Hymel takes LGA Net Amateur
Mike Hymel of Hammond fired a twounder par 70 on Sunday to win the 2016 LGA Net Amateur Championship at The Bluffs on Thompson Creek by three shots over Dwight Prudhomme of Lafayette . Hymel showcased his consistent driving off the tee and ability to hit a high percentage of greens in regulation to win his second LGA Net Amateur Championship , the last coming in 2013 at The Bluffs on Thompson Creek .
Hymel started the final round with a one shot deficit behind Prudhomme , but he was able to distance himself from the field with the stellar round of 70 , the lowest of the day . Hymel is a member of Oak Knoll Country Club in Hammond . He finished runner-up in the LGA Net Amateur at Carter Plantation in 2014 , and this year ’ s performance solidifies his position as one of the best LGA Net Amateur players in the history of the event which has been conducted since 2000 .
Hymel joins Al Wyche of Plain Dealing
32 and Tom Pollock of Baton Rouge as the only two-time LGA Net Amateur Champions .
Hymel is one of the longest drivers of the golf ball in this event , which served him well at the tightly routed Arnold Palmer designed Bluffs on Thompson Creek , which was playing 6,500 yards on Sunday .
Hymel said , “ What it is about this course , I have no idea , but I love it … I ’ m just able to swing freely , and I don ’ t have to hit driver on every hole . I hit 4 drivers in the first round because I was hitting my 3 wood so well . Today , it was my hybrid that was working for me .”
Hymel said golfers will make a high number at The Bluffs occasionally but should keep going and working to get the right club . “ I just never quit ,” he said . “ Good memories came back from two years ago when I won here , and when I birdied number 11 to take the lead , I felt like I was going to get it done again . It was a fantastic tournament , and I ’ m honored to have won .”
When he mentioned a high number , Hymel was alluding to the start of his day when he hit his first tee shot left in to the hazard lining Thompson ’ s Creek . He ended
up making a triple bogey 7 on the hole , but he quickly bounced back and showed true grit by grinding out the victory after that start . He made a par at the par 5 5th hole and then two consecutive birdies .
Four more consecutive pars and then a birdie at the par 5 9th left Hymel at even par 36 . He elevated his game on the back 9 making birdie on holes 10 , 11 and 13 . He stumbled and made a bogey at the par 4 16th hole , but he never relinquished the lead after he took it at hole # 11 . All scores mentioned previously were net scores . Hymel ’ s course handicap of 5 subtracted from his gross score of 75 brought his second round total to two-under par 70 and six-under par for Championship .
Top 5 finishers in the Overall Championship received prizes . Rounding out the Top 5 were : 2 . Prudhomme ( 67 / 74 / 141 ), T3 . Richard Childers of Madisonville ( 72 / 70 / 142 ), T3 . Ronnie Averett of Loranger ( 68 / 74 / 142 ), 5 . 2014 LGA Net Amateur Champion William Duncan of Baton Rouge ( 72 / 72 / 144 ).
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