JEKYLL ISLAND — Despite being just 7-years-old, Hudson Justus is already becoming a household name around the state's golf courses.
After this past weekend, he may start making a name for himself around the nation.
Justus fired a two-day total 76 on the famed Pine Lakes Course at the US Kids Golf Southeast Regionals. The total was good enough for a second-place finish. Fellow area competitor Andrew Bush of Acworth took low medalist honors shooting a 73.
Scott Justus, caddie and father of the Mount Vernon Elementary student, and also White County Schools Assistant Superintendent, said it was a fun weekend, except for one moment.
“I cost him a stroke when I gave him the wrong yardage and club. I got the stare afterwards,” Scott Justus said with a chuckle. “But it was a lot of fun to be out there with him and watch him play. I thought he did very well.”
Justus sat in eighth place out of 14 after an opening round 41 on Saturday. But he fired a 35 on Sunday to climb up the ranks to the runner-up spot.
The second-place finish also comes with a special invitations for every US Kids Golf tournament into March of 2020.
“That means he can play against the best players every weekend if he wants,” Scott Justus said. “He loves to play so now he can get in any tournament for a year. We’ll look at what’s coming up. He’s excited about it.”
Local golf fans can go get a glimpse of the future phenom this weekend when he plans to play the one-day US Kids event at Chattahoochee Golf Course on Saturday as part of the local Spring Tour.
