URBANDALE, Iowa — Grown men and women alike dream of the perfectly manicured greens, pristine fairways, flowers and ponds of Augusta National, hoping for an opportunity to just see it in person one day.

Urbandale’s 10-year-old rising golfer Brooklynn Conard got to do that and more last week.

“It was crazy. I don’t have much words for it, I was so excited,” she said.

After three years trying to qualify, Brooklynn made it to compete at the 2025 Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals at Augusta. She was one of only 80 junior golfers in the country to qualify. 

“I cried. I was a little baby,” her dad Eric Conard said.

Brooklynn competed on Sunday and finished in 4th place in the 10-11 girls age group. Her drive average was 177.1 yards, her chip 7’9″ and her putt 6’11”.

“I was so nervous and I didn’t want to let her know,” her dad said. “But when she went up — I would have probably thrown up if I was a kid. She just handled everything so well.”

“So during the drive, I felt really, really nervous. But after my first one, since you only need one to count, after my first one, I had it. I just hit my second one without any nervousness. And after my drive, I didn’t even feel nervous at all,” she said.

“I don’t think she truly understood who she was as it relates to golf, but her mom and I would tell her constantly, Brooklyn, you’re special in golf. I don’t think she really understood until just now,” Eric said. “And now I think she totally gets it because of that place. It doesn’t matter where you’ve played golf at. It’s the most special place in golf, period.”

Part of the competition included putting on the historic 18th hole at Augusta. Many would pay good money for an opportunity like that.

“It was even cooler. It was really exciting. I just couldn’t believe it,” Brooklynn said.

“Yes, I think happy jealous would be a good way of looking at it,” her dad said. “I think when I hear ‘jealous’ it’s usually from the men like, I can’t hit the ball that far. Everybody is so excited for her.”

Including from where she spends a lot of her time practicing at the Urban Dreams Community Center in Des Moines where they have one of the best simulators in the area. And now Brooklynn is inspiring others kids.

“It’s like it’s amazing to have somebody from Iowa so young, so talented, so nice and polite to play, to make it that far and and get on a national stage,” State Senator and Urban Dreams Executive Director Izaah Knox said. “So it inspires a bunch of people to come here and play golf and get better.”

Brooklynn still has several golf goals ahead, like playing in college in Florida and going pro with the LPGA. But first, she wants to return to Augusta next year and take home first place in this competition.

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