Fifth-year pro MO MARTIN of Altadena, Calif., was named as the 2010 recipient of the Heather Wilbur Spirit Award. The award is presented to a Duramed FUTURES Tour player who best exemplifies dedication, courage, perseverance, love of the game and spirit toward achieving goals as a professional golfer. The annual recipient is nominated by her peers on the Duramed FUTURES Tour.

A career two-time winner on the Duramed FUTURES Tour who recorded five top-10 finishes this season, Martin's best 2010 finish was a tie for second at the Ladies Titan Tire Challenge in Marion, Iowa. She led the Tour this year with a putting average of 29.021 putts per round.

But more importantly to her peers, Martin has led the Duramed FUTURES Tour in other ways. In one player's nomination, one of Martin's peers noted: "Whether I have played in a group with her on the course, had discussions about the tour, or seen her on the practice tee, she has always upheld the utmost professionalism. She has played and represented the tour with all the respect that it deserves." Another rookie player observed: "She went out of her way to make me feel welcome on the Duramed FUTURES Tour and has continued to help in any way."

Sitting in the audience at the Tour's annual awards presentation, Martin said she wondered who the winning player was as the 2009 award recipient, MALINDA JOHNSON of Eau Claire, Wis., described this year's winner.

"For my peers to nominate me for that award means a lot," said Martin, who played collegiately at UCLA. "I wasn't reduced to tears in my victories, but I was certainly reduced to tears today on that stage. This is something that will be with me for the rest of my life."

The former FUTURES Golf Tour established a player award in October 2003 in honor of four-year FUTURES Tour member HEATHER WILBUR of Moncton, New Brunswick. The Canadian professional lost an 11-month battle to Acute Myelogenic Leukemia (AML) at the age of 27. She joined the FUTURES Tour in 2000. Wilbur was named as the first recipient of the award in October 2003, prior to her death.

+ Duramed Futures Golf Tour Media Release