Squirrel Run wins Louisiana Club Team
NEW ORLEANS, LA (May 1, 2011) -- It couldn’t have been a closer finish on Sunday at the 2011 Louisiana Golf Association’s Club Team Championship at Lakewood Golf Club in New Orleans. New Iberia’s Squirrel Run Golf Club and the Oaks at Sherwood finished in a dead heat, both shooting two day totals of seven-under par 425. Championship rules require that a tie be broken by taking the fifth player’s score from Sunday’s round to break the tie and Justin Thibodeaux’s 78 put the team from Squirrel Run into the winner’s circle.
Starting the day two shots clear of Money Hill G & CC from Abita Springs and the Oaks at Sherwood, Squirrel Run shot seven-over par 295 Sunday in this event that takes the top four of six individual scores on Sunday to compute the team’s score for the day. The Oaks at Sherwood shot 293 on Sunday to also finish at 425.
The Champion team from Squirrel Run was led by Brodie Leblanc with an even par 72. Danny Duplantis and Scott Shea fired 73s, Jay Smith had a 77, and Jimmy Picard shot 80 to go with Thibodeaux’ 78.
The runner-up squad from the Oaks at Sherwood was led by Rocky Nicholas’s 71, with Darrell Lakvold shooting 73, Ross Davis 74, Wendell Akins 75, Chuck Laudermill 79, and Jimmy Robbins 81. Finishing in third place alone one shot back at 426 was Baton Rouge’s Country Club of Louisiana.
Under par scores recorded on Sunday were: LeTriomphe’s Cecil Guilbeau (69), CC of Louisiana’s Max Sellers (69), English Turn’s Jeff Lorio (69), Wetlands’ Jody Lormond (70), CC of Louisiana’s Jordan Dempsey (70), Louisiana Am Golf Tour’s Mike Kapp (70), OakWing’s Mark Graff (70), Oaks at Sherwood’s Nicholas (71), Oaks at Sherwood’s Brandt Garon (71), Hebert GC’s T-boy Hamilton (71), Louisiana Am Golf Tour’s Brad Petree (71), and Ellendale’s Mark LeBlanc (71).
The Championship drew 18 teams from across the state. Clubs participating in the event are represented by six-man teams. Saturday’s play consisted of four-ball stroke play with each team counting the two best of their three four-ball scores. Sunday’s play consisted of individual stroke play with a team’s score being determined by the best four of six individual scores.
As indicated, the 2011 LGA Club Team Championship was conducted at Lakewood Golf Club in New Orleans, a facility that was re-designed by Ron Garl after Hurricane Katrina. Playing to a par of 72 at just over 6,700 yards, blustery winds created challenging conditions for the players. Despite the winds, the course drew rave reviews from this strong LGA field. Koasati Pines at Coushatta in Kinder, host to the 2010 LGA Amateur Championship, will play host to this event in 2012.