Congratulations to Cody Blair of Sabine Pass. Blair, a senior, earned himself a berth at the recent Class 1A Regional championship by winning the District 26-A tournament at Waterwood National in Huntsville.

Blair, who had missed regional by one stroke last year, shot a very respectable 79 over the difficult Waterwood course to top a field of 36 players. He beat the runnerup by four strokes.

In the 1A Regional at Brenham, Blair placed 24th in a field of 65 contestants. He posted a two-day today of 187.

“Cody represented Sabine Pass well,” said Sharks golf coach Valerie Blair. “It was a great accomplishment for him to win district. He missed going to regional by one stroke last year, after shooting an 87.

“I knew he could do much better and was very excited to see him shoot a 79 on such a hard course. He won by four strokes. We were very proud to see Cody decisiviely earn his first place medal and advance to regional.”

CHIP SHOTS: Chris Stroud is in the field at this week’s Wachovia Championship, courtesy of a sponsor’s exemption. The PN-G ex has been able to stick around for the weekend only once in his last seven tournaments and withdrew on the 27th hole last week in Dallas with a sore knee. Stroud, incidentally, is featured in a clothing ad on page xx of the latest Golfweek Magazine . . . Gene Harrison and Bob Bunyard shot net 64s to tie for first in the Friday Seniors at Belle Oaks. Reggie Bunyard was the closest to the hole winner on both No. 8 and No. 15 . . . The Wednesday Seniors at The Patch was played in a Select Drive, 3 Ball format. Winning team at minus 10 incuded Tom Lawton, Don MacNeal, Gerald Huebel, Allen Suire and Malcolm Tiller. Second place at minus seven went to the team of Richard McClelland, Riley Landry, Carl Certa, Malcolm Clark and Leo Bacon . . . George Broussard shot a net 61 to win the weekly Seniors at The Palms at Pleasure Island. Farrell Menard and Mark Lee tied for second at 65. Closest to the hole winners were Art Lecoq (No. 7) and Larry Morris (No. 11) . . . In the Senior 65 Plus Game at Babe Zaharias, played in a 3 Ball format, the team of Malcolm Tiller, Mike Hess, Jess Stelly and Ned Cole won at plus 22. Finishing second at plus 23 was the foursome of Ben Thornton, George Besse, Art Miller and J.W. Pearce. Tied for third at plus 24 was the team of Tommy Trahan, L.J. Hardy and G. Fontenot and the team of Red Brown, Milton Hall, John DuFour and Bob Shepherd. Closest to the pin winners were Besse (No. 2), Hall (No. 7), Tiller (No. 12) and Cole (No. 15) . . . The foursome of Paul Hautrakul, Morgan Walker, Mike Norman and John Ballard scrambled their way to a 56 to win the 19th annual Sertoma tournament at Belle Oaks. The team of Bryan Jackson, Martinez, Robert Bodin and Phillip Dupree finished second with a 57. Two more shots back in third was the team of Dennis Neef, Jim Silvernail, Alton Borel and Earl Boudreaux . . . John Parent and Farrell Menard teamed for a net 59 to win The Palms Men’s Golf Association 2 Man Best Ball. Butch Strange-Mark Lee finished second with a 60 and Fred Kressman-Ross Kressman took third with a 61. Strange and Laurence Williams were closest to the hole winners . . . The foursome of Wallace Moore, Butch Landry, Carl Hudman and Harold Wilkinson posted 20&6 to win the Babe Zaharias DogFight. Second went to Billy Tucker, Gene Harrison, Bobby Hebert and Art Miller (20&4). Closest to the hole winners were Doc Richards (No. 4), Dave Colton (No. 7), Rick Pritchett (No. 12) and Cole Lee (No. 15) . . . The Belle Oaks DogFight was won at 18&5 by the fivesome of Troy Touchet, Bill Hickman, Buddy Silcox, Jobie Irvine and Gary Fontenot. Second place at 16&4 went to the team of Allen Sohoski, David English, Roland Burris, John House and Leonard Hendrickson. Sohoski (No. 8) and House (No. 15) were closest to the pin winners . . . The 2008 Lady Cardinal Golf Tournament, benefiting the Lamar University women’s basketball program, is set for next Monday at Brentwood Country Club. Entry fee is $500 per team and includes all fees and lunch. To enter a team in the four-person scramble, access the right hand side of the women’s basketball page on the LU athletics website at www.lamarcardinals.com . . . Entries are also being taken for the 31st annual Babe Didrikson Zaharias/Holiday Inn Beaumont Plaza Invitational May 24-25 at Brentwood CC. Format is for two-person teams to play best ball on Saturday and scramble on Sunday. Included in the $175 per player entry fee is a Hawaiian Luau on Friday night, a sports auction with cocktails and buffet dinner on Saturday night and a Sunday night awards ceremony with cocktails and buffet dinner. All social events are for player and spouse or date. For more information or to enter, access www.babedidricksonzaharias.org and click on golf tournament.

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