BELDEN – Austin Bynum strolled up the 16th fairway Monday afternoon with a beach towel draped over his head and shoulders.

The West Union golfer was trying his best to beat the heat ... along with Pontotoc rival Clif Hanna.

Bynum overcame what he termed an “awful” round to defeat the charging Hanna by three strokes to win the age 16-18 division of the North Mississippi Coca-Cola Junior Tour Championship at the Tupelo Country Club.

“I did awful; I was hitting it everywhere,” said Bynum, who led Hanna by eight shots following Sunday’s opening round. “I couldn’t make any putts. I just lost it, I guess.”

Bynum recorded a 10-over-par 82 after shooting an even-par 72 in the first round.

Hanna, who finished the final round with a 5-over-par 77, said the eight-shot lead was too tough to overcome.

“I didn’t hit the ball well on the first nine and my putts didn’t seem to fall,” Hanna said. “Mainly, I just wanted to play well, maybe go under.”

Hanna’s play, however, challenged the struggling Union County golfer.

“Clif had me worried, especially as bad as I was playing,” Bynum said.

Five straight

Baldwyn’s Tucker Jenkins captured the age 14-15 division championship with a two-day total of 5-over-par 149, giving him his fifth consecutive Coke Tour championship.

Jenkins, a member of Baldwyn’s state championship golf team last spring, won the Coke age 12-13 division title last year.

“I bogeyed four of my first five holes on the back nine and I was still one over,” he said. “I knew if I could par out I’d be good.”

Jenkins said the idea of winning a fifth straight title had crossed his mind.

“I just go out there and play, and what happens, happens,” he said.

Three more champs

Corinth’s Alex Tull won the 12-13 championship while Starkville’s Cameron Stokes was the 10-11 winner.

Ingomar’s Molly Hale, recorded a 10-over 82 in the final round, but captured the girls championship.

“I didn’t play well,” she said. “I missed many, many putts.”