Ten years ago, a group of oil-patch employees and golfing buddies got together to both honor their own and to make a difference in their profession.

A decade later, that group still pays homage to Francis Broussard and Ronnie Gaspard, and the UL Petroleum Engineering Department is a million dollars better.

No need to stop now, figures Jim McCartney, who chairs the tournament that began as the Francis Broussard Memorial, became the Ronnie Gaspard Memorial five years later, and now is simply known as the "Annual."

"We’ve had tournaments the past nine years honoring Francis and Ronnie," McCartney said. "Now we want to continue supporting the petroleum engineering department without the cause of a good friend passing.

"It’s so important to help grow that department. It’s what Francis and Ronnie were devoted to, and that’s reason enough for us to keep doing everything that we can."

When McCartney says "everything," he means it. The list of areas that the UL department has been able to build, renovate, refurbish and improve through tournament proceeds is a long one, not to mention a significant increase in scholarship funds.

"This tournament has reshaped the department," said Dr. Fathi Boukadi, dean of the petroleum engineering department. "Our students enjoy much better facilities, our labs are better equipped and our offices and our entrance have been completely refurbished. It’s become one of a kind in the College of Engineering."

Well it should, since Acadiana is known world-wide in the oil and gas industry. But while oil and gas became the kingpin of the local economy, the UL department wasn’t keeping pace thanks to  the continual budget cuts that plague state higher education  (thank you, Gov. Jindal) hitting the program hard.

"Equipment was out of date, and there were areas inside the department that were unusable," McCartney said. "They didn’t have any money to do anything about it."

The untimely death of Broussard, who was active in both the oil-patch and local golf circles as well as a supporter of the UL program, was a catalyst for others in the industry to band together. The first tournament raised approximately $30,000, an impressive total for a first-time event, and that support grew each year.

Gaspard was part of that growth, helping found and organize the event before his also-untimely death in November 2008 left a gaping hole in the local golf community. Shortly thereafter the tournament name changed, but its focus remained the same. Since that time, the tournament has funded the addition of a building, upgraded study rooms, added storage space and helped increase computer capacity from a dozen to over 40 terminals.

In the last couple of years, the entrance to the department has been upgraded and beautified thanks to a tournament-related donation by Knight Oil Tools. A similar donation by National Oilwell Varco provides access to "Well Data Real Time," giving UL students the chance to monitor drilling from around the world right in their classrooms.

Other sponsors are a who’s who in the oil patch — Workover Specialties, CE Oil Tools, Energy XXI, PXP Exploration, Petroleum Engineers, Chevron, LLOG, Superior Energy, Petroleum Solutions, US Well Services, Devon Energy, Gulfport Energy, Frank’s Casing, Swift Energy, Petsec Energy, Badger Oil, Evans Rentals, Gator Energy Services, Stokes & Spiehler, Stone Energy and BOPCO among many others. In all, the tournament and its sponsors have provided around a half-million dollars to the UL program, and in-kind donations and other assistance pushes that figure close to the million-dollar mark.

"The sponsorships have made a huge difference," McCartney said. "All you have to do is look around. We’ve completed a lot of work, but we still have a lot to do."

This year’s goal is to refurbish and better equip the production lab and the virtual reality center in the department that has doubled in enrollment during the tournament’s run (now with over 400 students).

The four-person scramble tournament is Monday, April 22, at Le Triomphe, with 11 a.m. registration and lunch and a noon shotgun start, and a banquet after completion of play. The field is limited to 36 teams and entry fee is $1,000 per team, with sponsorships also available from $250 to $10,000. The tournament is not limited to those in the oil patch and is open to all golfers.

Entries, which are due by April 20 or until the field is filled, are available at Le Triomphe and at many oil and gas related companies in the area. Entries and other information are also available from McCartney at Workover Specialties at (337) 298-7070 or at geauxgolf@cox.net.