July 23, 2023 – Shreveport, Louisiana
Jake Marler of Shreveport carded a final round 71 on Sunday to win the 104th Louisiana Amateur Championship by three shots over runner-up finishers Hunter Battles of Ruston and Jay Mendell of Lafayette. Marler, a southpaw, fired a second round 68 on Friday to take the lead and he never relinquished it for the remainder of the championship. He was cool, calm and collected all week and handled the pressure of leading an elite amateur championship in his hometown with ease. This result helps Marler continue to build confidence, and he certainly put on an incredible performance in front of friends and family on Sunday. Marler finished the 72-hole championship at 279 (9-under par). He and Battles were the only players to shoot under par all four days. This is the fourth consecutive year that the winning score was 9-under par.
Marler had an eventful final round carding four birdies and three bogeys, which put him at 18 birdies and only 9 bogeys for the entire championship. He controlled the entire day, even with two outstanding golfers in Mendell and Battles, trying their best to claw at Marler’s lead. Marler, a rising senior at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, is the first Ragin’ Cajun since 1996 (Matt Trevino) to win the Louisina Amateur Championship.
Final round results of the Louisiana Golf Association’s 104th Louisiana Amateur Championship held at Southern Trace Country Club in Shreveport, Louisiana on Thursday, July 23, 2023.
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61 players competed in the final round of the 104th Louisiana State Amateur. Tee times began at 7:30 AM off the 1st tee. Players finished teeing off at 10:30 AM and all groups completed the round at 3:00 PM.
Kyle Bennett of Zachary shot a final round 65, three shots better than any other score this week, earning low round honors to finish in fourth place.
Eight competitors finished the championship under par for 72 holes:
T2 (-6)| Hunter Battles of Ruston and Jay Mendell of Lafayette
4 (-5) | Kyle Bennett of Zachary
T5 (-2)| 2003, 2019, & 2020 Champion John Humphries of Woodworth and Grayson Glorioso of Metairie
T7 (-1)| 2011 & 2022 Champion Greg Berthelot of Baton Rouge and Will Patrick of Ruston
The top 20 finishers won prizes and the low 30 scorers and ties are exempt into the 105th Louisiana Amateur Championship that will take place in 2024.
This championship was conducted by the Louisiana Golf Association. The top 20 finishers won prizes and the low 30 scores and ties are exempt into the 105th Louisiana Amateur Championship that will take place in 2024.
The Louisiana Golf Association extends a sincere thank you to Southern Trace Country Club. A huge thank you to General Manager, Ricky Rogers, Director of Golf, Cameron Alford, Golf Course Superintendent, Graham Kornmeyer, and the rest of the Southern Trace staff. Their hospitality, preparation, and willingness to host this prestigious championship were all first class. The golf course drew rave reviews from players and spectators throughout the week. Southern Trace provided an excellent test, and the golf course was immaculate.
About the Louisiana Golf Association (LGA):
The LGA, founded in 1920, is a non-profit organization dedicated solely to serving the game of golf and its membership of approximately 90 Member Clubs and 16,500 individual members. The LGA’s mission is to:
“To foster the enhancement and expansion of amateur golf through the development of member and information services, the promotion of opportunities for all who want to play, and the protection of the game’s integrity and valued traditions.”
The LGA is an Allied Golf Association (AGA) of the United States Golf Association. While the LGA provides a myriad peripheral benefits and services to its member clubs and individual members, its core services include Course Measuring and Rating, Championship Administration, Rules of Amateur Status, and Rules of Golf.
For more information about the Louisiana Golf Association, visit www.lgagolf.org.