Courtesy of Louisiana Golf Association
Nobody has dominated Louisiana amateur golf more in the last decade than
Patrick Christovich of New Orleans.
Christovich added another title to his name on Sunday at Contraband Bayou Golf Club, winning the 29th Louisiana Mid-Amateur Championship by three strokes after shooting rounds of 65-71-67 to finish at 10-under par 203 for the Championship.
This is Christovich’s fifth LGA Mid-Amateur Championship, having previously won the event in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. He also finished runner-up three times from 2015-2017.
The 203 total is tied for the lowest score in Championship history, a record set by Christovich at Southern Trace Country Club in 2010, and it is the record low 54-hole score at a par 71 golf course.
Combined with his 2012 Louisiana Amateur Championship, Christovich now becomes the third most decorated LGA amateur champion of all-time dating back to 1920. Only Tommy Brennan of Covington and the late Jimmy McGonagill of Shreveport have more LGA Championships to their name.
Christovich jumped 10 spots to the number one position in the Louisiana Amateur Player of the Year race following this victory. Hank Shaheen of Dequincy fired the low round of the Championship on Sunday, a seven-under par 64, to finish runner-up at 206.
Christovich started the day tied for second at 6-under par with 2009 LGA Mid-Amateur Champion Matt Nicholas of Lake Charles, and they and one shot back of the other player in their final pairing group, 36-hole leader Andrew Noto of Metairie.
Christovich made a birdie at the par 5 first hole to get into a tie for the lead after Noto and Nicholas both made a par. Noto’s tee shot at the par 4 second landed out of bounds, and he would go on to make a double bogey. Christovich made a par, while Nicholas made a birdie taking a share of the lead.
Christovich and Nicholas would battle back and forth the rest of the afternoon, while Shaheen was making his run up the leaderboard six groups ahead of them. Christovich made a birdie on the par 4 3rd hole to take sole possession of the lead. He and Nicholas made par on the next five holes and then they each birdied the par 5 9th hole, and Christovich retained his one-shot lead at the turn.
Christovich birdied the par 4 10th hole and Nicholas birdied the par 4 12th hole. Christovich made his only bogey of the day at the par 3 13th hole, and Nicholas made a par, so they were tied for the lead at nine-under par when they stepped on the 14th tee.
This proved to be the monumental momentum shift. Christovich caught a break when his drive deflected off a tree and safely into the rough. He would go on to make birdie after hitting the flagstick with his approach shot. Nicholas three-putted for bogey, and Christovich took a two-shot lead.
Christovich coasted home with four consecutive pars to shoot 67. Shaheen’s final round 64 was tied for the lowest final round in championship history.
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ABOUT THE
Louisiana Mid-Amateur
The Louisiana Golf Association Mid-Amateur
Championship is a 54 hole event for Louisiana
residents
25 years of age or older. Entries are open to any
Louisiana resident (as of at least 90 days prior to
August 4, 2017) who is an amateur golfer holding
membership in a LGA member club in good
standing.
Entrants must possess a certified USGA Handicap
Index
of 8.0 or less.
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