3rd Annual Future Champions Golf World Championship
July 17-19, 2011
PGA West @ La Quinta Resort

11-12 Boys Division Recap
Written by Spectator

PGA West, LaQuinta California, July 19, 2011.  Jack Trent, playing out of Queensland, Australia, and Nicholas Kumamoto, from Irvine, California, exchanged leadership of the 2011 Callaway Future Champions of Golf World Championship all three days, culminating in one of the most dramatic finishes in tournament history.  Trent seized the top of the leaderboard after Day 1 with a sizzling 2 under 70, with Kumamoto and the long hitting Kritchayapol Sinchai of Thailand trailing by one stroke, each carding a one under par 71.

Grouped together on Day 2 with eventual third place finisher Andrew Chin of Honolulu, Hawaii, Trent, Kumamoto and Sinchai gave little ground to each other or the field, with each staying within two strokes of each other.  The end of Day 2 saw Kumamoto eventually take a two stroke lead on Trent, with Kumamoto firing a 71 to Trent’s 74.

Paired together again on Day 3, and starting on the third hole, Kumamoto immediately began to pull from Trent and the field, sinking consecutive birdies on the second and third holes played.  By the 11th hole played (Hole 13 on the course), Kumamoto had seemingly pulled clear of Trent and the field, steadily building a 6 stroke lead with only 7 holes remaining.

Down 6, but undeterred and showing the spirit of a true champion, Trent channeled all of his energy and talent over the remaining seven holes of play.  Although he had thus far played very steady, with only one bogie and one double through 13 holes, he had not yet knocked down a single birdie in the round.  However, he began his remarkable run by birdying the 12th hole played (Hole 14), to cut the deficit to 5. 

The players then faced the Nicklaus Tournament Course’s infamous 15th Hole, the difficult “Long Island” Par 5 island green.  Trent carded a second consecutive birdie, to Kumamoto’s bogey, cutting the lead to only 3 strokes, with 5 holes remaining.

Kumamoto, feeling the pressure from Trent, faltered again on the next hole, suffering a second consecutive bogey.  A suddenly revitalized Trent seized on the opportunity, remarkably knocking in his third straight birdie, and suddenly cutting the lead to the thinnest of margins - one stroke - with 4 holes remaining.

Despite having a 4 stroke advantage suddenly disappear in only 2 holes, Kumamoto regrouped and steadied himself for the final 4.  Both players settled in and parred the next three holes, setting up a showdown on the final hole, the Par 4 Hole 2.  Both players hit the green in regulation, with Kumamoto 18 feet from the cup, and Trent 12.  Kumamoto hit his putt to a foot for a tap-in par.  Down one stroke, Trent stood over his 12 foot birdie putt.  Needing to make the putt to force a playoff, Trent pulled his putter back and rolled it in.

The sudden death playoff began on the very difficult 18th Hole, aptly named the “Bear Trap.”  This Par 4, with water guarding the entire right side of the fairway and green, played tough for all of the players throughout the tournament.  A perfect, long drive was necessary to set up an approach shot to the green.  Anything less than perfect made the green unreachable in 2 for most players.

With the stress of the weekend on both players’ faces, and the 2011 Callaway Future Champions of Golf World Championship on the line, both players approached the tee box.  Kumamoto won the coin toss and elected to allow Trent honors.  Trent drove the ball far left, into the rough, putting him in a spot that would force him to lay up.  Kumamoto scorched his drive straight down the middle, setting up an easy-swinging 125 yard short iron to the center of the green.

Trent hit first, striking a difficult hillside lie from the rough to within 60 yards of the green.  With his heart pounding, Kumamoto lined up his approach.  With the weight of the moment on him, Kumamoto pulled the shot hard right, landing some 30 yards off the green.  “I would have given anything to have a Mulligan on that shot,” he later said, “that had been my bread and butter shot all weekend, but I just lost my focus on that last one.”

Facing down the pressure, Trent hit his third shot from 60 yards to within 3 1/3 feet of the cup, drawing a roar and applause from the gathered spectators.  With ever-tightening arms, Kumamoto babied his wedge, putting the ball on the green but leaving it 16 feet short of the flagstick.

Kumamoto surveyed the line from all angles before lining up his putt.  A difficult putt, long and with severe break towards the water to the right.  Taking a final deep breath, he put a smooth stroke on it, starting it well left of the hole.  As the ball made its way, the speed looked right, as Kumamoto audibly begged the ball to “Turn! Turn!” to the right.  Incredibly, the ball did so, turning right in the last few feet and disappearing into the cup, drawing gasps from the crowd.

Now suddenly needing to make his short putt to force a playoff, the pressure shifted squarely on Trent.  He carefully lined it up, and struck it straight to the hole.  Needing just a little more energy, the ball rolled to a stop a mere 2 inches from the hole, thus ending Trent’s courageous comeback and giving the World Championship title to Kumamoto.  Under the wilting 110 degree desert sun, the exhausted players removed their caps, shook hands and congratulated each other on rounds well played and well competed, before walking off the 18th green together.