Matthew Vital of Bethlehem, Penn., will compete in the 2019 Drive, Chip & Putt national finals at Augusta National. The junior golf event is held the weekend before the Masters. (Photo: Mark Wogenrich/The Morning Call)
BY AAGD STAFF
(February 14, 2019) – In the event that he finds the opportunity at the 2019 Masters, Matthew Vital of Bethlehem, Penn., intends to bravely approach Tiger Woods for some chipping guidance. One of Vital’s most loved shots is Woods’ 2005 chip-in at No. 16 which prompted Woods’ fourth Master’s triumph. That was back in 2005, the same year that Matthew was born.
The promising 13-year-old golfer wishes for an opportunity to meet Woods next April at Augusta National, where he will contend in the 2019 Drive, Chip and Putt national finals. By recently winning a regional qualifier at Congressional Country Club, Vital earned one of 80 coveted spots in the junior competition sponsored by the Masters, United States Golf Association and PGA of America.
Vital will contend in the national Drive, Chip and Putt for the title April 7 to commence Masters week. As a major aspect of the trek, Vital’s family will also e by his side, and they will get tickets to Monday’s training rounds, giving Matthew and his twin sibling, Michael, the opportunity to watch Woods play.
Twin siblings Matthew (left) and Michael Vital, both 12 of Bethlehem, contend on the Lehigh Valley Junior Golf Tour. Matthew earned a trek to the 2019 Masters for the Drive, Chip and Putt national finals, which will be held at Augusta National.
Drive, Chip & Putt is a national skills competition for boys and girls ages 7-15, focusing on the three fundamental golf skills. Players competed in three stages of qualifying, which began at nearly 300 local sites across the country.
Matthew and Michael, eighth-graders at Lehigh Valley Academy, placed first and second at a local qualifier at Moselem Springs this summer. Matthew then advanced to Congressional, where he won the 12-13 boys division by topping the driving and chipping competitions.
RELATED ARTICLE: Shyla Carolyn Brown
Golfing to Win in sport and life
“I need to work on my putting,” he said to mcall.com.
The brothers began playing golf at age 2, when their father took them to the driving range at Bethlehem Municipal. They receive coaching from Bethlehem teaching professionals Eric Cogorno and Alex Knoll. The Vital family recently joined Northampton Country Club, where the kids quickly became popular members. They are also members of the Junior Golf Association of the Lehigh Valley, US Kids Junior golf tour, and Golf Association of Philadelphia
Matthew (left) with his father Gus(center) and twin brother Jonathan (right).
Originally from Haiti, Vital’s father, Gus, openly admitted to mcom.com: “I joke with them that, when I was their age, I had no clue what golf was,”
Matthew Vital
In their father’s case, he promised himself that when he had children, he would definitely provide them with an opportunity to play the sport. Today, Gus’s decision has certainly paid off, “I was player of the year for the US kids North Jersey golf tour for the last 2 years. I won 16 tournaments last year (2018). And, I was the youngest to quality for the Lehigh Valley Amateur last year,” says his son Matthew who plays at a 2.5 handicap.
Matthew and Michael Vital contend on the Lehigh Valley Junior Golf Tour, where Matthew won an ongoing occasion at Iron Lakes with rounds of 68-73. Michael’s best score is 72.
Playing in the Lehigh Valley Amateur’s Presidential Flight, at age 11, Matthew met all requirements for match play.
“I was truly energized,” Matthew said to mcom.com, of fitting the bill for the Drive, Chip and Putt finals. “But my dad, he was probably happier than I was.”
