Mid-Amateur Championship

August 7, 2009 Lafayette, LA

 

Birdies were plentiful for Matt Nicholas and Doug Quienalty of Lake Charles and Kevin Morvant of Houma on Friday in the Louisiana Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship. All three ended the day with four-under par 68s to share the first round lead by one shot over another trio of players. 

 

Starting on the tenth hole on Friday appeared to be just what the doctor ordered for Nicholas. Four consecutive birdies on #10, #11, #12, and #13 jump-started his first nine; he also birdied the difficult par-four 16^th to turn in five-under 31. A birdie on the par-five third got him to six-under before his only blemish of the day, a double bogey on the 194 yard par-three fourth hole. Five pars coming in placed him squarely in the lead after the morning wave.

 

Also starting on #10, at 12:45 p.m., Morvant began his round birdie-bogey-birdie on #10, #11, and #12, before beginning a string of four birdies of his own on #16.  Birdies on #17, the extremely difficult 450-yard 18^th, and #1, getting him to five-under par. All pars coming in save for a finishing bogey on #9 also brought him home in 68.

 

The lone first round co-leader to start his round on #1, Quinalty played in the next-to-last group of the day and was five-under par through 11 holes, having birdied #1, #4, #5, #9, and #11. Bogeys on #12 and #18 sandwiched around another birdie on #15 enabled him to jam up the leader board with yet another 68.

 

Only a shot behind and tied for fourth at 69 are New Orleans’ Patrick Christovich, Broussard’s Brett Guillot, and LeCompte’s Rod Baronet. Another shot back with two-under par 70s are Lafayette’s John Mendell, an Oakbourne member, and 1993 and 2001 Mid-Amateur Champion Grady Brame of Hammond. Another Oakbourne member, Robert Shelton of Lafayette, Bill Land, also of Lafayette, and George Cestia of Lake Charles are in at one-under par 71. Finishing at even par 72 were 2000 and 2003 Mid-Amateur Champion John Davis of Lafayette, Lewis Lauve of Alexandria, Mason Rudolph, Jr., of Covington, and Burt Allen and Eddie Lyons, both from Shreveport.

 

The shot of the day was hit by Gus Malespin of New Orleans, who made a hole-in-one with a five iron on the 175 yard, par three 15^th hole.

   

The Oakbourne CC course, one of the most popular venues in the state, is playing firm and fast with the greens running quick and true, ‘stimping’ out at around 12 for Friday’s play. The course is in wonderful condition and drew rave reviews from this field of the top players in the state 25 years of age and older. It played to a par of 72 at just under 7,000 yards. The course, known for its huge live oak trees, was designed in the mid 50’s by Dick Wilson.  Friday’s weather was hot and humid, with the course getting a short shower after play was completed Friday evening; more of the same is predicted for Saturday’s second round.

 

Play will begin at 7:30 a.m. off both #1 and #10 again on Saturday with the leaders scheduled to go off #1 at 1:39 p.m. At the conclusion of second round play the field will be cut to the low 60 scorers and ties.

 

All scores and pairings to follow:

 

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