June 12, 2010 -- Kinder, LA -- As Yogi might say, it felt like déjà vu all
over again. For third round leader Ken Looper of Mandeville it must have
seemed like a carbon copy of last year’s Championship; his hope is that
the ending on Sunday will be a tad different. Looper shot a three-under
par 68 on Saturday to take a three-shot lead over second round leader
Andrew Noto of Luling and Max Sellers of Baton Rouge. Noto shot one-over
72 on Saturday while Sellers had the day’s best round of six-under par 66.
Looper’s three-shot lead is eerily similar to a year ago in this same
Championship at English Turn G & CC in New Orleans. He found himself two
shots up on the field after 54 holes and shot a two-under par 70 in last
year’s final round, but it still wasn’t enough. Andrew Loupe of Baton
Rouge fired a four-under 68, then bested Looper in a sudden death playoff
for the 2009 Championship. Loupe’s not here this year, but Looper will
still have a couple of formidable opponents in Sellers and Noto in the
final group Sunday.
Second round leader Noto bogeyed the second hole on Saturday to slip back
into a tie with Looper, then gave up the lead when Looper made birdie on
the par four #4. Both birdied the downwind par four sixth hole but another
bogey by Noto on #7 gave Looper a two-shot cushion. They matched pars
until Noto made birdie two on the short par three 12th to again get back
within one. They swapped bogeys on the next two holes, Noto making his on
the par four 13th, Looper following on the par four 14th. Looper widened
the lead to three by finishing his round off with birdies on both #17 and
#18.
Sellers started his round with birdie on the long par four first hole,
playing as the second most difficult hole this week. Another birdie on #6
sandwiched by bogeys on #2 and #7 brought him to the turn at even par 35.
Knowing he had to make something happen on the back nine, he chipped in
for eagle three on #10, then proceeded to birdie #12, #17, and #18 to
shoot five-under 31 on the back, and 66 for the day
Robby McWilliams, who started the day three shots behind Looper and four
arrears of Noto, played the first eight holes even par. On the par five
9th, he hit Noto’s ball by mistake on his third shot into the green at the
par five 9th; the subsequent two-shot penalty turning his par five into a
double bogey seven and putting him even farther behind the two leaders. He
righted the ship on the back, shooting two-under par to finish with an
even par 71 for the day to stay within striking distance at four-under par
and in fourth place by himself. Rounding out the top five is Matthew
Hungerman of Mandeville, who fired an even par 71 on Saturday to stand at
two-under for the tournament.
Other under par rounds on Saturday were turned in by Patrick Christovich
of New Orleans (67), Clinton Shepard of West Monroe (67), Patrick Blunt of
Ruston (68), Hayden Stephens of Ruston (68), Jay Coxe of Madisonville
(69), Anthony DeReese of Iowa (70), Chris Donaldson of Metairie (70),
Scott Sweeney of Lake Charles (70), and Brent Struthers of Baton Rouge
(70).
Koasati Pines at Coushatta, just northeast of Lake Charles in Kinder, is
hosting the LGA’s marquee event for the first time. The course played to a
par of 71 at just over 7,100 yards on Saturday and continues to draw
positive reviews from this field of the top amateur players in Louisiana.
The weather on Saturday was again hot and humid with swirling breezes
creating some difficulty with club selection.
Final round play on Sunday will begin at 7:30 AM off #1 tee with the
leaders (Looper, Noto, and Sellers) scheduled to go off at 10:39 AM.
