Coachella Valley Teen Golf Star To Play In PGA Tour Event

PALM DESERT, CA -- An 18-year-old golf phenom from Palm Desert will make his PGA Tour debut at the CareerBuilder Challenge in La Quinta next month, it was announced Saturday. Charlie Reiter, a senior at Palm Desert High School, received a sponsor exemption to compete in the four-round tournament, which begins Jan. 19, according to Lagardere Sports, which operates the tournament. The exemption will allow the USC-signed golfer to maintain his amateur status.

Reiter, who was one of just four Americans to make the cut at the Australian Open in November, is ranked 39th on the Golfweek Junior Amateur rankings. He has won 86 amateur and junior tournaments.

It will be the first time in the event's 59-year history that an amateur will receive an exemption into the professional division of the tournament.

"Charlie is a very special player with local ties to the Coachella Valley, making him the perfect pick. We hope the local community will come out and support him in a big way," CareerBuilder Challenge executive director Jeff Sanders said.

Reiter will be part of a field that includes some of the best golfers in the world at the tournament, including Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, John Daly, Patrick Reed, Mike Weir, Jon Rahm, Brandt Snedeker, Bill Haas and Jason Dufner.

"I am very grateful for the opportunity and excited to compete against the top players on the PGA Tour in front of my friends, family and all the golf fans in the desert," Reiter said.

The tournament will take place at the PGA West Stadium Course. Daily tickets are $30 and include entry into the CareerBuilder Challenge Concert Series that will feature Huey Lewis and the News on Jan. 19 and the Goo Goo Dolls on Jan. 20.

More information can be found at www.cbchallenge.com.

--City News Service/Photo via Pixabay/Pexels