Live Oak — Press Thornton wanted his son to have access to a junior golf tournament, so in the spirit of competition & a deep love for golf, he decided to start one at his home course in Dothan, Alabama. Little did he know that sixty-one years later his vision would turn into one of the world ’s most prestigious and traditionally rich junior golf tournaments, The Future Masters.

The Sixty-first Annual Press Thornton Future Masters began tournament rounds on Sunday, June 27th and ended one week later, with the coveted jacket award presented to the winner of the 15-18 year old bracket concluding the tournament week. Live Oak ’s ten year old Will Bozeman has his eyes set on that jacket for when he is older and began his journey toward his goal as he was invited to this year ’s tournament to play in the 10 and under age group .Bozeman ’s first round was on the front nine of the Dothan Country Club and he found himself at even par after the first four holes. Hole number 5, a par 3, gave him trouble on the green resulting in a bogey. Struggling mentally, he followed with two double bogies. Fighting to turn his fate around on hole number 8, he relied on his strength, his long game. With bunkers lurking 160 yards in front, Bozeman drove his ball off the tee nearly 200 yards to clear the trouble & regained his confidence to make a much needed birdie on the hole. He completed his first day ’s round with a par and finished at 39, two strokes behind the leader.

With a top ten finish in sight, Bozeman began his second round the next day on the back nine. Hole 10, a par 5, has a ruthless reputation as the hardest hole on the course. Bozeman found difficulty with every stroke & completed the hole with a disappointing triple bogey. Trying to settle his game, Bozeman ’s next hole was a par 3, and Bozeman found himself short of the green after the tee, making a bogey. The following tee shot helped him take back his game & he secured a par streak for the next four holes, followed by a bogey and another par. The last hole was a par 4 with 304 yards to the middle of the green with a narrow approach and bunkers flanking the green ’s front sides. Bozeman drove his tee shot in the fairway leaving around 115 yards to go. Bozeman chose an eight iron for his approach shot and landed in a three feet deep bunker right of the green. Maintaining his composure, Bozeman flew the ball out of the sand and landed on the green 8 feet from the hole. With a par in play, Bozeman needed to make the next putt. With the crowd of spectators in the stands facing him, and a television camera and reporters not far from his left, Bozeman was in a mental position he had never faced. Taking his putter back then forward for what should have been his last putt of the tournament, Bozeman left his putt an inch short of the hole & finished with a bogey and consequently a 41 for the round.

Bozeman finished in a 4 way tie for tenth which was broken by a scorecard playoff landing Bozeman in the 12th position in a thirty-three player field with boys from all over the United States. Bozeman is a member of the Red Hills Junior Golf Tour and the U.S. Kids Golf Jacksonville Local Tour. He is the son of Bill & Melissa Bozeman of Live Oak.