Golf: Making the turn – Louisiana Classics Set For 26th Renewal

Golf: Making the turn – Louisiana Classics Set For 26th Renewal

March 2, 2011 Daily Advertiser, Dan McDonald, danmcdonald@cox.net

The Louisiana Classics tournament has provided UL’s golf team with its biggest weekend of the year for over two decades, but this year’s event is even more special as it enters its 26th renewal.

The 15-team event is scheduled Sunday-Tuesday at Oakbourne and once again features a strong field, but it is an event scheduled prior to the start of the Classics that has Ragin’ Cajun coach Theo Sliman excited.

On Saturday, the Cajun team will play an eight-man match-play event against Illinois at Le Triomphe, one day before the teams take part in the Classics’ college-am competition. The Fighting Illini are ranked sixth nationally and are led by Scott Langley, the NCAA’s reigning individual champion."It’s very likely that, depending on how they (Illinois) do their lineup, one of our guys is going to go head up against the national champion in match play," Sliman said. "That’s very exciting for us. It’ll be a great test for us."

Langley followed up last year’s NCAA title with a big splash at the U.S. Open, where he was in contention for much of the event and wound up with a 16th-place finish. Sliman said that Langley and all of the two teams will get a chance to see Le Triomphe almost like the professionals see it for the upcoming Chitimacha Louisiana Open in Saturday’s 1 p.m. event that is open to the public."We’re going to try to set it up almost the same way the Open players see it on the Sunday," he said. "All of these guys have aspirations to play as tour pros, so they’ll get a chance to play on a course that’s set up like a tour event.""Obviously they’re ranked sixth and we’re barely in the top 100 (98th), but on any given day in match play "» we’re hoping that this will instill confidence in our team."

The Cajuns have normally fared well in their own Louisiana Classics event, and will get the chance to continue that trend in two rounds Monday and a final round Tuesday at the Classics’ traditional Oakbourne home. Play is tentatively scheduled for 7:30 a.m. each morning, with that event also open to the public at no admission charge.

Along with Illinois, the field also includes another top-10 team in LSU as well as squads from Tulsa, UAB, Arkansas-Little Rock, Texas State, Southern Mississippi, South Alabama, Houston, Kansas, Southeastern Louisiana, Kent State, SMU and Memphis.

"It’s not often we get to schedule in this caliber of teams," Sliman said, "and it’s a great opportunity to have them here at home."

Area players will have the opportunity to play along with the collegians on Sunday in the annual College-Am, with locals paired up with each of the collegiate teams for a best-ball event. A $250 donation includes poolside lunch, tournament gifts and an awards ceremony and team dinner along with the 18-hole round.Sunday lunch begins at 11 a.m. with a noon shotgun start, and spots are still open for locals to take part and pair up with some of the collegiate teams. Information and entries are available from Sliman at (337) 482-6130 or from Bob Bass at (337) 654-6917.

In addition to the available slots in the College-Am, sponsorships are still available for the event running from $150 for a hole sponsorship to $1,000 and up for a Vermillion sponsorship that includes other tournament-related events. All funds raised go directly to the Cajun golf program."This wouldn’t happen if not for the support of the community and the local golf clubs," Sliman said. "It means a lot to me personally and to the golf program, and we’re hoping that we can continue our legacy of success in this event."

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

HOLE-IN-ONE

The Chitimacha Louisiana Open is still a couple of weeks away, but activities actually begin Friday with the first weekend of qualifying for the Cypress Bayou Casino $1 Million Hole-In-One Shootout.
Qualifying will take place at seven different courses in the area prior to the March 20 finals, where players will have a chance at a $1 million prize for a hole-in-one. Qualifying begins Friday at Hebert Municipal and will also be held Saturday at the Farm d’Allie and Sunday at Acadian Hills.
This year, instead of closest-to-the-hole qualifying on driving ranges, qualifying will be held at a designated par-three hole on each course where players can take part during their regular rounds. Players may donate $5 to the Open charities to take part, and the closest five shots each day advance to the finals. In addition, anyone donating $10 will receive a $10 Ball Bucks card from Golfballs.com.
Future qualifying will be held at Oakbourne, The Wetlands and Les Vieux Chenes on the weekend of March 11-13, prior to a final weekend of qualifying at Le Triomphe on Friday-Sunday, March 18-20.
The traditional qualifying will be held at a target green on that final weekend, along with an on-course par-three at Le Triomphe on Saturday, March 19. Players may also by-pass the qualifying and take an automatic slot in the finals with a $100 contribution to the Open. Information on the Hole-In-One is available by calling (337) 857-8754.
For the second year, the Krewe Des Chiens is the beneficiary of funds from the Shootout, with those funds going to financially assist several animal shelters and animal aid organizations in Acadiana while also promoting education about spaying and neutering of pets.

SPEAKING OF THE OPEN
Two slots in the Louisiana Open field were locked down Monday when state pros Phil Schmitt and Aaron O’Callaghan finished one-two at the PGA Gulf States Section Qualifying Tournament held at Le Triomphe. The Gulf States Section receives two automatic spots in the field, with those determined in Monday’s qualifier.
Schmitt, from Baton Rouge, won the event with a three-under 69 score aided by an eagle at the par-five 14th hole (that hole will play as a par-four during the Open) and three other birdies. O’Callaghan, a former collegian at Southeastern Louisiana, had five birdies and three bogeys in a two-under 70 to nose out Tim Yelverton and Derek Sanders (both at 71) for the final slot.
Schmitt will be playing in the Open for the sixth time in the past seven tournaments, having earned a Gulf States spot in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010.

COME HONOR MARIE
There is no greater golf institution in Acadiana than Marie Alexander, the matriarch of the dining room at Acadian Hills. On Thursday, Marie will be honored for 31 years of service to the membership and guests at the Hills.
Cake and refreshments will be served, and general manager John Guilbeau is inviting all Acadian Hills members and patrons to stop by Thursday to honor and visit with her.
"Marie has been a cornerstone to this club, and this is our way of saying thank you," Guilbeau said. "We’re hoping everyone can stop in and extend their personal thanks."

SAVE THE DATES
Lafayette’s three municipal courses have announced the dates for the annual City of Lafayette Golf Championships, with this year’s tournament scheduled earlier in the year than its traditional Labor Day weekend. The two-day tournament will be held at The Wetlands and Les Vieux Chenes on Saturday-Sunday, July 9-10.
The 36-hole stroke-play event will use USGA handicap indexes except in the championship flight, and will have men’s, women’s and senior divisions. Entry fee is $120 for the two days which includes all green and cart fees, range balls, awards and food and beverages after each round.
Information and entry forms are available from Todd Robertson at Les Vieux Chenes or by calling (337) 837-1159.

DOUBLE EAGLE
The rarest shot in golf "” even more so than a hole-in-one "” came Robert Mouton’s way back in February. The Lafayette golfer recorded a double-eagle on the par-five, 535-yard 11th hole at Hebert Municipal on Feb. 11.
Mouton, playing in a threesome with Lamont Crowe and Russell Girouard, hit a driver off the tee and then used a 4-iron from 240 yards out, watching his Bridgestone ball bounce on the green and roll into the cup. The 60-year-old locomotive engineer has been playing for 15 years and carries an 11 handicap.

JOB OFFER
Les Vieux Chenes is seeking applications for a golf shop attendant position. Pro Todd Robertson said the club is looking for a "fun-loving, outgoing person to help give our golfers the experience they deserve."
Hourly rates and various day shifts are available, and interested applicants may call Robertson at 837-1159 for more information. Robertson also said that Les Vieux Chenes will be open on Mardi Gras day, Tuesday, March 8.

ON TOUR
A former Louisiana Open champion added a second PGA Tour title to his resume over the weekend. Johnson Wagner, who won the 2006 Open title and had previously won the 2008 Shell Houston Open, closed with a 4-under-par 67 in the final round and bested Spencer Levin on the first playoff hole to take the Mayakoba Golf Classic Sunday in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
Wagner, who narrowly missed a full exemption on the PGA Tour last year, shot 69-66-65-67"”267 and earned $666,000 for his win. Shreveport’s David Toms finished tied for fifth at 12-under 272 while former La. Open winner Brett Wetterich was tied for 13th at 275, Acadian-by-marriage Chris Riley tied for 42nd at 279 and last year’s Open winner Fabian Gomez tied for 50th at 281.
There were also local ties on the leaderboard at last weekend’s Panama Claro Championship in Panama, the opening event for the Nationwide Tour. Baton Rouge’s Scott Sterling tied for sixth at 68-65-69-71"”273, tying with former La. Open winner Gavin Coles, while other Open champs Bubba Dickerson tied for 16th, Paul Clasxton tied for 44th and Ryan Hietala tied for 62nd.
The PGA Tour begins its Florida swing and heads for the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens this weekend, with one of the season’s strongest fields taking part. Baton Rouge’s Heath Slocum is in that field along with Wagner, Wetterich and former La. Open champ Jimmy Walker. Meanwhile, the Nationwide Tour heads to Bogota, Colombia for the Pacific Rubiales Bogota Open, the last event on that Tour before its U.S. debut at the Louisiana Open.

ACES
Rodney Alleman of Carencro used a 9-iron and a Titleist ball to ace the 134-yard second hole at Hebert Municipal on Tuesday. The 60-year-old Alleman, a 14-handicapper playing for 22 years, was in a group with Dennis Leger, Dave Shaffer and C. J. Girouard.