Johnstun prepared to go pro

Area golfers probably have seen enough of Jordan Johnstun, but they won't have to deal with him much longer.

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Johnstun, a former Georgia Southern golfer from Evans, won his third consecutive Augusta City Amateur last Sunday. He expects to turn pro in February, leaving behind the amateur after becoming the first to win it three consecutive years.

Johnstun beat out Lakeside golfer Brant Patton by two shots in the 54-hole event.

Patton shot a final-round 66, but couldn't catch Johnstun, who finished with 69 to finish at 207 for the tournament.

"I felt like I had everyone gunning for me," Johnstun told The Augusta Chronicle . "To come out on top feels pretty good."

Johnstun was a late addition to the field, signing up the day before the tournament began after failing to qualify for the match play portion of the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.

Patton, who had played with Johnstun a couple weeks before the tournament, said he expected Johnstun would be in the field. Patton was playing his first City Amateur, after having missed it last year to play in an American Junior Golf Association event. His final-round 66 included no bogeys and no three-putts, but it would have taken a slip-up from Johnstun for the two to tie.

After finishing, Patton walked back and watched Johnstun play the final two holes, one of which the 22-year-old golfer birdied.

"He's great around the greens," Patton said. "I knew he was going to birdie one of the last two."

Patton's plans include two more AJGA events -- in Virginia and Nashville, Tenn.

MELL nabs district title

Martinez-Evans Little League 11-12-year-old National team starts play today at the state level after winning the Little League District 6 title July 17.

The squad, coached by Tommy Starnes, will play in a pool format today through Wednesday. There will be two pools of five teams each. The top two teams from each pool will meet in single elimination semifinals and finals Thursday and Friday.

Starnes said the team's depth has helped it get to this point.

"All 13 are very talented," he said. "It makes it easy to be able to substitute in and out."

Starnes is in his final year as Little League coach, after being involved for the past 13 years. His son, Spencer, will be a senior at Lakeside and Tommy Starnes is serving as the president of Lakeside's Diamond Club

"It's a really sentimental time, but time to move on and change my focus to Lakeside a little bit," Starnes said.

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