February 23, 2020 Choudrant, Louisiana
For the second time in as many years, a sudden death playoff decided the Sam Burns Junior Four-Ball Championship at Squire Creek Country Club. Joshua Achord of Abita Springs and Patrick Blaum of Covington bested Callaway Gosslee and Jake Marler of Shreveport on the second playoff hole. Achord and Blaum, teammates at The Saint Paul’s School in Covington, were clutch under pressure and the victory was a true team effort. The playoff commenced at the par 4 18th hole (425 yards). Blaum drained a twenty-five-foot birdie putt to extend the playoff, and on the second go around, Achord played the hole perfectly with a towering drive, precise approach shot to three feet and a tap in birdie secured the win. Achord and Blaum started the day four shots behind first round leaders Gosslee and Marler, and the Northshore duo fired a final round eight-under par 64, the low round of the championship, to get to 11-under par and force the playoff. It was an exciting finish to cap off an incredible weekend at Squire Creek Country Club, hosted by PGA Tour Professional Sam Burns. Achord and Blaum made a combined 17 birdies over the weekend and set the tournament record at 11 under par 133.
Blaum and Achord carded a first round three-under par 69 and knew they had to go low to have a chance to win the championship. They started steady with three consecutive pars. Achord seized momentum with three consecutive birdies on holes 4, 5, and 6. Blaum carded back-to-back pars on holes 7 and 8, and Achord added a par at the par 5 9th hole, and they made the turn at three-under par 33. Blaum continued the stellar play with a birdie at the par 4 10th hole. Achord put together another string of birdies on holes 11, 12, and 13. Their lone bogey of the day came at the par 4 14th hole. Blaum would finish par-par-birdie-birdie.
Sydney Moss of Shreveport and Isabella Callaba of Lake Charles posted a Final Round of 79 to take the Championship in the Overall Girls division (154) over Sarah Knight of Sterlington and Tori Milton of Crossett, Arkansas (157). Jack Gilmer and James Holtsclaw of Shreveport came from behind to win the Boys 11-13 division (150) by one stroke over Logan Heltz of Abita Springs and Hudson Partin of Denham Springs (151). The difference for the winning team was a Hole-In-One for James Holtsclaw on the Par 3 12th hole from 105 yards with a pitching wedge.
It was an overcast day in Choudrant, with temperatures reaching the low 50s. The Tom Fazio designed Squire Creek Country Club drew rave reviews from competitors and spectators. The Squire Creek course played to a par of 72 at approximately 6,600 yards on Sunday for the Overall Boys competition and 5,200 yards for the Girls and 11-13 Boys. The greens are pure and even though the course has received a lot of rain this winter, it is in excellent condition.
Click here to view final results. The Louisiana Junior Golf Tour will return to Squire Creek for an individual stroke play event in June. Registration is currently available at www.LGAgolf.org/ljgt