STUDENT SPOTLIGHT – KEITA YOBIKO

By Yasuhiro Yobiko

My golf school student and my own 15-year-old son, Keita Yobiko, participated in the Drive, Chip and Putt finals in 2022 and 2023, which are held at Augusta National Golf Club on the Sunday before the Masters every year. Only 80 of the approximately 70,000 junior golfers who attempted to qualify in the United States can participate at Augusta National, but he won the tough qualifying rounds held prior to the finals. I have been to Augusta in the past because two other students from my golf school qualified in 2018. Augusta National is a very special course and there is nothing like it. It is such a great experience no matter how many times we go.

Keita has also achieved great results in addition to participating in the Drive, Chip and Putt. He had 11 consecutive wins on the Southern California PGA Junior Tour; won the Toyota Tour Cup when he was in junior high school; finished in 4th place in the U.S. Kids World Championship (boys 12-year-old division), and played in the Van Horn Cup. He will continue to play, practice and work hard to improve his physical strength, with the aim of winning on the professional golf tour. I am looking forward to his and my other students’ success in the future.