#MIKidsCan Golf: Marquette Teen to Compete in National Competition
Julie Bitely
| 3 min read
At a time when most kids are learning their ABCs and how to tie their shoes, Jordan Jurmu discovered a lifelong passion.
When he was just five, his dad took him golfing. It was love at first swing.
The 13-year-old 8th-grader from Marquette will be testing his skills against competitors from across the country this weekend as one of ten boys ages 12-13 competing in the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at the Augusta National Golf Club. The event will be televised on The Golf Channel starting at 8 a.m. on Easter Sunday.
To get to Augusta, Jurmu won the Drive, Chip and Putt regional finals in Minnesota. In the eight years he’s been playing, practice and daily dedication to the sport have paid off. Since living in Marquette shortens his outdoor season, Jurmu can often be found at the U.P. Sportsplex in the winter months. The Marquette Golf Club is where he practices when the weather is cooperative, most days of the week.
Practice and hard work are critical to his success, but Jurmu does concede to one small superstition.
“When I put on my golf shoes, the left one always goes on first and I always tie them in the same order,” he said.
Jurmu hopes to go pro one day, following in the footsteps of idols such as Tiger Woods, Payne Stewart, and Bobby Jones. He specifically admires those golfers for their golfing style.
“They’re all pretty good iron players and good at putting,” Jurmu said. “Those are the things that I work on the most.”
The Jurmu family at the Drive, Chip and Putt Regional Finals in Minnesota. From left is mom Allyson, Jaxon, Jordan, dad Brad and Justin.
His dad, Brad Jurmu, works for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan as a Senior Account Manager at the Marquette office. The elder Jurmu said he wishes he could claim some credit for his son’s exceptional golfing abilities, but that he’s a recreational golfer at best.
“The only thing he gets from me is a ride to and from the course,” Brad Jurmu said.
Watching his son play has made him a huge fan of the sport, which he believes teaches honesty and integrity since players have to be their own referee out on the course.
“It’s just a really cool sport for kids. They learn a different set of manners and ethics,” Brad Jurmu said.
Other young players from Michigan competing this weekend include Anika Dy, PJ Maybank, Satchel Pierce, and Coalter Smith.
Tune in on Sunday and cheer Jordan Jurmu and all the other dedicated young golfers on!
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Photo credit: Courtesy photos
