Former Golf: Duhon captures City Golf tourney crown

The Advertiser, August 17, 2014

David Duhon tees off during the final round of the City Championship at the Hebert Municipal Golf Course on Sunday. (Photo: Paul Kieu/The Advertiser )

David Duhon could have played things conservatively, since he took a two-stroke lead into Sunday’s final round of the Lafayette City Golf Championships.

Instead, Duhon posted three birdies in the first eight holes at Hebert Municipal, and even an hour-long weather delay couldn’t derail his ride to a second city title.

Duhon added a 5-under-par 67 Sunday to the 1-under 71 he carded Saturday at The Wetlands in the first round of the annual tournament, with his six-under 138 score good enough for a six-stroke win in the championship flight.

“I just felt comfortable all day,” Duhon said after adding to the city title he won in 2007. “My putter felt good, tee to green felt good.”

That shouldn’t come as a surprise. Duhon grew up on the 6,200-yard Hebert layout, which has been a part of city championship lore since as far back as 1928. When Duhon won his first city crown seven years ago, Hebert was also the site of the final round in the rotation among the city’s three municipal courses.

“ I grew up here … I’ve been playing here since I was 12,” Duhon said. “It was nice coming here with the lead, knowing the course like I do.”

The only other player matching par in the championship flight was runner-up Buddy Schilling, who came back from a disappointing 3-over 75 at The Wetlands Saturday with a 3-under 69 in the final round. Schilling birdied four of the final seven holes including the par-four 17th and 18th to finish at even-par 144.

That was four shots ahead of a trio of players that tied for third at 4-over 148 – Jody Lormand, Denny Guilbeaux and 2011 city champion Ted Weber. Lormand joined Duhon and Schilling with the day’s only other sub-par round with a two-under 70.

There wasn’t much more drama in the other divisions of the tournament. Lauren Aillet had all but locked up the ladies’ division with her two-under 70 Saturday at The Wetlands, and her 2-over 74 left her at 144 and 34 strokes ahead of her nearest competitor. Her even-par total was the lowest in the history of a women’s division that was added to the tournament in 2007.

John Broussard was also never headed in the age-62-and-over seniors division, adding a two-over 74 Sunday to his one-under 71 at The Wetlands Saturday. His 1-over 145 gave him a three-stroke win over runner-up Bill Kallam (76-72–148) in the seniors division.

Stan Andrews, Roy Vanhaverbeke and first-day leader Donnie Chauvin all tied at 10-over 154 in the open division, with Andrews winning a scorecard playoff for top honors.

The key for Duhon was consistency. He had five birdies in his Sunday 33-34 round and all of his par putts came from within four feet. He had three scrambling chip-and-putt pars on the 11th, 12th and 13th holes before rolling in a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-five 14th to all but lock up the title. Duhon added a 10-foot clinching birdie putt on the final hole to better his target score.

“I sort of had a number in mind,” he said. “I figured if I could shoot 68, that I could hold on.”

A root and a rain delay were Duhon’s only threats Sunday. After a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-four fourth and a 15-foot birdie on the par-three sixth hole, he had his second shot roll next to a root just off the fairway on the par-five eighth. But his saving chip ended up three feet from the pin for his third birdie on the front side.

Fifteen minutes later, heavier rain and lightning forced a delay of nearly an hour, just as Duhon and the championship flight’s final group were finishing the ninth hole. But he hit a solid tee shot after the break on the par-three 10th and got the three up-and-downs on the next three holes.

“I didn’t want to stop, no doubt,” he said. “But that probably worked in my favor because I had to focus on the next shot. To come back and hit a good shot on 10 when everyone was cold after the rain, that really helped me.”

Lafayette City Golf Championships

Sunday’s Final Results

At Hebert Municipal

CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT

David Duhon 71-67 – 138

Buddy Schilling 75-69 – 144

Jody Lormand 78-70 – 148

Ted Weber 73-75 – 148

Denny Guilbeaux 74-74 – 148

Mick Huffman 76-73 – 149

Patrick Babineaux 75-75 – 150

James Hamilton 76-75 – 151

Brad Landry 75-77 – 152

Corey Halsell 76-76 – 152

Thad Weber 77-75 – 152

Scott Quick 80-72 – 152

Curt Arcement 79-79 – 158

Joe Myhand 84-74 – 158

Nick Blady 79-82 – 161

Trevor Domingue 92-79 – 161

John Davis 88-80 – 168

Matt Andrus 86-84 – 170

Bill Land 78-WD

Billy Guilbeaux WD

OPEN FLIGHT

Stan Andrews 76-78 – 154

Donnie Chauvin 74-80 – 154

Roy Vanhaverbeke 78-76 – 154

Mike Huffman 76-80 – 156

Jacob LeBlanc 78-79 – 157

Lance Halsell 77-81 – 158

Joseph Brown 79-79 – 158

Jason Faul 77-82 – 159

Paul Berard 85-81 – 166

Geoff Bernard 82-85 – 167

Todd Bourg 85-82 – 167

Jordan Davis 93-85 – 178

Woody Bordelon 95-87 – 182

Eric Pelletier 99-102 – 201

Brian Miller 87-WD

Tim Beaugh 87-WD

Billy Gaydon 87-WD

Net Winners: Mike Huffman 136, Geoff Bernard 139, Jacob LeBlanc 141.

SENIOR DIVISION

John Broussard 71-74 – 145

Bill Kallam 76-72 – 148

Wes Angelle 76-75 – 151

Herb Boasso 76-76 – 152

Les Bradley 79-74 – 153

LaWayne Sieferman 78-80 – 158

Clay Judice 82-77 – 159

A. J. Roeling 80-81 – 161

David Luquette 83-81 – 164

Tony Tramel 87-78 – 165

Kelly Chance 86-80 – 166

Kenny Granger 94-86 – 180

James Worley 102-91 – 193

Net Winners: Wes Angelle 133, A. J. Roeling 135, LaWayne Sieferman 140.

LADIES DIVISION

Lauren Aillet 70-74 – 144

Liz Duhon 92-86 – 178

Christina Popp 102-104 – 206

Keitha Broussard 98-117 – 215

Net Winner: Liz Duhon 148.