From Fisher-Price clubs to national tournaments: West Virginia 8-year-old ranks 5th in US Kids World Tournament

OHIO COUNTY, W.Va. ( WTRF ) — An 8-year-old from Ohio County, West Virginia has become one of the best golfers in the nation.

During the US Kids World Tournament, one of the biggest competitions in junior golf, Andrew Bieniek walked away with fifth place.

The soon-to-be 3rd grader told WBOY’s sister station in Wheeling, WTRF 7News, that he has been playing golf since he was a toddler. Now, he’s competing on a world stage where he’s putting his talents into full swing.

According to Andrew’s dad, Steven Bieniek, it all began when a Fisher Price golf club was placed in his hands.

“We got him a little Fisher-Price golf club, and he would go around and hit just about anything that we had. Then when he turned five, he was doing really well and we started enrolling him into US Kids Tournaments,” Steven said.

This year, Andrew stepped out of the state to compete in the US Kids World Tournament and befriend golfers from around the globe.

Andrew says when it comes to playing, it’s all about having fun.

“In Worlds, it’s more like the first drive, I want to make it good, but then after that it’s more like pressures off—just go out there, play my game, have fun, be serious, worry about myself,” Andrew said.

His dad says he was inspired by the Netflix documentary, The Short Game, a film that features this specific tournament. Andrew said it became his goal to get top five after that.

“Fifth is really good. I beat 90-something kids in the world and I was in first on the first day with two under, then went back to 40 which got me in eighth, but then just got even on the last day. When I was walking up to the stage, I had a big smile on my face that whole time,” Andrew said.

He hopes to do this for a long time, and his parents couldn’t be prouder.

“As long as he’s having fun and wants to play, we’ll help him out however he wants us to help him out. If he ever says he wants to stop that’s okay with us too,” Steven said.

Andrew has two tournaments he’s preparing for in the next few months and will be competing in the US Kids World Tournament next year.

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