Sumiton Christian’s Josh Burton signed a letter-of-intent with Faulkner University on Tuesday. He will play golf at the school. Present at the signing were, front row, from left, Katina Burton, Josh Burton and Emily Burton, back row, Jerry Manasco, Joyce Manasco, Michael Bridier, Faulkner coach Brent Barker, Ruth Thomas and Sumiton Christian athletic director Greg Patterson. (Photo by Johnathan Bentley)
It was the perfect fit.
Burton, 18, a recent Sumiton Christian School graduate signed to play golf at the Montgomery University on Tuesday.
“When I was 12, my granddad took me to play golf in Jasper and I’ve liked it since then,” said Burton, who visited the school last week. “I liked the campus, the golf program, pretty much everything.”
Faulkner coach Brent Barker’s golf team finished in the middle of the pack in the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC).
“Josh is a great kid, he comes from a great family and he’s a heck of a golfer, too. That’s the kind of kids we want at Faulkner,” said Barker, who is also the school’s athletic director.
Burton helped lead the Eagles to the sub-state round of the playoffs.
“I went to sub-state and saw him, but I didn’t know he was interested in Faulkner at the time. Josh knew a couple of football players coming to Faulkner and did some research on the school and the golf program,” Barker said.
Faulkner lost just two golfers from last year’s team that took seventh in the SSAC Tournament. “Josh has had some good scores so I’m hoping he will do the same for us,” Barker added.
Burton’s best round was a 69 at Horse Creek Golf Course in Dora.