Rod Baronet was right at home at OakWing (LGA photo)
ALEXANDRIA, LA (May 19, 2018) - Rod Baronet of LeCompte fired a five-under par 67 on Saturday to set a Championship record and win the 2018 Louisiana Golf Association Senior Amateur Championship by four shots over Benton’s Robby McWilliams. Baronet followed up two consecutive 68s on the first two days to shoot 13-under par 203, besting the Championship record of 12-under par 204, previously set by Covington’s Tommy Brennan at Lake Charles Country Club in 2015.
Leading by two heading into final round play, Baronet found himself tied for the lead after only two holes on Saturday as McWilliams birdied the first and second holes. Both players birdied the short par four 3rd, then Baronet regained the lead with another birdie on the par-three 4th, then birdied holes #6 and #8. Coupled with a McWilliams bogey on #7, Baronet made the turn up by four shots and never looked back. Both Baronet and McWilliams shot 35 on the back.
Baronet, a member at this year’s Championship venue OakWing Golf Club in Alexandria, also won this Championship in 2011 at the University Club of Baton Rouge. McWilliams is a former LGA Mid-Amateur Champion, winning that Championship at Southern Trace CC in Shreveport in 2016.
Rounding out the Top Five on Saturday were: 3. Jeff Calloway of Baton Rouge (69/210), 4. Ken Buchan of Monroe (71/214), and 5. Sulphur’s Bill Gabbert (75/215)
Scores of par or better on Saturday were turned in by: Baronet (67), Mike Ameen of Shreveport (68), Scott Sills of West Monroe (68), McWilliams (69), Calloway (69), Hal Wright of Shreveport (69), 2016 Champion Buchan (71), Dennis Smith of Lafayette (72), Danny Heyward of Baton Rouge (72), 2014 Champion Bob McCusker of Baton Rouge (72), and 2007 & 2010 Champion Bob Cooper of Monroe (72).
As mentioned, this year’s Championship was conducted at the OakWing Golf Club in Alexandria, a Jim Lipe-design that continued to draw great reviews from this field of the top Senior (Age 50 & Over) players in Louisiana. OakWing’s par-72 track played at 6,642 yards for the final round of this Championship, which was played under warm and humid weather conditions with just a hint of a breeze.
The 2019 LGA Senior Amateur will be conducted at Money Hill Golf & Country Club in Abita Springs on the Northshore of New Orleans, May 16-18, 2019.
View results for Louisiana Senior Amateur
ABOUT THE Louisiana Senior Amateur
Eligibility: Entries are open to any Louisiana resident
(as of at least 90 days prior to the Championship)
who is an amateur golfer (as defined by the USGA)
holding membership in a LGA member club in good
standing (2017 club and individual dues must be
paid). Entrants must be 50 years of age and possess
a certified USGA Handicap Index of 15.0 or less.
Format: Overall Championship will be conducted
over
54 holes. In addition to the Overall Championship,
there is a Super Senior division for those
participants
who are 65 years of age and older. Super Seniors
will
play from a forward set of tees and compete only in
the Super Senior division. Any Senior over 65 may
elect to play in the Overall competition but, in doing
so, is precluded from participation in the Super
Seniors division. For the Senior Amateur, the Super
Senior division is a 36 hole event with a discounted
entry fee.
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