Peachtree City sisters shine at Drive, Chip and Putt regional

Two Peachtree City sisters carried hometown pride to TPC Sawgrass in Florida earlier this month, competing in the Drive, Chip and Putt regional championship.

Nine-year-old Cherokee Ma earned third place in the Drive contest, while her sister, 13-year-old Cataleya Zhang, secured third place in Chip, second place in Putt, and finished second overall. Cataleya’s total of 147 points was just five shy of the winning score of 152—narrowly missing a trip to the National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club.

“Her 147 points would have been enough to win some other regional competitions,” said their mother, Raran Ma. “But we’re still incredibly happy and proud, because in that moment, Cataleya gave it her full focus, and her performance went far beyond our expectations.”

The girls advanced to the regional after strong finishes at the sub-regional qualifier in Savannah. Golf has become a central part of their lives since their family moved from California to Georgia three and a half years ago. Cherokee, a fourth grader at Kedron Elementary, and Cataleya, an eighth grader at JC Booth Middle, both practice regularly at Summer Grove Golf Club in Newnan.

For the sisters, the Sawgrass trip was the latest step in a journey marked by patience, persistence, and plenty of family support. And while this year’s run ends here, their showing on the regional stage offers a glimpse of what’s possible in seasons to come.