BOB WEST ON GOLF: Hemler debuts strong for McNeese
Published 5:19 pm Tuesday, September 19, 2017
It was a busy weekend full of impressive results for three players — Andrew Landry, Braden Bailey and Karlei Hemler — who grew up wearing Port Neches-Groves purple.
We’ll start with McNeese State freshman Hemler, who made her college debut playing in the No. 1 slot for the Cowgirls at the USA Intercollegiate in Mobile, Ala. Early nerves led to a first-day 78, but Karlei rebounded to shoot rounds of 73-73.
Her 54-hole total of 223 left Hemler in a tie for 23rd in a 74-player field. In the process, she got an up close look at why Lamar has the best women’s team in the Southland Conference.
The Cardinals, behind tourney medalist Eva Martinez-Calavia (207), Elodie Chaplet, (tied for fifth at 214) and Olivia LeRoux, (T9 at 217), finished second to Tulane. Nederland ex Felicia Sauceda shot 229 for the Cards and tied for 37th.
Bailey, on the heels of a T10 for No. 4 ranked Baylor in Minnesota’s Gopher Invitational last week, followed up with a T6 at the Fighting Illini Invitational. Playing famed Olympia Fields in Chicago, the junior from Groves shot rounds of 69-68-70 over the 7,300 yard layout to finish at three-under 207.
In six tournament rounds this fall, Bailey has been par or better five times. The T6 was his 12th career top 10 finish.
Despite Bailey’s strong play, and being the 36-hole leader, Baylor wound up finishing fourth. Texas A&M, came from behind to win, with Alabama finishing second and Oklahoma State third.
Landry, meanwhile, authored his second consecutive top-five finish in the Web.com playoffs. He shot rounds of 69-70-65-68 for a 12-under 272 in the Albertson’s Classic in Boise, Idaho. Unfortunately, tournament winner Chesson Hadley blew past him to claim No. 1 on the overall money list.
Hadley’s $180,000 first-place check elevated him to $471,350 in regular season and playoff earnings. Landry, who collected $35,125 for finishing T5, is second at $386,064.
Stop No. 3 in the Web.com playoffs is this week in Cleveland.
For what it’s worth, Landry has the lowest combined score in two playoff events. He fired 11-under 273 in finishing T3 in the opening tournament in Columbus, Ohio. He’s been under 70 in six of eight rounds and his scoring average is 68.1.
CHIP SHOTS
In the Monday Senior 50 Plus two-ball game at Babe Zaharias, the team of Bob West, Raymond Darbonne, Pete Reobroi and Charlie Leard won the front nine in minus-3. On the back, minus-3 was also a winning number for the foursome of Rick Pritchett, Gary Fontenot, Dillard Darbonne and Charlie
Perez.
The Saturday Super Senior 2 ball at Zaharias saw the team of Craig Fontenot, Gary Fontenot, Mike Tibbets and Jay Hampson pull off a sweep. They won the front with minus-2 and the back with minus-4.
There was also a sweep in the Friday Senior two-ball at Zaharias, with the threesome of Mike Lansford, Bill Hammond and Ron Mistrot carding minus-6 on the front and minus-3 on the back.
The Thursday Senior game at Zaharias was played in a four-man scramble format.
Winning by four shots with a 15-under-par 57 was the fivesome of West, Don MacNeil, Harry Green, Reobroi and Ben Thornton. Teams captained by Keith Mullins and Doug LeBlanc tied for second at minus 11.
Closest to the pin winners were West (No. 2), LeBlanc (No. 7), Reobroi (No. 12) and Mullins (No. 15).
The team of Tom LeTourneau, James Shipley, MacNeil and Tommy Duhon ran away with the Wednesday Babe Zaharias DogFight by rolilng up 19 points. Second with 14 points was the foursome of Pritchett, Ron LaSalle, James Trahan and Paul Duplantis.
Closest to the pin winners were Shipley (No. 2) and MacNeil (No. 12).
Golf news should be emailed to rdwest@usa.net.