No Match for Pierce and
Durbin at Championship!

LeBlanc Works His Way to Age Division Title

Brandon Pierce of Covington, Louisiana and Biloxi’s Lauren Durbin captured the prestigious respective Boys and Girls Overall Championships at the Winter Arrowhead FAL Match Play Championship at Copper Mill Golf Club in Zachary, LA. Brennan LeBlanc of Baton Rouge, LA staged an impressive comeback to take home the Boys 12-14 Year-Old Age Division Title.

Thanks to host Tom Agazzi and Copper Mill, players competed from riding carts in all four match play matches, which allowed all competitors to play 2 full matches each day and maximize the available daylight. The course was in very good condition and with its six par fives, six par fours and equal number of par threes, Copper Mill again proved a perfect venue for a match play event.

The tournament sponsor, the Future Athletes of Louisiana (FAL), helped make the event possible.

Pierce Perfect in Matches
& 1 Under in Finale

Barnes & Jackson Tie for Second

Peters One Shot Back in Fourth

Brandon Pierce assembled a 4-0 match play record, then toured the front nine in 1 under par 35 in Wednesday’s Championship Stroke Play Round to capture the Boys Overall Championship. The Boys 15-18 Championship Round was shortened by weather. With one group on the 14th teebox and the trail group on the par three 13th, play was halted due to greens puddling from heavy rains. All four pairings played in a steady rain all morning after three days of sunshine on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Pierce birdied the par five first hole and no. 4, the second par five on the front, enroute to a 1 under score at the turn. With Pierce’s group on the 14th teebox when play was halted, scores reverted to the front nine score carded by each competitor.

Pierce won a tough early match 1 up against Charlie Rowell of Denham Springs, LA and defeated Biloxi’s James Durbin 7 & 6 to reach Tuesday undefeated. Pierce downed A. J. Lopez of Ragley, LA 1 up and Buddha Ballard of Denham Springs 4 & 2 to move into the Stroke Play Championship Round undefeated.

Barnes Chips In for Eagle

Keeno Jackson

Ben Como

Joey Russo

Anthony Lacombe

Anthony Landry

With the rain falling and temperatures dropping, Biloxi’s Garrett Barnes stood twenty-five feet from the fringe on the green of the par four seventh, a short par four on the front nine.Barnes punched a classic Gaelic bump and run onto the edge of the apron, and then watched as the ball smoothly worked its way across the green and lodged itself between the flagstick and the edge of the cup for an eagle that put him back in the hunt. Two holes later Barnes birdied the par five ninth to make the turn at even par 36 and tie him with Keeno Jackson for second place. Barnes defeated Ben Como of Broussard, LA 2 up, got by Charlie Rowell of Denham Springs 4 & 3 and defeated Joey Russo of Metairie, LA 4 & 2 in his third match before enjoying a bye in the fourth round.

Jackson, swinging from the left side, also birdied the par four 7th and posted only one bogey to hit the turn at even par. Jackson beat Anthony Lacombe of Baton Rouge 3 & 2, defeated Ben Como 9 & 8 and got by Anthony Landry 3 & 2 and Charlie Rowell 5 & 4. Lewis Peters of Baton Rouge, who took 4th place, turned at 1 over 37. Peters made eight pars and one bogey on the front and played steadily all morning. Peters defeated Anthony Landry of Denham Springs 5 & 3, edged Buddha Ballard of Denham Springs 1 up and got by Anthony Lacombe 7 & 5 and James Durbin 6 & 4 in his four matches.

Dunbar and Karam In Championship Round

Karam & Boston Post Lows in Seeding Round

Dillon Dunbar of Marksville, LA and Jordan Karam of Lake Charles, LA finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the Stroke Play Championship Round with scores of 2 and 3 over par at the turn. Dunbar defeated Hunter Hale of Franklinton, LA 7 & 6 and Joey Russo 5 & 4 on Monday. On Tuesday Dunbar defeated Ben Como 2 up and edged Jake Pritchard of Angie, LA 2 & 1. Karam’s 1 over 73 in Sunday’s cold, swirling wind tied Drew Boston of Baton Rouge for the low round in the Stroke Play Seeding Competition on Sunday and earned Karam a bye in Monday’s AM Matches. Karam defeated Hunter Hale 6 & 5 Monday afternoon, then won over Bobby Butler of St. Francisville 5 & 4 and Drew Boston 3 & 2 on Tuesday to reach the finals.

Boston finished in seventh place with a 3-1 mark, the only player in the Boys 15-18 Year-Old Age Division with that match play record. Boston defeated Joey Russo and Anthony Landry, both by a score of 5 & 4, then drew a Tuesday morning bye by virtue of his 1 over 73 in the Seeding Round, before falling 3 & 2 to Karam.

LeBlanc Mounts Impressive
Comback for Title

DePriest Undefeated Into The Finals

LeBlanc, Elston and Meyers in 3-Way Sudden Death

Maxwell, Field & Jakuback Round Out Top Seven

Brennan LeBlanc of Baton Rouge battled back from a tough 23-hole loss to Johnny Maxwell of Ruston, LA to capture the Boys 12-14 Age DivisionTitle. LeBlanc defeated Trey DePriest of Lake City, Arkansas 4 & 3 in the Finals. LeBlanc earned a first round bye, then edged Davis Field of St. Francisville, LA 2 & 1 on Monday afternoon. On Tuesday afternoon LeBlanc again had to go extra holes to beat Matthew Jakuback of Baton Rouge. Then LeBlanc survived a 3-way multiple sudden death playoff with Triston Elston and William Meyers to earn his second consecutive trip to the Match Play Finals.

In June, LeBlanc went 4-0 in his matches and lost a tough 1 up match in extra holes to Josh Fullilove in the Finals. This time the Championship Round format, which pits the two best records in the Finals regardless of the number of losses, worked in LeBlanc’s favor. LeBlanc took advantage of the opportunity and brought home the Title.

DePriest reached the Championship Round with a spotless 4-0 mark in match play. DePriest defeated Matthew Jakuback 4 & 2, then had a bye on Monday afternoon. On Tuesday DePreist defeated Triston Elston of Baton Rouge 3 & 2 and William Meyers of Baton Rouge 4 & 2 in a battle of two 3-0 players. The loss to DePriest left Meyers, Elston and LeBlanc at 3-1 and all three players moved into a sudden death playoff. LeBlanc won the match on the second hole of sudden death to advance to the Finals, leaving Elston and Meyers tied for third at 3-1.

Elston defeated Johnny Maxwell 5 & 3 and Matthew Jakuback 4 & 2 on Monday. Meyers defeated Davis Field 4 & 2 and Johnny Maxwell 6 & 5 on Monday and entered Tuesday afternoon's match with DePriest without a loss.  Maxwell took home fifth with a 2-2 mark. Maxwell edged LeBlanc 1 up in 23 holes and defeated Davis Field 2 & 1 on Tuesday afternoon.

Durbin Battles Back For Girls Title

Daniel Undefeated Into Finals

Templet Captures Third

Biloxi’s Lauren Durbin edged Robyn Daniel of Baton Rouge 3 & 2 in the Championship Match Play Round to earn the Girls Overall Title. The pair soldiered through a steady downpour and set a remarkable pace for the three trailing groups on Championship Wednesday.

Durbin reached the Finals with a 3 & 2 victory over Templet on Tuesday afternoon. Templet had defeated Durbin 2 up in their first match. Templet also lost a tough match to Daniel, 2 & 1, on Monday afternoon.

Daniel reached the Championship round with an undefeated record. Daniel defeated Durbin 2 & 1 and Templet 1 up to reach the Finals.