Mandeville, LA (Oct. 6, 2013) — Robert Shelton and Ben Thibeaux, both of Lafayette, fired a five-under par 67 in the first round of the Louisiana Golf Association Senior Four-Ball Championship Saturday at Beau Chene Country Club in Mandeville. Shelton and Thibeaux are always a competitive team in this event. They finished placed tied for 9th place in this event last year and finished runner-up in 2011. The Lafayette duo lead Darell Benoit of Belle Chasse and Bart Dornier of Metairie by two strokes heading into Sunday’s final round.
Shelton and Thibeaux started their round at 8:40 on hole #1. They both made par on the first two holes, then Shelton made a birdie on the par 4 3rd hole. Shelton and Thibeaux followed that birdie with four consecutive pars. Thibeaux added a birdie of his own at the par 4 8th hole, but both players bogied the par 4 9th hole, making the turn at one-under par 35. The back nine, which played slightly longer than the front nine on Saturday, was a “birdie fest” for Shelton and Thibeaux. They executed their game plan and each player contributed birdies, critical to playing in a Four-Ball event.
Shelton jumpstarted the back nine with a birdie on the par 5 4th hole. Thibeaux followed that with a par at the par 4 11th, and both partners birdied the par 4 12th hole. Thibeaux added another par at the par 3 13th, and the duo birdied the par 4 14th. They dropped a shot with a bogey at the par 5 15th, but Shelton responded with a birdie at the par 3 16th and a par at the par 4 17th. Thibeaux contributed a birdie on the final hole of the day, the par 4 18th, bringing their team score to five-under par 67 for the round.
Beau Chene Country Club is a 36 hole facility, and the 2013 Senior 4-Ball Championship was played on the Oak course at approximately 6,600 yards. The LGA is also conducting a Super Seniors Championship for participants 65 years of age and older, playing from a forward set of tees. Russ Gaudin of Baton Rouge and Les O’Neal of Denham Springs lead the Super Seniors at two-under par 70. One shot behind them are Tommy Mook and Lewis Jones of Shreveport and Eddie Fielding of Abita Springs and David Harris of Covington.