June 11, 2010 -- Kinder, LA -- University of Louisiana-Lafayette golfer
Andrew Noto fired a five-under par 66 on Friday to take a one-shot lead
over 2009 runner-up Ken Looper into third round play at the 91st Louisiana
Golf Association Amateur Championship, conducted this week at Koasati
Pines at Coushatta just northeast of Lake Charles in Kinder.
Noto, of Luling, has a two-round total of eight-under par 134 (68-66).
Mandeville’s Looper, who lost last year’s Championship in a playoff, had
the day’s best round, a six-under par 65, including five consecutive
birdies on holes 4-8 and stands one shot back at 135 (70-65). Alone in
third place at four-under 138 is perennial contender Robby McWilliams of
Bossier City. McWilliams fired a four-under 67 on Friday. Rounding out the
top five heading into weekend play are Max Sellers of Baton Rouge and
Matthew Hungerman of Mandeville, both standing at two-under par 140,
Sellers with rounds of 72/68, and Hungerman with bookend rounds of 70/70.
First-round leader Austin Gutgsell of Alexandria struggled to a five-over
76 Friday and stands at one-over 143 through 36 holes.
Noto, who will be a junior at ULL next year, began Friday’s round on #10.
He birdied both of the par threes on the backside (#12 and #16), then
finished his first nine with a birdie on the par five 18th to turn in
three-under par. Birdies on numbers two and five coming home put the
finishing touches on his bogeyless round of 66. Looper also began his
round on #10, making birdie there and on the par five 18th hole, his only
blemish of the day coming with a bogey on the difficult par four 17th.
Pars on the first three holes after the turn gave way to his birdie
barrage beginning on #4. Looper, a standout player for the University of
New Orleans in recent years, has recently transferred to LSU as a result
of UNO’s decision to go NCAA Division III and is expected to significantly
bolster the Tigers depth next year.
Other under par scores on Friday were posted by Dustin Petit of Luling
(70) and Thomas Disch of Lafayette (70).
The Kevin Tucker designed Koasati Pines course played to a par of 71 at
just over 7,050 yards on Friday. The course is firming up after receiving
more than five inches of rain over the last 10 days, including an inch
earlier this week. Forecast for the remainder of the week is for hot and
humid conditions with just a slight risk of showers.
The field was cut after Friday’s play to the low 60 and ties with 68
players surviving the cut at eight-over par 150. Third round play will
begin at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday off #1 tee with leaders Noto, Looper, and
McWilliams going off at 10:48 AM.
