Golf: Making the turn and Chip Shots – Heymann Tourney May 2

Dan McDonald Daily Advertiser, May 16, 2012

When the 10th annual Louisiana Champions Invitational tees off today at Tamahka Trails in Marksville, five of the six boys prep state champions will be in the field. But more notably for local golf followers, a fivesome from the Acadiana area will be teeing it up in chase of top honors.

The tournament, the LHSAA’s official All-Star event for golf, has a 32-player field and is limited to boys who finished in the top five individually in the state’s six high school division tournaments (Divisions I through VI). Of the 30 eligible players, 27 accepted slots and will participate in today’s 18-hole event at the Paragon Casino Resort’s long and difficult layout.

One of the locals also happens to be one of the state champions, with ESA’s Ben Como taking individual honors in last week’s Division VI (Class B & C) tournament. Como, making his final prep appearance before headed to UL, carded a six-over 150 to win medalist honors at the state meet. That score also led ESA to a runner-up finish in the state meet at Links on the Bayou in Alexandria.

The top local threats for the Champions title, along with Como, are senior Ryan Desormeaux of Comeaux and junior Kyle Camp of Notre Dame. Both finished in fourth place in the Division I (Class 5A) and Division II (Class 4A) tournaments last week.

Desormeaux competed as an individual in the 5A event at Copper Mill in Zachary, carding a one-under 71 and was poised for more before the second round was rained out. Camp posted a 69-75—144 even-par total at Copper Mill in Zachary in helping lead the Pios to a runner-up team spot.

The other locals are eighth-grader Jack Tolson of Westminster and junior Nick Hollier of Vermilion Catholic, who finished third and fifth respectively in the Division IV (Class 1A) state meet at Links on the Bayou. Tolson posted a 74-73—147 and Hollier a 77-71—148.

Participants will be competing for a $750 scholarship. The same is offered in the girls’ division, where five girls who finished in the top three in the two LHSAA divisions will compete. Play begins at 8 a.m. today with the boys’ course set at nearly 7,000 yards and the girls at approximately 5,600 — both at college standards, and longer than those most played during prep tournaments.

Neither of the defending champs returns (Brandon Newton of Cedar Creek did not enter and Neville’s Anna McMullen is currently playing collegiately at William and Mary. But there is an experienced field with six players making at least a second appearance and ASH’s Chuck Spears and Daniel Deloach have played in the event for three years. Spears appeared to be on his way to the tournament title last year before a double-bogey on the final hole left him as runner-up.

("Making the Turn" appears each Wednesday. Clubs, courses and individuals with information about local golf events may email Dan McDonald, editorial director at Golfballs.com, at danmcdonald@cox.net, FAX to (337) 857-8763 or call (337) 857-8754 and leave a message with phone number. Listen to the "Making the Turn" radio show each Wednesday from 8-9 a.m. on ESPN ¬Sports Radio 1420.)

Chip Shots

HEYMANN TOURNEY: Julie Harrison of Baton Rouge claimed overall championship honors in the 47th annual Lucille Heymann Tournament, staged May 2 at Oakbourne.
The Heymann event, the area’s oldest women’s event, is one of the few stroke-play women’s events held in the area, and once again the event "“ which dates back to 1957 "“ was near its 96-player capacity with players from as far away at Florida and Texas taking part.
Along with Harrison’s victory and the winning of the massive Lucille Heymann Trophy, two local players took top honors in the championship flight. Tom Savoy of Broussard won low gross honors and Lydia Cloninger, who won the overall title in 2011, took low net.
Other winners included Iris Marquardt of Beaumont, Texas and Donna Jolly of Baton Rouge, low gross and net in the first flight; Scharla Kaiser of Baton Rouge and Darlene Wallace of Lake Charles, low gross and net in the second flight; Serda Tibbs of Franklin and Margy Kelly of Houma, low gross and net in the third flight; Penny Spizale of Lafayette and Kathy Lecompte of Houma, low gross and net in the fourth flight; and Bertha Hebert of Nederland, Texas, and Shirley Dodson of Lafayette, low gross and net in the fifth flight.
Marquardt, Ruthie Dugal of Youngsville, Jane Guidry of Lafayette and Mayuri Eaves of Sour Lake, Texas, were the closest to the hole winners. Charlene Noble of Beaumont, Texas, was the random winner of the opportunity at the hole-in-one "Million Dollar Shot" after play, but the ace unfortunately didn’t happen.
The tournament organizing committee is already making plans for the 2013 event and will announce a date in the near future.

USSSA PLAY: The USSSA Golf Junior Tour returns to action next Saturday-Sunday, May 26-27, in the Swashbuckler Classic at The National Golf Club in Westlake. The event is open to boys and girls age 9-18 with the 12-14 and 15-18 age groups playing 36 holes and the 9-11 age group playing 18 holes (nine daily).
Entry fee is $160 for the two older age groups and $80 for the youngest group, with each player receiving tee gifts and a commemorative T-shirt. Players must be USSSA registered, and entries are available online at www.usssa.com with a deadline of next Wednesday. More information is available from Robert Boudreaux at (337) 278-8431.

ARROWHEAD: The Arrowhead Junior Golf Tour comes to Baton Rouge this Saturday-Sunday in the Oaks at Sherwood Junior Classic. The two-day, 36-hole event is open to players age 11-18 and deadline for entering is today. Information is available online at www.arrowheadjgt.com or at (318) 402-2446.
The Arrowhead tour will also stage the Audi AJGT Match Play Championship in Mandeville May 29-31.

HALL OF FAME GOLF: The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame induction activities are set for June 21-23 in Natchitoches, and local golfers may take part in one of those activities with the Encana Hall of Fame Celebrity Pro-Am scramble set for Friday, June 22, at Oak Wing in Alexandria.
Dozens of Hall of Famers, including this year’s induction class of Deuce McAllister, Warrick Dunn, Terry Robiskie, Roger Carr, Pete Richardson, Aaron James, Eddy Furniss and record-holding Lafayette jockey Mark Guidry, will take part in the scramble that has registration and lunch at 11:30 a.m. and a 1 p.m. shotgun start.
Entry fee is $150 which includes tee gifts and Hall of Fame apparel, food and beverages and pairing with at least one Louisiana sports figure as celebrity captain. Individual entries or teams of five are available, and more information is available online at www.lasportshall.com.

VIEUX CHENES SENIORS: Earl Greer, Glen Biro, Paul Richard and Zeke Landrum posted an 11-under 61 score to take top honors in the Vieux Chenes Men’s Senior Golf Association May tournament at Les Vieux Chenes.
Butch Hoff (No. 3), Paul Richard (No. 7), C. J. Girouard (No. 12) and Ed Richard (No. 17) took closest to the hole honors. Next event for the group is Thursday, June 14, and senior players interested in joining the group may contact Les Vieux Chenes at 837-1159.

OPENING AT LVC: Les Vieux Chenes is looking for a part-time snack bar attendant. Pro Todd Robertson said that customer service and an outgoing personality are a must. Salary is $7.50 per hour plus tips, and applicants must be at least 18. Interested parties may contact Robertson at 837-1159 or 371-9084 or come by Les Vieux Chenes for more information.

UPCOMING: The Lafayette Hockey Association holds its fund-raiser tournament Monday at Les Vieux Chenes, and that course will also host the annual Toussaint Golf Association Tournament on Saturday-Sunday, May 26-27.
The inaugural Knight Oil Tools Boy Scout Classic is set for Monday, June 4, at Le Triomphe, raising funds for the Boy Scouts’ Evangeline Area Council. The four-person scramble has 11 a.m. lunch and registration and a 1 p.m. shotgun start, with dinner included after play. Entry fee is $1,500 per team and information is available at 235-8551.