9-Year-Old Brewster Resident Qualifies for World Golf Championship

BREWSTER, NY — Dylan Whitman heads to the US Kids World Golf Championship in August. He's 9.

Dylan, a student at CV Starr Intermediate School in Brewster, has loved golf since he was little, starting with mini golf, his father Don Witman told Patch.

"We realized he had a true passion for it when he was 5 years old and we were out to dinner," Whitman said. "He started making a list of professional golfers he knew. When he got to over 30 names we realized that this was really more than just a phase."

Dylan got his first set of clubs for his sixth birthday. In the ensuing three years, he has worked most closely with Travis Banks at the Links at Unionvale. He plays on the PGA junior league coached by Scott Klemme at Centennial Golf Course in Carmel.

Last season, Dylan finished in first place in the US Kids Hudson Valley Tour — which helped him qualify for the World Championship this summer.

He also was one of just 12 golfers aged 7-9 to make it to the Northeast Regional Qualifier of the Drive, Chip and Putt Competition held at TPC River Highlands this past fall.

The World Championship at Pinehurst, North Carolina is a 3-day tournament starting Aug. 4 with players coming from all over the world to compete. Dylan will be competing in the 9-year-old age category, playing 18 holes each day.

According to his dad, when asked about what he loves most about golf, Dylan said he loves that it is so challenging and unpredictable.