Arcement wins LGA Junior Championship
10
The final round of the 60th LGA Junior
Amateur Championship at Tchefuncta
Country Club included several lead changes.
Nicholas Arcement of Thibodaux played
brilliantly to hold on to win by one stroke
over Joey Kirkland of West Monroe and BJ
Rogillio of Baton Rouge. Arcement shot a
one-over par 72 on Friday to win the 2017
Championship. His final round consisted
of two birdies, 13 pars, and 3 bogeys, and
he was rock solid all day, never faltering
under the pressure. This is Arcement’s first
LGA Junior Amateur Championship, and
the 16-year-old showcased poise down the
stretch.
Arcement started the day with a one-
shot lead over Rogillio when they teed off
in the final group at 11:33 AM, but his
lead vanished at the par 4 1st hole after he
made a bogey and Rogillio made a birdie.
Both competitors made par on the next two
holes, and then play was suspended due to a
dangerous situation (lightning). When play
resumed after an hour and thirty minutes,
Arcement and Rogillio both made a bogey at
the par 4 5th hole. Arcement bounced back
with a birdie at the par 3 7th hole, and both
competitors made the turn at two-under
par for the Championship. They continued
to battle and both made back-to-back pars
and then birdies at the par 4 12th hole to get
to three-under par for the Championship.
Rogillio stumbled and made a bogey at the
par 4 13th hole, but he was able to get it back
to three-under par after he made a birdie at
the par 4 16th hole, which was playing at a
driveable 286 yards on Friday.
Meanwhile, Joey Kirkland, in the group
ahead of Arcement and Rogillio got to two-
under par for the Championship after he
made an eagle 2 at the par 4 16th. Kirkland
would par out to finish at two-under, and
the pressure turned back to the final pairing.
Rogillio and Arcement were tied at three-
under par when they stepped on the tee at
the par 3 18th, but it wasn’t meant to be for
Rogillio who made a bogey on his final hole.
Arcement had made par on his previous five
holes leading to the 18th, and he stuck to his
game plan on his final hole of the day. He
hit a solid tee shot and had an opportunity
for birdie and came up short. Once Rogillio
made the bogey, Arcement took a moment
to compose himself and drained his 4-foot
par putt to win the Championship.
Arcement’s second round 66 was the
lowest of the Championship. Nicholas said
about the victory, “This means a lot. It’s
a dream come true… I was confident in
myself like I always am, and it’s great to see
the results.” Arcement’s win puts him in the
impressive company of former LGA Junior
Amateur Champions, including PGA Tour
winners Hal Sutton, Willie Wood, David
Toms, Brian Bateman, and current PGA
Tour player Andrew Loupe and future PGA
Tour player Sam Burns. Arcement received
the “Past Champions’ Award” in the form
of a $400 gift certificate that may be utilized
in the Golf Shop at Tchefuncta Country
Club. He will have his name engraved
on a beautiful plaque that honors each of
the past LGA Junior Amateur Champions
dating back to 1958, and it will be displayed
at his home club, Ellendale Country Club
in Houma, until the 2018 Championship.
Arcement also received a new Titleist golf bag
embroidered with the LGA logo and “2017
LGA Junior Amateur Champion” signifying
his victory, and he earned full exempt status
with the American Junior Golf Association
(AJGA). Other AJGA Performance Based
Entry stars were awarded as follows: Top 5
(12 Performance Stars), Top 10 (8 Stars), Top
15 (4 Stars). Because Arcement is only 16, he
will have two more opportunities to win the
LGA Junior Amateur Championship in the
years to come.
Ryan Fulton of Crowley shot a 72 on
Friday and finished in fourth place at even
par for the Championship (213). Rounding
out the top 10 are: 5. Kristofer Kerr of
Loranger (69/217), T6. Carson Caruso
of Greenwell Springs (70/218), T6. Eric
Brown of Lake Charles (72/218), T6.
Brady Bennett of Zachary (73/218), T9.
John Wood of Baton Rouge (68/219), and
2016 LGA Junior Amateur Champion Nick
Daniel of Covington (72/219).
There were eight total scores under
par on Friday. Other scores under par not
mentioned above were shot by: Colton Ryan
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