A few days ago, Andre Chi was an unknown name on the Copperhead Course, an aspiring PGA Tour pro with big dreams but a thin wallet. Today, he’s rubbing shoulders with Masters champion Adam Scott and PGA Tour pro Ben An, thanks to a rarely used PGA Tour route known as the Monday Qualifier. This 24-year-old golfer scored a 10-over 81 in his career’s first PGA Tour round, a score that belies the difficulty of the Copperhead Course.
Chi’s golfing journey took an unexpected turn when he caddied for Ben An at the Seminole Pro Member tournament. Here, he expressed his wish to play a practice round if he ever qualified for a PGA Tour event. Little did he know that his wish would be granted sooner than he expected.
Chi’s surprise came in the form of Adam Scott, a former Masters champion and world no.1 golfer, who approached him and An with a simple request to join them. Chi recounts the moment with a sense of awe, recalling Scott’s generosity and valuable advice on tackling the Copperhead Course.
Despite the star-studded company, Chi remains grounded. He recognizes that while he’s playing alongside golfers he’s only seen on TV, they are also his competitors. This perspective helps him maintain his focus on the game.
Andre Chi also acknowledges another key figure in his journey – a golf journalist named Ryan French. With Chi down to his last $60, French set up a fundraiser for him. French’s tweet about Chi’s story, his steady improvement as a college golfer, his struggle after graduation, and his humble background resonated with the golf community. Within 24 hours, over $31k was raised to support Chi’s dreams.
Having secured a spot on the PGA Tour and with financial worries eased, Chi is now hungry for experience and learning. He’s eager to absorb as much as he can from the golfing legends around him. However, he’s also there to compete and will be teeing off with Mason Andersen and Thomas Rosenmueller in the upcoming tournament.
Andre Chi’s story is a testament to the power of determination, generosity, and a little bit of luck. From a struggling golfer to a PGA Tour participant, Chi’s journey is a dream come true, and a reminder that sometimes, the most surreal moments can become reality.
