Four-Ball Championship

July 21, 2007

University Club, The

Info
- Tournament Info
Results

Round 1 Recap

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release Contact:Carr McCalla

CHRIS WELLS/EDDIE BRESCHER, ERIC LAVESPERE/BOB COOPER, AND BRETT BERGERON/NAT BHANTHUMACHINDA SHARE LEAD AFTER FIRST ROUND OF LOUISIANA GOLF ASSOCIATION 4-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP

July 21, 2007 Baton Rouge, LA

Birdies were plentiful on Saturday at the University Club in Baton Rouge, as the Louisiana Golf Association conducted its annual 4-Ball Championship at the Baton Rouge facility just south of the LSU campus.

Tied for the lead after first round play are the teams of Chris Wells of Baton Rouge and Eddie Brescher of Ponchatoula, Eric Lavespere and Bob Cooper of Monroe, and Brett Bergeron of LaPlace and Nat Bhanthumachinda of Harvey. They all fired nine-under par rounds of 63 to lead by one shot over a four-team logjam. Tommy Brennan of Covington/Gayle Sanchez of Baton Rouge, Garrett Prather/Jeff Riemann of Baton Rouge, Scott Sterbcow of Metairie/Darell Benoit of Belle Chasse, and Jared Harris/Billy Jackson of Baton Rouge all fired eight-under par 64s. One more shot back and tied for 7^th with scores of 65 after Saturday’s round were Robert Shelton and B.C. Thibeaux of Lafayette, Brent Struthers of Baton Rouge and Thomas Galloway of Covington, and Ric Speights and Jordan Breaux of Sulphur.

Wells is the current LGA Amateur Championship titleholder, having won that event in early June at the TPC Louisiana course in New Orleans. He and Brescher teamed up for 10 birdies and a lone bogey for their 63. They birdied Holes #2 through #7, bogeyed #9, and then posted another string of three birdies on holes #10-#12, finishing with all pars save for a birdie on #15. Lavespere and Cooper had nine birdies without a bogey, carding their birdies on #1, #2, #5, #6, #10, #12, #13, #16, and #17. Bergeron and Bhanthumachinda also played without a bogey, making birdies on #2, #5, #8, #11, #14, #16, and #17, with an eagle on the par five #6.

All four teams tied for third at 64 posted bogey-free rounds, with eight birdies and 10 pars. Brennan is a five-time LGA Mid-Amateur Champion and five-time LGA Amateur Champion runner-up, including this year, finishing runner-up to Wells. Sanchez perennially contends in events both at the state and national level. Prather is also a former LGA Amateur Champion, having won the title at Oakbourne CC in Lafayette in 2004. Benoit took home the LGA Senior Amateur title at the Bluffs in 2005.

The shot of the day was fired by Dean Mijalis of Shreveport. Hitting a pitching wedge from 140 yards into the back right hole location, he aced the par three 16^th hole to help his team to a three-under par 69. A pair of father-son combinations also stayed close to the leaders; Jim (Dad) and Ben (son) Adams of Baton Rouge shot 66 and are tied for 10^th, with Earl (Dad) and Jason (son) Humphries of Woodworth and Gonzales, respectively, another shot back at 67, tied for 14^th.

The Jim Lipe designed University Club track drew rave reviews from this field of some of the top players in the state. It played to a par of 72 at just over 7,000 yards. The course is in top condition, with the fairways firming up and the greens putting extremely true. Play was halted for 30 minutes late in the day for lightning with four groups still on the course; play concluded around 5:45 PM

Sunday’s times will begin at 7:30 AM with the leaders scheduled to tee off at 12:30 PM.

All scores and pairings to follow.

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Louisiana Golf Association