Martens wins Tournament of Champions

 ATLANTIC (Aug. 15) -- Portsmouth native Ross Martens finished strong on Sunday afternoon to win the Championship Division of the 63rd Annual Tournament of Champions at Atlantic Golf and Country Club.
 Martens, representing the River Valley Golf Course in Adel, finished with a 54-hole score of 204 (3-under par) to defeat runner-up Zach Christianson for the title by four strokes.
 Martens opened with a 71 on Friday, followed by a 67 Saturday and Sunday’s 66, which tied for the best 18-hole score of the three-day event. Martens entered the final round at even par - one shot back of Andrew Martin - but took control with birdies on holes 7, 8, 10 and 11. He added a par-saving 13-foot putt on number 13.
 Martens’ parents, Lynn and Diane, walked the entire final round with Ross, with Lynn serving as caddie.
 A 2014 Harlan Community graduate, Martens led the Cyclones to a fourth-place team finish in the 2012 Class 3A State Tournament and placed ninth individually as a senior two years later.
 Also competing in the Tournament of Champions were Danny Pattee from the Avoca CountryView Golf and Grille and Broghan Kelly from the Rosman Glendale Shelby County Golf Course.
 Pattee placed ninth with a 54-hole total of 214 (73-70-71) and Kelly finished 38th with a 237 (78-79-80). Kelly was also a member of the HCHS squad that placed fourth at state in 2012.