Josh Martin wins 11-12 division

Congratulations, Gabriel Lench and Kyle Sterbinsky. You were the low mortals in the 11-12 age division at the 60th Press Thornton Future Masters.

But Tuesday’s champion smashed the record book. Josh Martin of Pinehurst, N.C., shot a stress-free 67 to complete the 54-hole tournament with a 9-under-par 201 total.

Martin, who won the 10-under age group two years ago with a record 66 that still stands, broke the 11-12 scoring record of 206 set by Anthony Paolucci in 2005.

He finished 12 strokes ahead of Lench of Lake Mary, Fla., and Sterbinsky of Yardley, Penn. They both shot even-par 70 and finished at 213 on another broiling day at Dothan Country Club. Lench officially finished second on a scorecard playoff.

Thomas Walsh of High Point, N.C., who plays a lot of golf with Martin, was fourth at 215 after a 2-over-par 72.
Most of the drama about who would win was gone before the golfers teed off. Martin took a seven-shot lead into the final round.

“I was trying to win the tournament, but at the same time I was trying to play my game,” he said.

Asked if having such a big lead added any pressure before the round, he said, “Not really.”

Lench described the final round as “intense.” He made a run with birdies on Nos. 8, 9 and 10 to get to 2-under for the round and 1-over for the tournament.

“I tried to get as close to Josh as I could,” Lench said. “I tried to match him, but it just didn’t work out.”

Sterbinsky made four birdies on the front side and turned at 3-under 32.

“I was hitting it real solid and making a lot of birdies,” he said. “But it got away again on the back. I was two-under in the first two rounds and gave it back
coming in.”

Davis Riley, who finished tied for fifth with a 216, started the day seven back in second place.

“It was pretty rough today,” said Riley, of Hattiesburg, Miss. “I couldn’t get anything going. I just didn’t hit it as good today. I couldn’t catch the champion.
You’ve got to hang with him. You’ve got to stay close because he’s going to shoot in the 60s.”

Walsh, who played in the final group with Martin, Riley and Lench, said his goal was to catch the leader.

“At first it was, but then it was just hanging on,” Walsh said. “Making the turn I was tied for 14th and I’m like, ‘I’ve got to make something.’ ”

He did. He birdied two of the first four holes on the back, shot a 33 and finished fourth.

After Martin’s final-round 67, the day’s next-best total was a fine 1-under 69 by Nathan Jeansonne of Keithville, La. He salvaged a tie for 13th despite shooting
an opening-round 78 and a 72 on Monday.

“I had a bunch of one-putts,” said Jeansonne, who made six birdies in the final round.

He also made three bogeys and a double-bogey.

“I didn’t change anything,” he said. “I just finally hit more greens and made a bunch of putts.”

Zachary Hoskins of Orlando, Fla., made a nice chip from behind the green and a clutch par putt on No. 18 to finish tied for fifth at 216. Kyler Tate of Keystone
Heights, Fla., and Riley were also at 216.

Jake Leffew of Vero Beach, Fla., and Joe Philaphet of Riverdale, Ga., tied for eighth at 217. Daniel Jaramillo of Bradenton, Fla., who didn’t have a three-putt
green all three rounds, was 10th at 218.

They were all chasing Martin, who didn’t make a bogey on Tuesday. He made three straight birdies on Nos. 9, 10 and 11 and cruised from there.

“I drove it where I wanted to today,” the champion said.

But even when he missed the green, he chipped close enough to earn tap-in pars.

“My short-game coach gave me a lesson the day before we came here,” Martin said. “He worked on my chipping and that helped.”

His father, Bowie Martin, said Josh’s consistency in all phases has improved.

“A lot of fairways and a lot of greens. Really, it’s pretty boring,” Bowie Martin joked.

“Last summer he had a 0-handicap, but he went up to a 1-handicap over the winter,” the proud father said. “But the touch shots and the putting have gotten
more consistent in the summer since he’s playing a lot of golf.”

Best of all? He’s 12.