Junior Amateur Championship

Round 1 Recap

LULING'S ANDREW NOTO FIRES A TWO-UNDER PAR 7O TO TAKE FIRST ROUND LEAD AT 2006 LGA JUNIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Andrew Noto of Luling posted a round of two-under par 70 on Wednesday and leads the 49th Louisiana Golf Association Junior Amateur Championship heading into Thursday's second round.  On a day when only two players shot under-par, Noto carded three birdies (#3, 11, and 14) against just one bogey (#4) en route to his score of 70.  Noto, who started his round on the first tee, made the turn at even-par 36 and came in at two-under 34.

Trailing Noto by one shot is Baton Rouge's Greg Berthelot who shot a one-under par 71.  Berthelot went out in two-over par 38 with one birdie (#16) against three bogeys (#10, 13, and 17), but was able to rebound with an inward nine of three-under par 33 with birdies at #2, 3, and 7.  Berthelot started his round on the tenth tee.

Garrett Westbrook of Baton Rouge was the only other player in the 71-player Overall Championship to finish the first round at par or better.  Westbrook made a birdie and bogey on each nine for a pair of even-par 36s.  He will play in the final group off the first tee tomorrow morning with Noto and Berthelot.

Other players within five shots of Noto include: Cody Santone, Bossier City (73); Ethan Savoy, Broussard (73); Ben Adams, Baton Rouge (74); Ken Looper III, Mandeville (74); and Malloy Moulis, Lafayette (75).

Thursday’s play will again begin at 7:30 a.m., with the Overall Championship participants all going off in the morning.  The leaders will go off the first hole at 9:09 a.m.  Age-Group participants will complete play on Thursday with awards being presented upon completion of play Thursday afternoon.

This year’s Championship is being played at Bayou DeSiard Country Club in Monroe.  The Perry Maxwell-designed course received rave reviews from this field of the best junior players in Louisiana.  Wednesday’s play was conducted under extremely hot and humid conditions.  The Bayou DeSiard course is playing to a par of 72 and approximately 6,800 yards for the Championship.

In addition to the Overall Junior Amateur Championship, the LGA also conducts Age-Group Championships. 

Age Group leaders after 18 holes are as follows: