Ben Martin eyes repeat performance at Shriners Open
It had been a tough day for Ben Martin.
The 28-year-old from South Carolina had limped in with a third-round 80 at the BMW Championship on Sept. 18, essentially knocking him out of a spot in the field for the PGA Tour Championship the following week in Atlanta. But had Martin not hit the jackpot in Las Vegas last October, he probably wouldn’t have had a chance to shoot 80 at Conway Farms in Lake Forest, Ill.
So while there may have been disappointment in the way he finished his 2015 season, Martin is hoping to start 2016 the way he did 2015.
Martin won for the first time on the PGA Tour when he held off Kevin Streelman to win the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open by two shots at TPC Summerlin. The 500 FedEx Cup points he received for the win proved invaluable when the playoffs began.
“It definitely set me up for the year,” said Martin, who will return to defend his title when the Shriners Open begins Thursday. “It gave me some wiggle room because I didn’t play as well during the year as I had hoped to.”
Martin hasn’t won since Las Vegas last Oct. 19, and despite his struggles, he had his best year on the tour since turning pro in 2009. In 27 events, he had five top-10 finishes, including a tie for fourth at The Players’ Championship in May and a fifth-place finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March.
Martin won $2,717,305 for the year, and his 35th-place finish in the FedEx Cup standings was his best in seven professional seasons. The 500 FedEx points he earned in Las Vegas accounted for more than a third of his 1,417 for the season.
“I slipped down as the season went on, but I got a lot of confidence from winning,” said Martin, who dealt with a nagging left wrist injury late in the year. “I wasn’t as consistent as I would have liked to have been.
“But I’ve always prided myself on getting better every year. There’s been small steps along the way, but the biggest thing I’ve picked up since turning pro is how to travel, where to stay, where and what to eat, learning how to manage your time and keep your body healthy.”
Martin said his formula for success last year at TPC Summerlin was staying consistent, putting well and being able to score on the par-5s.
“I was able to make a lot of putts,” he said. “I wasn’t very familiar with the course. But when I finished with 62 on Saturday, it gave me the confidence that I could win it.”
Those who saw Martin prevail last year will remember the long eagle putt he made at the par-5 16th to put him back in front. It was 46 feet, 5 inches to the hole, and as the ball tracked its way to it, the momentum was suddenly shifting in Martin’s favor.
“What’s funny about that was I wasn’t making anything all day,” he said of the eagle putt that would be complemented by a birdie at No. 18 to seal the victory. “I played 13 through 16 well all week, and to win that event, you have to take advantage of those holes because you know it’s going to take at least 20 under to win.”
With the Shriners Open field considerably stronger this year with the addition of Rickie Fowler and 17 of the top 40 finishers in the 2015 FedEx points race, Martin will need to be on top of his game and a little lucky if he hopes to repeat.
“I like playing in events that are marquee events,” Martin said. “The better the field is, the more excited I get to play.
“It’s hard to believe the year’s gone by. But it got me off to such a good start last year, and I’m hoping the same thing happens this year.”
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.