Martin takes big lead into 11-12 final round

Very quickly, the 60th Press Thornton Future Masters 11-12 age division has become the Josh Martin Show.

Martin followed his first-round 66 with a 2-under-par 68 on Monday. The 12-year-old from Pinehurst, N.C., has a seven-shot lead with a 36-hole total of 134 — six shots under par — going into today’s final round.

Davis Riley of Hattiesburg, Miss., is closest to Martin. Riley shot a 1-over-par 71 and is at 1-over 141 after 36 holes.

Gabriel Lench of Lake Mary, Fla., Kyle Sterbinsky of Yardley, Penn., and Thomas Walsh of High Point, N.C., are next at 3-over 143.

“We’re going to see if we can catch Josh tomorrow,” Riley said. “I hit a lot of greens today. I need to do that again — only take advantage of the opportunities. I burned a lot of edges today. Maybe I can get them to fall.”

Martin says he doesn’t recall losing a lead in the final round of a junior tournament. Of course, he said he was contending here last year and fell short.

“I still have to play good tomorrow,” Martin said.

Still, he was frustrated with himself at times Monday.

“I bogeyed No. 3 and doubled No. 4, the par-5,” the leader said. “I hit my tee shot way right and had a bad lie in the rough. I hit my next shot into the hazard. I was pretty mad at myself.”

So mad that he drained a 20-foot birdie putt on No. 5 and finished his round with a seven-footer for birdie on No. 9. He started the round on the back nine and birdied Nos. 10, 12 and 16. He bogeyed No. 13.

He turned in 33 and birdied No. 1, his 10th hole, to get to 3-under for the round.

“It seems like I made some good birdie putts when I gave myself a chance,” the leader said. “When I missed the green, I chipped pretty well.”

The 11-12 age group cut came at 163. The low 48 players and ties were going to advance, and the cut came at 48 on the number. Robert Sorrell of Birmingham made the cut after shooting 79-84.

James Sugg (81), Bennett Baker (85) and Thomas Burnett (85) missed the cut by two strokes at 165.

Riley said he stayed in contention with solid iron play.

“I drove it a little wild today,” he said. “I hit a lot of greens, but I had some long putts.”

Sterbinsky followed his first-round 71 with a 72.

“I had two three-putts on the front nine,” he said with disgust. “The greens are getting firmer and they’re really fast.”

Walsh was very steady, starting on the back and posting 12 straight pars before coming to the par-5 No. 4.

“I scrambled pretty well,” Walsh said. “I hit a wood over the back and had a buried lie. I chunked it into a bunker, skulled it into another bunker, hit that to two feet and made the putt.”

Still, that started a four-hole bogey run and he finished with a 74.

Gabriel Lench fired an even-par 70, tied for the day’s second-best round with Sam Horsfield.

Lench was three-over on the back nine, his opening nine, but fought back on the front. He chipped in twice — for birdie on No. 2 and for eagle on No. 4.

“I had a right-to-left chip. I thought it was short, but it didn’t spin so it kept on moving,” said Lench. “I gave it a Tiger fist-pump right there.”

He bogeyed No. 6, but ended the day with a birdie on No. 9.

“I didn’t quit,” he said.

Zachary Hoskins didn’t, either. He posted a 71 and is sixth at 144 after two rounds.

“I didn’t play better, I just putted better,” said Hoskins of Orlando, Fla., who had just 26 putts.

One of his playing partners, Cole Johnson of Parrish, Fla., shot a 74 and is tied for seventh with Daniel Jaramillo of Bradenton, Fla., who fired a 71.