Cullman's Ben Shedd wins shortened Future Masters; local duo have emotional finish (2024)

The rain – well, actually the lightning and approaching darkness – eventually won out in prematurely ending the 75th Annual Press Thornton Future Masters at the Dothan Country Club.

It marked the first time in the history of the prestigious junior golf tournament the 15-18 age division didn’t complete three rounds.

When the horn sounded at 6:20 p.m. Saturday to pull the players off the course due to lightning with still six holes left for the final group to complete, second round leader Ben Shedd of Cullman knew he would be declared the winner.

“Nah, I didn’t mind it,” Shedd said of hearing the horn. “It’s probably not the way I wanted to get it done, but it’s over.”

Before the third round began after weather delays on Thursday and Friday had backed up tee times, FM officials let it be known if there was any stoppage on Saturday during the third round, the tournament would be declared over and it would revert back to a 36-hole tournament.

On Saturday, Shedd had bogeyed five holes in a row on the front nine and fallen a stroke behind Jack Lowery of Homewood after 12 holes.

However, all of that would be wiped out after the horn blew to end the competition as dark clouds and rain persisted throughout the afternoon.

“I had a good start and then the weather kind of changed up and I had a couple of rough holes and then I was starting to get it back and the rain started back and they called it,” Shedd said.

After half of the field completed their second round on Saturday morning due to rain delays Thursday and Friday, atop the leader board was Shedd with a two-round, 5-under 135, followed by Brantley Moore of Memphis and Drew Williams of Greensboro, Ga., both at 137, with Lowery of Homewood and Frederick Chappell of Bogart, Ga., both at 138.

Shedd didn’t get to tee off at all Thursday due to rain delays, thus played 36 holes on Friday with scores of 69 and 66, which proved enough to gain the win.

It was the first, and last, Future Masters for Shedd, who will play college golf at Wallace State in Hanceville. He was the Class 6A runner-up in the AHSAA state tournament this past spring.

“It means a lot, really,” Shedd said of winning. “It’s special for sure. They (FM officials) had some stress on their shoulders for sure with the rain and all of that stuff, but they did a really good job.”

The new layout of the Dothan Country Club course, which underwent a 13-month renovation and reopened in November, proved extremely challenging for some of the best junior golfers in the world.

Shedd’s second round 4-under 66 was the low score over the two counted rounds. The cut was at 9-over.

Three locals made the cut and advanced to the final round that was eventually wiped off the board – Dothan natives Luke Thornton (72-73) and Mason Crowder (74-73), plus Enterprise’s Parker Trawick (71-77).

It was an emotional time for Thornton, whose family name is on the tournament, and Crowder as they played in their final Future Masters.

Thornton was awarded the trophy for the low Dothan player score.

“There are so many things I can say,” Thornton said. “Very emotional. I’ve never cried during rounds and stuff … I didn’t have a good day today … and that is the most tears I’ve ever balled out for a tournament. It was the most emotional tournament I’ve ever played.”

Thornton, who will attend the University of Alabama, will continue to be involved in the tournament his great grandfather started and his grandfather was the face of for so many years. His father, King Thornton, is now the general chairman of the event.

“I definitely want to look at going to rules school and trying to become a marshal,” Thornton said. “I don’t know for me if that’s during college or after college. I’ll forever help the tournament with whatever I need to do. It’s one of the best.”

Crowder played in 11 Future Masters and is now headed to the University of South Alabama to continue his academic and golf career.

“It was sad, but overall I’ve had a great time playing the Future Masters these past 11 years,” Crowder said of his final junior tourney. “I have amazing memories and amazing times at this course and the RTJ last year. I had a great time with my Future Masters experience.”

The other local entrants were Dothan’s Josh Broadaway (77-73) and Davis Moore (74-76) along with Elba’s Jay Wilson (77-75).

Twins from Birmingham with local ties – Haston (73-72) and Lawton Emblom (75-71) – each made the cut for the first time. Their father was raised in Dothan and their mother in Headland. Many family members continue to live in this area.

Three of the four sons of PGA players in the tourney – Liam Curtis (69-74) Charlie Woods (73-76) and Henry Kuehne (76-71) – made the cut, but like the others would have their third round scores wiped out. Jacob Immelman had scores of 82 and 77.

Defending champion Carson Baez of Windermere, Fla., had a tough tourney and didn’t make the cut, missing by a stroke after two-round scores of 76-74.

Rounding out the top 10 were Clipper Salmon of Tampa (68-71), Bailey Sutter of Vinemont (71-69), Tucker Gutierrez of Madison, Miss., (69-71), Thomas Norris of Mountain Brook (74-67) and Gus Darnall of Vestavia Hills (73-68).