DOTHAN, Ala. — Just 9-years-old and the trophy case for Gainesville’s Hudson Justus is already in need of expansion.
Justus outlasted a field of 44 players to capture the 10-and-under division title at the 2021 Press Thornton Future Masters tournament at the Dothan Country Club on Tuesday.
The Future Masters is in its 72nd year and is the oldest and longest-running youth tournament in the country.
Playing the roughly 5,000-yard Par 70 course from the red tees, Justus shot a 1-under 69 over two days to beat Benton Assis of Boca Raton, (Fla.) by two shots.
“It’s very exciting to be the Future Masters champion. It was fun to be able to do this with my family and friends watching,” Justus told a group of local Dothan, Ala., television stations.
The tournament did not come without some drama, however.
Justus led or was tied for most of the first 13 holes, highlighted by a chip-in for birdie on the Par 4 8th on Monday’s opening nine holes to finish with a 2-under 33. He held a two-shot lead over Assis, who fired an even-par 35 on the first day.
But Tuesday’s final nine holes started rough for Justus. He double-bogeyed No. 10 while Assis made par to even the match. He eventually fell down a stroke to Assis after a bogey on the Par 4 14th.
From there, Justus staged the rally. He posted back-to-back birdies on Nos. 15 and 16 to go back up a stroke over Assis, who parred both holes. Assis then tied Justus with a birdie on No. 17 sending it to a one-hole showdown.
A wayward drive behind a tree by Assis on the final hole gave Justus the opening he needed. Justus managed a par while Assis struggled home with a double bogey as Justus finished with the two-stroke victory.
“I got kind of nervous on 17, but when the putt went in and I had a good drive on 18 and Assis had (trouble) on 18, I felt pretty good,” Justus said.
In the 2020 tournament, both Justus and Assis finished tied for sixth in the 10-and-under division.
