Golf Channel sponsors area youth competition

Youth golfers will be hitting the links at two area golf courses this weekend as part of a national skills competition.

Drive, Chip and Putt, a competition presented by the Golf Channel, will be at Cantigny Golf, 27W270 Mack Road in Wheaton on Saturday and Bolingbrook Golf Club, located at 2001 Rodeo Drive in Bolingbrook, on Sunday.

The event, which makes its way to 85 stops throughout the United States and Canada, bills itself as the world's largest junior golf skills competition.

Boys and girls ages 7 to 14 will be invited to participate in the free events at either location. Both skills events begin at 1 p.m.

Competitors will be divided into four age groups and will compete in driving, chipping and putting competitions with a chance to win prizes and move onto the national competition in Orlando this October.

More than 250 kids have registered for both events, said Elsa Cotto, a spokeswoman for Mutual of Omaha, one of the event's sponsors.

Following the competition in Bolingbrook, the top three competitors in each age bracket from throughout the Midwest region will compete for a chance to win a free trip to Orlando with a parent.

Participants can register at the golf courses or at www.thegolfchannel.com/kids.