CUMBERLAND – Austen Truslow is on a winning streak in Maine State Golf Association tournaments.
Truslow took a three-stroke win Wednesday at Val Halla Golf Club in the Maine Junior Amateur. Paired with his junior tour win at Rockland two weeks ago, the seasonal Maine resident is getting some needed confidence.
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Going onto the final hole of the tournament, Truslow had a two-stroke lead over Malcolm Oliver. With his ball 12 feet from the 18th hole, Truslow’s putt was perfectly on line and the ball rolled into the cup for a birdie. He gave a fist pump like he just won a PGA tournament.
“Fortunately I made my birdie putt and it just ended there,” he said. “It was a great fight.”
Truslow shot a 2-under 70 to finish the tournament at 3 under par.
Oliver, of Wawenock, finished second at even par and Joe Walp of Falmouth Country Club was six strokes back.
Truslow said on Tuesday that he had trouble with the putter and he would look for more out of it on Wednesday.
“Putts were a little bit better today,” he said. “It wasn’t great, but it was better.”
Truslow, a 15-year-old who attends Spruce Creek High School just outside of Daytona Beach, Fla., spends his summers playing at Tarratine Golf Club in Islesboro. Summer in Maine is treating him well.
“It was just a big relief (to win),” said Truslow. “I haven’t won in over a year, other than Rockland two weeks ago, but it felt really good to get that win.”
Truslow shot a 73 to win the junior tour event on July 21 at Rockland. Oliver participated in that tournament as well but tied for eighth with an 83.
Oliver parred the final hole but admitted to having some trouble with his putter.
He birdied the 17th hole but the ball gave him a scare when it rolled in and out of the cup, then back in. Oliver received a round of applause from tournament officials and other spectators for the shot. That didn’t offset a few misses.
“I played all right but I missed a few short putts,” he said.
Walp, a Deering High School golfer and last year’s tournament winner, was tied for second with Oliver after the first round but took a dip.
“Just couldn’t get it done,” Walp said. “Couple mistakes here and there and didn’t make any putts.”
He double-bogeyed the sixth and 11th holes but made a push at the end with birdies on the final two holes.
Walp said he was more focused on his game than his strokes.
“You always want to win but you can’t worry about the score,” he said. “You kind of have to just go out and play.”
Daulton Wickenden won the boys’ 13-14 age group, finishing with at 148, and Reese McFarlane finished second with a 159. Ethan Shepard won the 12-and-under division with an 82, a stroke better than Eric Dugas.
Meghan Flanigan totaled 174 to win the girls’ 15-17 group. Sarah Hansen shot 185 to place second. In the girls’ 14-and-under group, Kelsie Dessent shot a 190 to win.
Staff Writer Austin Pollack can be contacted at: 791-6356 or at:
apollack@pressherald.com
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