March 27, 2023 Lake Charles, Louisiana
The Louisiana Junior Golf Tour, Gulf States PGA, and Southern Texas PGA conducted the inaugural Lake Charles Spring Classic over the weekend at Contraband Bayou Golf Club in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The field comprised of talented players from both Louisiana and Texas set the stage for a competitive weekend down in the bayou.
After round one, Ross Anderson from Lake Charles, Louisiana held a two-stroke lead over Ben Blanco (Lafayette, LA) and Jett Surratt (Carthage, TX). In round two, Anderson was able to continue his exceptional play posting a two-under 69. Anderson played about as consistent two rounds of golf one could ask for. Over 36 holes, he only sacrificed an impressive one lone bogey allowing Anderson to become the champion of the Lake Charles Spring Classic. Anderson became a champion while also earning exemptions into the Texas State Junior Amateur, the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship, and also winning in his home city. Drew Sliman (Lafayette, LA), Ben Blanco, and Jett Surratt would all finish T-2 and participate in a three-man playoff for honors of an exemption into the Byron Nelson Junior Championship along with Anderson. Sliman caught fire on the back-nine of his second round shooting six-under in the last nine holes to sneak his way into the playoff. In the playoff, Surratt would bogey the first hole while Sliman and Blanco would both par to move on to the next playoff hole. Sliman would continue his impressive play and win the three-man playoff after four total playoff holes capturing a runner-up finish in the Lake Charles Spring Classic and the exemption into the Veritex Bank Byron Nelson Junior Championship.
Amelia Guo of Seabrook, Texas put on an absolute show in the Girls’ division. She carded rounds of 65 and 64 totaling an impressive 129 over the two days. Over 36 holes, she carded fourteen birdies and only one bogey helping her to get to thirteen-under for the championship. Five of those birdies came consecutively in the last five holes of her first round. Guo put on an amazing performance and it was exciting to watch as she was on her way to become the champion. Guo also earned an exemption into the 2023 Texas Junior Amateur and the 2023 The Ascendant LPGA Benefiting VOA Girls Championship. Krysta Loftin (Perland, TX) would finish runner-up at two-over par and Vivian Volion (Springfield, LA) finished T-3 winning in a scorecard playoff over Peyton DeBruin (Houston, TX). Loftin would also earn an exemption into the 2023 The Ascendant LPGA Benefiting VOA Girls Championship.
Tripp Depoy from The Woodlands, Texas would be victorious of the boys’ 13-14 division. He carded rounds of 70 and 72 finishing at even par to win by two strokes over Hudson Greene (Bossier City, LA). Depoy also finished 8th in the overall leaderboard while Greene finished T-11th Both boys divisions played from the same yardages.
Evelynn Artieta of Denham Springs, LA would win the Girls’ 13-14 division with a score of five-over par over Jade Neves (New Orleans, LA) who finished at eight-over for the championship. Artieta would finish T-5 in the overall division only two strokes behind third place.
The inaugural Lake Charles Spring Classic was a huge success. The tournament saw a full field of 90 players with great competition over two days. It was awesome to see the players from both states get to compete with each other and give them the opportunity to see some new playing competition. The Louisiana Junior Golf Tour wants to give a huge thank you to the Southern Texas PGA and Gulf States PGA for all of their efforts to make this championship such an enjoyable and successful event. The Louisiana Junior Golf Tour and Gulf States PGA could not be prouder to continue the partnership with the STPGA and grow the relationship moving forward. We want to also say thank you to Contraband Bayou Golf Club for their support, hospitality, and tremendous effort in getting the course in championship shape.
The Tom Fazio designed Contraband Bayou Golf Course drew excellent reviews from competitors, parents, and spectators. The course played to a par 71 and approximately 6600 yards for the Boys’ division and 5,553 yards for the Girls’ division. The course was in tremendous condition and the green were pure.
For full final results please click here.