Kids putt with the pros during annual Heritage Youth Day

Hilton Head Island native Tag Graziano shook hands with pro golfer Greg Owen before lining up and sinking eight putts on Tuesday at the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing.

Graziano, 9, said his secret to the perfect putt is to get behind the golf ball first and see where he is aiming.

“I just love watching the pros, and I always wanted to play the Masters one day,” he said.

Graziano was one of 300 children who signed up to putt with the pros during the tournament’s 12th annual Coca-Cola Youth Day.

Each child, ages 15 and under, received a short, private lesson on the putting green behind the Harbour Town clubhouse, feet away from pros preparing for Hilton Head Island’s annual PGA Tour event. They also walked away with a Coca-Cola hat and a Heritage T-shirt.

Pros in attendance for the lessons included PGA Tour professional golfers, Jon Curran, Chesson Hadley, Francesco Molinari, Nick Taylor and Steve Wheatcroft.

“The kids love it,” said Bill Wagner, sponsorship sales director for Heritage. “They have time to interact with golf pros, and it gives them the opportunity to get on the green where the pros play.”

Wagner said Heritage is the only PGA Tour event that allots time for the kids to play.

For Graziano, that time was all he needed to impress Owen.

“He looked like he could putt a lot better than I do right now,” Owen said. “It’s great to see youngsters come out and try the game. You can’t get a much better sport than the PGA Tour, so if we can teach them anything and get them interested, then it’s great for us, and it’s great for the future.”

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 4:30 PM with the headline "Kids putt with the pros during annual Heritage Youth Day."