Senior Amateur Championship

PRESS RELEASE

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Contact: Michael Walder

 

A TRIO OF 71s SIT ATOP THE LEADERBOARD AFTER THE FIRST DAY OF THE 2005 LOUISIANA GOLF ASSOCIATION SENIOR AMATEUR

                                                                                                          

The Bluffs, Louisiana                 August 4, 2005

 

Three players are tied for the lead after the opening round of the 16^th annual Louisiana Golf Association Senior Amateur Championship.  Michael LeBlanc of Baton Rouge, Darell Benoit of Belle Chasse, and Frank Brame of Alexandria all turned in rounds of one-under par 71 on Thursday. 

 

Brame, a two-time champion of this event, including last year’s championship at Pelican Point, started the day off with a birdie at the tenth hole (his first of the day) and added two more on his outward half (No. 13 and 18).  A double bogey at the par-4 eleventh hole put him at one-under after his opening nine.  A bogey at the par-4 eighth followed by a closing birdie at the par-5 ninth, gave Brame an even-par back nine and left him at one-under for the day.  Benoit got his round off to a solid start by shooting a two-under par 34 on his front nine after birdies at No. 3 and 8.  After a birdie at the difficult eleventh, Benoit stood at three-under on the day, however, bogeys at No. 12, 16, and 17 took him back to even par before making a closing birdie on the par-5 eighteenth to bring him back to one-under.  LeBlanc, who was the only one of the leaders to start his round in the morning wave had more of an up and down day than Brame and Benoit.  After making bogey on his first hole of the day at the par-4 tenth, LeBlanc made a double bogey at No. 12 and another bogey at the par-3 seventeenth to put him at four-over par for the tournament.  He was able to make a birdie at the eighteenth to get back to three-over after nine.  After fourteen holes, LeBlanc still stood at three-over par, but that changed quickly as he rolled off birdies on his last four holes of the day (No. 6, 7, 8, 9) to shoot a four-under 32 on his inward nine and a one-under par 71 for the day.

 

Five players shot a round of even-par 72 on Thursday.  Marrero’s Dennis Hurley, Shreveport’s Jay Pierson, Lake Charles’ Mac Blanchard, and Lafayette’s Dennis Smith and Robert Shelton all find themselves one shot back going into Friday’s second round.  Rounding out the Top 10 with one-over par 73s are:  Van Stewart (Shreveport), Steve Sante (Gonzales), Brad Mosing (Lafayette), John Davis (Lafayette), Wiley Conn (Kenner), and Bruce Gilcrease (Denham Springs).

 

The Bluffs on Thompson Creek, an Arnold Palmer design located just east of St. Francisville, is hosting this year’s event.  The Bluffs, which is always rated as one of the best layouts in the state, has gotten wonderful reviews from this field of the best Senior players in Louisiana as many have indicated it is in the best condition in which they have seen the course.  The course played to a par of 72 on Thursday at approximately 6,600 yards.

 

Van Stewart and Steve Sante lead the 60-64 Age Group after the first day, both shooting one-over par 73s.  Steve Valasek of Kenner is alone in third one shot back after a 74.  Leading the 65-69 Age Group is Corky Yates of Pineville with a two-over par 74, with Bill Williams of Lafayette and Keith Mire of Shreveport tied for second at 79.  The 70 and over Age Group is led by Monroe Mitchell of Monroe at one-over par 73.  Baton Rouge’s Gordon Conn is in second five shots back at 78.

 

The 60-64 and 65-69 Age Groups are playing from the same tees as the Overall Championship and are competing concurrently in the Overall Championship.  The 70 & Over competitors are playing from forward tees and, consequently, are only competing for their Age Group Championship.  The Age Group Championships will complete play tomorrow with the Overall Championship concluding play on Saturday.  Play will again begin at 7:30 AM on Friday, off both #1 and #10 tees.  The field will be cut to the low 60 and ties after Friday’s play.

 

All Scores to follow: