VSGA Junior Boy of the Year
HOMETOWN: Richmond, Va.
HOME CLUB: Hermitage Country Club, Manakin-Sabot, Va.
HIGH SCHOOL: Junior at Mills E. Godwin High School, Richmond, Va.
QUICK TIP: “Approach shots are rarely
played on level ground,” Lawrence says. “I’m
probably the least mechanical person you’ll
ever meet, but when faced with a downhill
lie, I’ve found success by setting up with my
shoulders level to the ground. The ball will
tend to come out lower and a little to the
right. Taking the flight into consideration,
take one less club and concentrate on
hitting the ball first (a common fault is to
hit a little behind the ball). I try to keep my
head steady and feel like it’s the last thing to
release on the follow-through.”
RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH PHOTO ARCHIVES
IN HIS OWN WORDS: “One of my most
disappointing moments on a golf course
turned out to be a defining time for me in
2013. In the final round of the Southern
Junior last June, I teed it up feeling great and
was playing with a lot of confidence. I started
off really well and made an early birdie. I
was rolling—or so I thought. (Lawrence
MARK
LAWRENCE JR.
owned as much as a five-stroke lead on
the last day.) Later in the round, I made a
couple of dumb mistakes and on the back
nine, I didn’t play the way I was taught to
play. I’m normally pretty aggressive in my
approach, but I played conservatively, tried
to make pars and not lose the lead. It didn’t
work out and I lost in a playoff—primarily
because I got away from playing the way I
normally do. That experience taught me
when I’m in contention, I never want to
stop putting my foot down on the throttle.
You have to keep going and pulling away.”
(Lawrence won the VSGA Junior Match
Play the following week.)
2013
OFF THE COURSE: At Godwin, Lawrence
is involved in youth fellowship group called
Young Life. “It’s taught me to be more
patient,” he says. Lawrence also supports
Godwin athletics by trying to attend every
one of the school’s sporting events.
Named the Richmond Times-Dispatch
All-Metro golfer of the year.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Captured the VSGA Junior Match Play
Championship. (Lawrence joined his father,
Mark Sr., in VSGA junior championship
annals; Mark Sr. won the VSGA Junior
Stroke Play Championship in 1976.)
Notched a two-stroke victory against
a deep field at the Middle Atlantic Golf
Association Amateur Championship.
Was Godwin’s low scorer in helping
the squad to a six-stroke victory at the
VSGA Foundation High School Invitational
at Independence Golf Club.
Finished in a tie for second at the
VSGA Junior Stroke Play Championship.
When faced with a downhill lie, Mark Lawrence Jr.
advises to stay with the shot through impact.
w w w