PRESS RELEASE Contact: Carr McCalla
Louisiana Golf Association
(www.lgagolf.org)
E-mail address:
lgagolf@lgagolf.org
For Release: Upon Receipt
MONROE’S ERIC LAVESPERE
LEADS AFTER FIRST ROUND OF PLAY AS WIND PROVES TOUGH CHALLENGE FOR
PLAYERS IN 2008 LOUISIANA GOLF ASSOCIATION AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
June 5, 2008 – Eric Lavespere of Monroe got off to a blistering start on
Thursday in the first round of the 2008 Louisiana Golf Association
Amateur Championship at Gray Plantation in Lake Charles. Lavespere
birdied his first five holes, double bogeyed the par five 7th, then
finished the front with pars to turn in three-under par 33. After the
turn he bogeyed the par three 13th, then birdied the 16th and 18th holes
to finish his inward nine with a one-under 35 and an 18 hole round of
four-under 68. He leads by two shots entering second round play on
Friday.
As good as Lavespere’s play was, the wind was the story at Gray on
Thursday. Most of the day it blew at a steady 20-30 mph, gusting on
occasion to 40 mph. The Gray Plantation track is in excellent shape,
with the greens stimping out at 12 on Thursday. The windy conditions
made putts that were downhill, down grain, and downwind especially
challenging for this field of the top amateur players in the state.
Friday is expected to bring more of the same conditions with the weekend
being a bit on the calmer side.
Carencro’s Kyle Chauvin fired a two-under par 70 (nines of 34-36) to
finish alone in second, while former McNeese golfer Simmi Masson and
Alexandria’s Chris Willis both fashioned nines of 35-36 to share third
place at one-under par 71. Robby McWilliams of Bossier City, Justin
Hungerman of Mandeville, Dudley Bienvenu of Lafayette, Bo Stewart of
Lake Charles, Clinton Shepard of West Monroe, and David McKendrick of
Monroe were another shot back at even par 72. Five time Amateur
runner-up Tommy Brennan of Covington, current LGA Junior Amateur
Champion Austin Gutgsell of Mandeville, and Jeff Calloway of Baton
Rouge, who won the 2004 LGA Mid-Amateur at Gray Plantation, led a large
contingent of players at one-over 73.
“The golf course and hospitality here at Gray have been wonderful. We’re
so fortunate that our top clubs across the state are willing to ‘give
back to the game’ by hosting our Championships. We are indebted to Gray
Plantation, its ownership and membership for allowing us to conduct our
Amateur Championship at their facility,” said LGA President Lew Ward.
“The staff here has been wonderful and has bent over backwards to make
the event a memorable experience for our players.”
Gray Plantation, host to the 89th edition of this Championship, is
playing to a par of 72 at approximately 7,050 yards. Second round play
will commence at 7:30 a.m. on Friday off both #1 and #10 tees with the
afternoon wave to start at 12:00 p.m., also off #1 and #10. After
Friday’s play the field will be cut to the low 60 scorers and ties for
weekend play.
