Bulloch County golfers continue to shine as the summer wraps up and school begins next week. One of the more successful golfers in the area also happens to be one of the youngest.
Eight-year-old Brantley Lott recently took top honors in the 2023 8-U Boys Under Armour World Championship which was held at the Reunion Resort in Orlando, Fla. The world-wide tournament culminated last week as Lott and others qualified by competing in local competitions. Lott and his family are members of Forest Heights Country Club and live near Forest Heights. He is a rising third-grader at Metter Elementary.
The two-day event saw Lott lead after the first round with a score of 5-under 31. He then backed that up with a 3-under 33 in the final round. The two-day round of 64 was good enough to send him into a playoff which he won by sinking a 15-foot putt for birdie on the second hole.
“Sleeping on the lead wasn't easy but I knew that my best practice round scores had come on the back side,” Lott said. “My dad kept telling me to just be patient and don't force shots just let it happen. Walking up 18 all I needed was a par to win but I got a tough lie below my feet and it came out a little thin. It left me a fast downhill putt and I just left short. Then I left my next putt on the lip. That was the only bogey I made all week.”
While many younger golfers can be adversely affected by the added pressure of family and friends on hand, Lott says having a crowd around actually improved his game.
“The playoff was way more fun because all of our friends came out to watch it,” Lott said. “That was pretty cool to have them out here cheering for us and the live cameras made it fun too. I've been practicing really hard leading up to this tournament and working hard with my dad and coach John Smith. I had been hitting it really well and I knew I could win if I limited the mistakes and big numbers.”
“Watching your kid accomplish something that they spend so many hours practicing for is pretty special, Jared Lott said. When he sunk the final putt, you could see the passion he has for competition. The fist pump and reaction said it all. He has been giving a gift that you can't coach and that's pretty cool to see.”
While many parents may have worn their finger nails down biting them through the final round, Jared says he was pretty calm through it all.
“As far as being nervous I really never was,” Jared Lott said. “He has been in these situations before and he has always closed them out. Although they were not for a world championship, they were to win tournaments against much older kids so I knew he could do it. He was really focused and I just tried to stay out of his way and keep him hydrated. He has been playing golf competitively since he was 4 years old on the US Kids Savannah tour and that has been great. He has won over 100 tournaments in his short career but this is by far the coolest.”
