Martin races out to lead in 11-12 age group

Joshua Martin’s reputation precedes him.

Like William Wallace in Braveheart, tales of the 12-year-old’s golf feats are legendary.

“Josh Martin could spin a wedge backwards when he was nine.”

“If you’re going to beat Josh Martin, you can’t afford to shoot anything higher than a 67.”

Those quotes were overheard at the scorer’s table Sunday. Kids who shot solid rounds Sunday of the 11-12 age division asked who was leading the tournament. They rolled their eyes when they got the answer: Josh Martin.

The Pinehurst, N.C., resident fired a 4-under-par 66 that looked pretty effortless as the 60th Press Thornton Future Masters began.

His 66 earned him a three-stroke lead over fellow North Carolinian Thomas Walsh, who is certainly familiar with Martin.

“We just played the Junior Ryder Cup in Chicago not long ago,” said Walsh, who is from High Point, N.C. “He’s a great player.”

Walsh had a big day himself. He needed just 24 putts to post his 1-under-par 69. He turned in 36 and shot a 33 on the back nine.

“The first eight holes I wasn’t playing great but the putting was unreal,” Walsh said. “I had a lot of up-and-downs. The back nine I birdied 10, 13 and 18.”

He made a double-bogey on No. 6, finding the water with a pushed drive. He birdied No. 7 and bogeyed No. 17.

Walsh is a shot ahead of Davis Riley of Hattiesburg, Miss., who shot even-par 70.

Four golfers are five shots back at 1-over 71 — Floridians Cole Johnson of Parrish, Jake Leffew of Vero Beach, Kyler Tate of Keystone Heights, and Kyle Sterbinsky of Yardley, Penn.

“I got off to a real good start,” Riley said after making a seven-foot birdie putt on No. 1 and a 12-footer for birdie on No. 2. “Hitting the driver was good today. I missed some opportunities, though. I only missed two or three greens.”

Riley knew he needed to go low with Martin in the field.

“This is my third year here,” he said. “I played with him my first year.”

That was in 2007, when Martin shot a tournament record 66 and won the 10-under age group.

“At the turn I asked what was leading and the lady said somebody had a 32,” Riley said. “I didn’t even ask. I knew it was him.”

Martin said he made the most of his best birdie chances.

“I didn’t hit too many greens, but when I did I hit it close,” said the leader, who hit 11 greens.

Martin made birdies on Nos. 3, 7, 8, 10 and 18. His lone bogey came when he missed the par-3 No. 11 green, chipped to three feet and had his par putt lip out.

Martin said his gap wedge provided several of those birdies. That club left him two feet from the hole on No. 7, one foot away on No. 8 and three feet from the hole on No. 18. He hit a 7-iron to 18 feet on No. 3, his longest birdie putt.

The second round tees off this morning at 6:38 a.m.