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University of North Carolina Athletics
Joshua Martin, Ben Griffin Both Win Tournaments
July 15, 2018 | Men's Golf
Amateur and Pro Titles for Fellow Tar Heels
Ben Griffin and Joshua Martin, teammates for the past three seasons on the University of North Carolina men's golf team, both won events on Sunday.
Griffin, a senior in 2018, won on the PGA's MacKenzie Tour in Canada; Martin, a rising senior who was an honorable mention All-America in the spring for the Tar Heels, won the Carolinas Amateur in his hometown of Pinehurst, N.C.
Griffin won the Staal Foundation Open in Thunder Bay, Ontario, by a single shot after making birdies on the 16th, 17th and 18th holes to finish 22 under par. He defeated Riley Wheeldon of Richmond, B.C., by a shot. Wheeldon had birdied 18 to tie after Griffin had taken a one-shot lead.
Griffin shot 68-68-66-64 for a four-day total of 266, playing the final 36 holes in 14 under par. The Chapel Hill native was 6 under on the final nine holes today and 8 under for the fourth round. This was his sixth professional event after playing 2015-18 for the Tar Heels. Griffin was a two-time honorable mention All-America and All-ACC performer at UNC; his previous best finish on the MacKenzie Tour was fourth.
William Register, another UNC senior in 2018, shot a professional-best 66 on Sunday to finish tied for 34th at 11 under. It was his best MacKenzie Tour finish of the season.
Martin took the lead at the Carolinas Amateur with a second-round 66 on Friday, extended his advantage to three strokes after round three, then shot a final-round 73 today to secure the three-shot win.
"I came out today and wanted to stay aggressive and increase my lead which I did at the beginning of the final round," says Martin. "Unfortunately that didn't last. I had to salvage as many pars as possible to close the final round. Overall this week the putter was really feeling good. I thought every putt I hit was going in. My ball striking and proximity to the pin was solid for stretches and when I was off my short game saved me."
The win was Martin's third career Carolinas Golf Association victory – he won the North Carolina Amateur in 2014 and the Carolinas Young Amateur a year later.
"It feels great to win for the first time in two and a half years. It's nice to see all the hard work that my team and I have put into this summer pay off. I'm looking forward to getting back to work so I don't have to wait as long next time."
Fellow senior Preyer Fountain shot 70-68 over the final 36 holes to climb into third place, five strokes behind Martin.
Carter Jenkins was UNC's most recent winner of the Carolinas Amateur. Jenkins won the event three times, including 2015.
Griffin, a senior in 2018, won on the PGA's MacKenzie Tour in Canada; Martin, a rising senior who was an honorable mention All-America in the spring for the Tar Heels, won the Carolinas Amateur in his hometown of Pinehurst, N.C.
Griffin won the Staal Foundation Open in Thunder Bay, Ontario, by a single shot after making birdies on the 16th, 17th and 18th holes to finish 22 under par. He defeated Riley Wheeldon of Richmond, B.C., by a shot. Wheeldon had birdied 18 to tie after Griffin had taken a one-shot lead.
Griffin shot 68-68-66-64 for a four-day total of 266, playing the final 36 holes in 14 under par. The Chapel Hill native was 6 under on the final nine holes today and 8 under for the fourth round. This was his sixth professional event after playing 2015-18 for the Tar Heels. Griffin was a two-time honorable mention All-America and All-ACC performer at UNC; his previous best finish on the MacKenzie Tour was fourth.
William Register, another UNC senior in 2018, shot a professional-best 66 on Sunday to finish tied for 34th at 11 under. It was his best MacKenzie Tour finish of the season.
Martin took the lead at the Carolinas Amateur with a second-round 66 on Friday, extended his advantage to three strokes after round three, then shot a final-round 73 today to secure the three-shot win.
"I came out today and wanted to stay aggressive and increase my lead which I did at the beginning of the final round," says Martin. "Unfortunately that didn't last. I had to salvage as many pars as possible to close the final round. Overall this week the putter was really feeling good. I thought every putt I hit was going in. My ball striking and proximity to the pin was solid for stretches and when I was off my short game saved me."
The win was Martin's third career Carolinas Golf Association victory – he won the North Carolina Amateur in 2014 and the Carolinas Young Amateur a year later.
"It feels great to win for the first time in two and a half years. It's nice to see all the hard work that my team and I have put into this summer pay off. I'm looking forward to getting back to work so I don't have to wait as long next time."
Fellow senior Preyer Fountain shot 70-68 over the final 36 holes to climb into third place, five strokes behind Martin.
Carter Jenkins was UNC's most recent winner of the Carolinas Amateur. Jenkins won the event three times, including 2015.
Players Mentioned
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