Backspin Oct_2018 | Page 33

Dornier and Buchan claim 2018 LGA Senior 4-Ball Championship St. Francisville, Louisiana – First round leaders Bart Dornier of Metairie and Ken Buchan of Monroe fended off the rest of the field on Sunday to capture the 2018 Louisiana Golf Association’s Senior Four-Ball Championship. Heading into final round play with a slim one-shot lead over three other teams at The Bluffs on Thompson Creek in St. Francisville, they caught fire on the last nine holes on Sunday to take the title by four shots over three other teams. Both Dornier and Buchan parred the first two holes before Buchan made the teams’ first, and only, birdie on the frontside on the par four 3rd, the team turning in one-under par 34. Buchan caught fire on the back with birdies on #10, #12, and #14, before they both birdied the long par-five 18th alongside Thompson Creek, finishing with a four-under 32 on the back for a five-under 66 and a two day total of 11-under par 131. Tying for second place were the teams of Mike Hymel of Hammond/Ronnie Averett of Loranger, Randy Goff of St. Francisville/Steven Inzenga of Baton Rouge, and Bill Land of Lafayette/Eric Lavespere of Monroe, each finishing at seven-under par 135. Rounding out the Top Five was the team of Bob McCusker of Baton Rouge/ Scott Haynie of Brusly, at six-under par 136. The LGA also conducted a Super Senior division Championship for those competitors 65 years of age and older. In that Championship Henry Cole of Monroe and Wayne Peddy of Ruston (68/69) defended the title they won last year at Atchafalaya GC in Patterson, besting Mickey McDonald and Harold Turner of Shreveport (69/68) on the second playoff hole, Peddy running in a 30 foot putt for birdie. Both teams finished their regulation 36 holes at five-under par 137. Finishing another shot back in third place at four-under 138 was the team of Corky Yates of Pineville and Frank Brame of Alexandria. The shot of the day was hit by Tee Wheeler of Independence, who made a hole-in-one on the picturesque 17th hole. The par-three hole that plays from high on the bluff overlooking the green and Thompson Creek, played at 203 yards on Sunday. Wheeler hit a 5-iron. This year’s Championship was held at the Arnold Palmer designed Bluffs on Thompson Creek just east of St. Francisville. Known for its elevation changes and natural beauty, the course continued to draw rave reviews from this field of the best Senior players in the state. It played to a par of 71 at approximately 6,500 yards on Sunday for the Seniors and 6,100 yards for the Super Seniors on what turned out to be another hot and humid day in south Louisiana. Next year’s Championship will be conducted at Koasati Pines at Coushatta GC in Kinder. Please click here to view Final Results 33