In fact, he came within inches of winning.

The 11-year-old Peabody resident finished in second place in the 10-12-year-old category with a drive of 294 feet. He actually blasted his next-to-last drive 305 yards, but one landed a foot out of bounds and didn't count.

"The next one was my best, but it went just off the fairway so it wasn't counted," said Goulos, who will be a sixth-grader at Higgins Middle School. If it had stayed on the fairway, it would have gone about 315 yards."

Goulos loves the sport and practices often. Last year, he was fifth at the LDA competition in Minnesota as a 10-year-old. He had qualified at Sun 'N Air Golf Center in Danvers by winning his age group with a 260-yard drive. He held his own against boys a year or two older at the finals to take fifth.

This year, no regional competition was held, and 140 youngsters in four different age categories (boys and girls) had to travel to the Trophy Country Club in Fort Worth for the three-day LDA Juniors event. Goulos and his dad flew to Texas - with no guarantee he would even qualify.

The opening day consisted of registration and warmups. In the semifinal round on Friday, participants competed in three rounds. They were given six balls to hit in two-and-a-half minutes, alternating with another competitor. The best average of all shots was counted to determine the top four who advanced.

Goulos averaged 285 yards, high enough to move on to the finals under the lights. This time, it was only one round with six balls, and only the longest drive counted.

As it turned out, Goulos and the eventual winner (who turned 13 the following day) were paired. Goulos drove his third shot 294 yards down the fairway, which measured 40 yards wide and 420 yards long. Officials lined both sides all along the way, making sure the shots were in bounds.

"The other boy had trouble getting a good drive in bounds and wasn't able to do it until his fifth ball went 311 yards," said John Goulos, who accompanied his son to Texas. "The competition was excellent and done very professionally. Long Drivers of America started this for professionals 10 years ago, and then added Juniors four years ago. Art Sellinger, owner of LDA, got it going. That course is the only one Ben Hogan helped design, and it's a beautiful facility.

"Athan met some fine young competitors and got a few helpful tips. The 16-18-year-old winner, Jamie Sadlowski from Canada, has been the best two years in a row. His winning drive was 420 yards, and he came over to congratulate Athan with words of encouragement. It was nice to see the older kids helping out the younger ones."

Goulos started playing golf when he was eight, working with Tedesco pro Bob Green. He now takes lessons from Rich Depamphillis at Sun 'N Air Driving Range. Depamphillis has been recognized as one of the top 100 golf instructors in the country.

Athan's tremendous swing speed was the first thing people noticed, and he has become stronger each year. Power, speed and accuracy are key elements necessary for success.

"The more you do it, the better you get," said Goulos, who also plays baseball and basketball, but calls golf his favorite sport. "As I get stronger and bigger, I can hit the ball farther. My dad and I go to Richardson's Driving Range (in Middleton) to practice almost every night during the winter because there are heated stalls there, and in the summer, it's mostly at Sun 'N Air.

"There's a lot of pressure at LDA because of the time allowed. My hands were shaking a little the first time I was teeing up the ball. You have to be quick, but also accurate. Once I got a good drive in, I felt much better and could relax."

One thing Goulos knows for sure: He'll be going back next year looking to be No. 1.