beach Gardens were crowned champions at the Srixon South Florida PGA Junior Medalist Tour event. This event was held April 25–26, 2026, at Hunter’s Run Country Club on the East Course. Boys 13–18 Division Andrew Tsar of Palm Beach Gardens carded an opening round of 6-under-par to take a one-shot lead over Chris Capello of Palm Beach and Jose Carlos Lopez-Lay of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, heading into the final round. Hogan Blais of Ottawa, Ontario opened with a 4-under-par 67, sitting five shots back of the lead. Tsar delivered a strong closing performance, recording seven birdies in the second round, including one on his final hole to secure the division title at 9-under par. Blais matched that momentum with seven birdies of his own in the final round to finish as runner-up at 8-under par. The Boys 13–18 division produced impressive scoring across the field, posting a combined average of 73.75. Players recorded a total of 10 eagles and 337 birdies over the two rounds. Girls 13–18 Division Mia Heuberger of Palm Beach Gardens opened with a 3-under-par round, sitting just one shot behind Nina Fischer of Key Biscayne. Heuberger matched that score in the final round, finishing at 6-under par for the tournament to tie Fischer and force a sudden-death playoff. The playoff was decided on the first extra hole, where Heuberger made birdie on the par-5, 481-yard 10th to secure the division title. The victory marks Heuberger’s second career Medalist Tour win, with her first coming March 22–23, 2025, at Park Ridge Golf Course. The Srixon South Florida PGA Medalist Tour welcomed 59 boys and 27 girls across two divisions. The Medalist Tour, the premier membership-based junior golf program of the South Florida PGA Foundation, will continue its season May 2-3, 2026, at Park Ridge Golf Course. Event Leaderboards: Girls 13-18 | Boys 13-18 Event Photos
CORAL SPRINGS, FL – After two windy rounds, Hagen Bensel of Jupiter and Skylar Kotzen of Wellesley, MA were crowned champions at the Srixon South Florida PGA Junior Medalist Tour event. This event was held April 11–12, 2026, at Eagle Trace Golf Club. Boys 13–18 Division After the first round, Francisco Cupp of Saratoga Springs, and Tankhun Ritthisorn of Jupiter were leading the Boys 13-18 Division by three shots with scores of 3-under. In round two, Hagen Bensel of Jupiter, took advantage of the windy day, shooting 3-under in round two, taking him to 2-under for the two days. Bensel’s performance in round two led him to victory by two shots over Jeremy Hsu of Port Saint Lucie. Hsu finished in second place after two steady rounds at even par. Joining the South Florida PGA Junior Tour in 2023, first competing on the Links Tour, this win marks Bensels’ first win on the Medalist Tour. Girls 13–18 Division Skylar Kotzen of Wellesley, MA, in the Girls 13-18 Division, shot 2-over in the first round, leading by four shots over Sarah Earle of Jupiter, Yool Her of Pembroke Pines, Danielle Hernandez of Miami, and Elisa Hernandez of Parkland. A round two score of 4-over was just enough for Kotzen to capture the title, finishing 6-over. Ashley Balcom of Lighthouse Point scored an even-par second round to climb the leaderboard, finishing in second place with a weekend total of 7-over. This is Kotzen’s first victory on the Srixon Medalist Tour since joining the Medalist Tour in 2025.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL – Haoting Zhou, Petra Compton and Eli Widom earned division titles at the Srixon South Florida PGA Medalist Tour event, held March 28-29, 2026, at Okeeheelee Golf Course. With the poor weather on Sunday, the second round was cancelled and champions were crowned based on round 1 scores. Boys 13–18 Division In the Boys 13–18 Division, Haoting Zhou of Boca Raton earned the title after an opening round of 2-under. Based on the round one score, Zhou won by one shot over Jack Zeder of Coral Gables, who carded a 1-under total in the first round. Zhou’s performance earned him his first champion title on the Medalist Tour since joining the Junior Tour in 2022. Girls 13–18 Division In the Girls 13–18 Division, Petra Compton of Palmetto Bay was crowned champion after an opening round score of even-par. Compton won by two shots over Sophia Christy of Palm Beach Gardens due to a round two cancellation. This win marks Compton’s second win of the 2026 Medalist Tour Season, the first being at the Links at Boynton Beach on February 7-8. Boys 11–12 Division In the Boys 11–12 Division, Eli Widom of Parkland carded a first-round score of 2-over. Due to a round 2 cancellation, Widom remained in the first-place spot, winning by five strokes over Deven Allen of 7-over. This is the second time Widom has won this season, with his first also being at the Links of Boynton Beach on February 7-8. The Srixon South Florida PGA Medalist Tour welcomed 51 boys and 24 girls across three divisions. The field combined for a total of one eagle and 137 birdies with a total scoring average of 80.78. The Medalist Tour, the premier membership-based junior golf program of the South Florida PGA Foundation, will continue its season April 11-12, 2026, at Eagle Trace Golf Club. Event Photos | Event Leaderboard
BOCA RATON, FL – Bento Assis of Porto Alegre, Brazil, and Lilly Parker of North Palm Beach earned division titles at the Srixon South Florida PGA Junior Medalist Tour event, held March 14–15, 2026 at Osprey Point Golf Course on the Falcon/Hawk Courses.
“When you get an opportunity, take full advantage of it,” Tyler Nagy said. “If you're not taking advantage of every single opportunity that's given to you, then it’s a wasted opportunity.” That philosophy has guided Tyler Nagy since he was named the first recipient of the South Florida PGA Foundation Scholarship in 2018. The scholarship gave him the chance to pursue his education at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, and focus fully on making the most of his college experience. A valedictorian at Sebastian River High School in Vero Beach, Florida, Nagy had already demonstrated a strong commitment to academics, athletics, and service. The son of PGA Member Bela Nagy, Director of Golf at Sandridge Golf Club in Vero Beach, Florida, he was a natural fit for the scholarship and arrived at Rollins in the fall of 2018, determined to seize every opportunity. Between 2018 and 2021, Nagy earned multiple undergraduate degrees, including a primary degree in mathematics, a secondary degree in public policy, and a minor in data analytics. He remained at Rollins to complete his Master of Business Administration, graduating in 2023 at the top of his class. He was equally committed on the field. A five-year member of the Rollins men’s soccer team, Nagy played in 63 matches and served as captain in his final season, helping lead the program to an Elite Eight appearance — just the third in school history. Off the field, he served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and worked as both a tutor and writing advisor. For Nagy, success meant going beyond the minimum. “I tried to do everything I could do academically and athletically,” he shared. “I never wanted to look back and wish I had worked harder.” Attending a private institution came with financial considerations, and Nagy acknowledges that without the South Florida PGA Foundation Scholarship, institutional aid, and Florida’s Bright Futures Scholarship, Rollins may not have been possible. “It was the difference between carrying debt for years and graduating from my undergrad debt-free,” he said. “It opened up an avenue that I never thought was there.” Today, Nagy is pursuing another graduate degree at the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering, completing a master’s program in data science. The degree builds on his professional work in healthcare analytics, where he has advanced from his company’s first data analyst into a leadership role overseeing analytics strategy and decision-making. From scholarship recipient to graduate student and analytics leader, Nagy’s journey reflects the belief that opportunity only matters if you choose to embrace it. Over the years, the South Florida PGA Foundation has supported nine students in their pursuit of higher education, and the program continues to grow. In 2026, the Foundation increased its scholarship to two $30,000 awards, annually impacting the lives of students in the community.
VERO BEACH, FL – Martin Bustos, Ella Hrbata, and Maxence Le Theo earned division titles at the Srixon South Florida PGA Medalist Tour event, held February 21-22, 2026, at Sandridge Golf Club on the Dunes Course.
BOYNTON BEACH, FL – Monssoh, Compton, and Widom earned division titles at the Srixon South Florida PGA Junior Medalist Tour event, held February 7–8, 2026, at The Links at Boynton Beach on the Champion Course.
BOYNTON BEACH, FL - Hogan Blais and Angela Nip crowned champions at the 2026 Srixon South Florida PGA Winter Kickoff held January 17-19 at Indian Spring Country Club on the East Course.
For Cameron Young and Justin Thomas, whose strong pairing at the 2025 Ryder Cup was preceded by the special memories they gleaned from separate appearances in the Junior Ryder Cup, there was the opportunity to pay it forward to the young golfers of today. This winter, for 24 talented juniors, such largesse on behalf of Young and Thomas will provide them with a riveting competition that begins with the inaugural playing of the Cameron Young/Justin Thomas South Florida PGA Junior Tour Challenge Cup. Captained by Young and Thomas, this two-day Ryder Cup-style event will feature two teams of 12 players each (eight boys and four girls), and will be held at Emerald Dunes Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. There will be 27 holes of team play on the first day -- 9 holes using the Four-Ball or Best-Ball format; 9 holes utilizing the Scramble format; and 9 holes of Modified Alternate Shot. Twelve 18-hole singles matches will be contested on the final day of competition. The first team to reach 12 1/2 points will claim the Junior Challenge Cup. "Both Justin and I are sons of PGA of America Professionals, so it's really important for us to give back to a new generation of kids," said Young, whose father, David, was the longtime PGA Head Professional at Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Scarborough, New York. In the 2014 Junior Ryder Cup, Cameron Young contributed to a U.S. victory in Scotland. Last September, in his Ryder Cup debut, Young tied for the most individual points earned among the Americans, who fell short to the Europeans on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park in his home state. Cameron Young and Justin Thomas teamed to win one of their two matches at Bethpage, and both captured their singles matches in dramatic fashion on the last day of the matches. Thomas, a two-time winner of the PGA Championship, was on the victorious American side in the 2010 Junior Ryder Cup, also played in Scotland. As is the case with David Young helping shape his son's skills, Thomas has worked closely over the years with his father, PGA of America Professional Mike Thomas. Justin Thomas's late grandfather, Paul, also was a PGA Professional. "Cameron and I had such a great partnership together at the Ryder Cup, and we looked at what we could do with this incredible opportunity through the PGA of America," Thomas said. "With both of us having family associated with the PGA of America, this runs in our blood. I'm excited that Cameron and I can do this together." Building on Thomas’ remarks, leadership from the South Florida PGA emphasized the event’s significance for junior golf in the region. "The South Florida PGA is thrilled to announce this exciting, new event and our partnership with Cameron Young and Justin Thomas," said Eric Veilleux, President of the South Florida PGA and the PGA Director of Golf at The Bear's Club in Jupiter, Florida. "This will be a premier event in junior golf, offering an exciting and competitive playing opportunity for some of the most talented juniors in our Section." Renowned golf course architect Tom Fazio designed Emerald Dunes in 1990 and oversaw renovations to the par-72 layout that were completed in 2012. "We at Emerald Dunes are truly honored to host the inaugural Cameron Young/Justin Thomas South Florida PGA Junior Challenge Cup," said Lee Stroever, the PGA Director of Golf at Emerald Dunes Club and the South Florida PGA Junior Golf Committee Chairperson."We are thrilled to welcome the best juniors in the Section for an experience that they will hopefully long remember and cherish." Eager for the inaugural event, Thomas is both proud to have paid forward the types of competitive opportunities that once came his way as a junior golfer and respectful of the level of talent that will be on display at Emerald Dunes. "I look forward to watching," Thomas said, "and, I'm sure at some point, playing against a lot of these players down the road." Click here to view all criteria and more event details.
