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2017 LGA players of the year announced
Lafayette – The Louisiana Golf Association is pleased to award its 2017 Player of the Year to Derek Busby of Ruston and 2017 Senior Player of the Year to Bob Cooper of Monroe .
Busby won in dominating fashion , amassing 365 total points . Patrick Christovich of New Orleans finished runnerup in the Player of the Year standings with 235 points , and Bart Dornier of Metairie finished runner-up in the Senior Division with 155 points .
Busby had strong showings in the U . S . Amateur Four-Ball and U . S . Mid-Amateur Championships , and his crowning achievement for the 2017 Season was his victory at the 98th LGA Amateur Championship at The Country Club of Louisiana in Baton Rouge . His four-round total of 272 ( 12 under par ) at the State Amateur secured a four-stroke victory over runner-up Trey Winstead of Baton Rouge .
Busby began the year by qualifying for the U . S . Amateur Four-Ball Championship with his partner , Bryan Vahlberg , where the duo took home medalist honors with a score of 61 at Contraband Bayou Golf Club in Lake Charles . Busby and Vahlberg advanced to the Match Play portion of the championship proper at Pinehurst after two rounds of Four-Ball Stroke Play Qualifying , but they ultimately bowed out in the first round , losing in 19 holes .
Busby capped his 2017 Championship season with another solid performance in the U . S . Mid-Amateur Championship . He qualified for the championship at Koasati
Pines at Coushatta with a score of 69 , once again taking home medalist honors . Busby performed well at the U . S . Mid-Amateur Championship , conducted at the Capital City Club in Atlanta and fired two rounds of 71 which put him in a tie for 15th place after Stroke Play Qualifying .
Busby ’ s opening round match was hard fought with his opponent Scott Gibson ( Long Beach , CA ). Neither side had more than a two-hole advantage at any point , but Gibson won the match 1 up on the 18th hole .
Bob Cooper , of Monroe , Louisiana finished the Championship Season with 170 points , and here are some highlights : Cooper Qualified for the U . S . Senior Amateur in Minneapolis , Minnesota ( 25 points ), and he performed brilliantly on the national stage and represented Louisiana well . Cooper won two matches and garnered 80 points for his player of the year campaign . He also tied for 3rd place ( 65 points ) in the 28th LGA Senior Amateur Championship at Southern Trace Country Club in Shreveport .
It was an outstanding 2017 season for both Derek Busby and Bob Cooper . The LGA congratulates to both players . Click here to view the complete standings . Submitted by the LGA .
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