WATCH: Young Manitoban Ryan Blair heading to Augusta National Golf Club.
He may be only 11 years old, but Ryan Blair is about to live every golfer’s dream.
The Oakbank native is one of the only Canadians who qualified to compete in Augusta at the Drive, Chip and Putt Championships this coming April.
He recently won the regional finals of the boys 10-11 age bracket in Minneapolis, Minnesota to earn a spot at one of the most storied golf courses around.
“It was probably one of the biggest moments of my life,” said Blair. “It’s one of the biggest golf tournaments in the world and it’s just unbelievable getting to go.”
About 40,000 talented hopefuls competed for the spots and only 100 earned a chance to play at Augusta National Golf Club.
“All parents live vicariously through their children and what he can’t appreciate because he’s 11,” said his dad Jeff Blair, “I can appreciate what’s going to happen.”
Ryan Blair started hitting a ball around with his older sister’s pretend magic wand at just a year old and wanted to golf ever since.
He has never had a consistent coach and doesn’t mind keeping it that way.
“I don’t really have a person that I want to be like, I just like being myself,” said Blair.
He competes with a customized Canadian sticker on his club that was given to him by a friend and said he is the only junior to do so.
“It’s just like watching a mini golf pro out here practicing and playing,” said Shane Dick, Head Pro of Pine Ridge Golf Club, who noticed Blair’s talent early on.
“He’s a tiny little two and a half three foot tall kid running around hitting these great shots and all the members stand back watching and wishing they could do it,” said Dick.
Blair is looking forward to competing alongside some of the best golfers to ever play the game in a few months. He could be one of them some day.
In the meantime, he will continue to train at Pine Ridge Golf Club with his six-year-old brother as his practice partner.
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