LAFAYETTE, La. – After opening the 25th-annual Louisiana Classics with a modest 7-over par round of 295 in the first round, the LSU men’s golf team fired its second-lowest round of the season and the lowest round of the day at 11-under 277 in the second round to conclude Monday’s action at Oakbourne Country Club in a three-way tie for first place in the team standings.
The Tigers fired a 36-hole score of 4-under 572 to finish the first day of competition in a tie for first place with Illinois and Tulsa. Southeastern Louisiana finished in a distant fourth place overall at 4-over 580.
LSU’s 11-under par round of 277 is its second-lowest in relation to par this season, just one shot shy of its best team score of 13-under 275 recorded in the first round of the Gary Koch Invitational on Oct. 3.
It is also six strokes better than the second-lowest round of the Louisiana Classics thus far as Tulsa posted a team score of 5-under par 283 in Monday’s second round.
The Tigers were led on the first day of competition by a pair of junior All-America candidates as Andrew Loupe and John Peterson each fired matching 36-hole scores of 3-under 141 to finish the day in a tie for fifth place in the individual standings. Loupe followed a 2-over 74 in the first round with an impressive 5-under 57 in the second round. Peterson opened with an even-par 72 in the first round of the championship before carding a 3-under 69 to finish the day at 3-under 141.
Both Loupe and Peterson are five shots out of the lead as Illinois’ Scott Langley fired consecutive rounds of 4-under 68 for a leading two-round score of 8-under 136. Three golfers are currently four shots back in a tie for second place in the individual standings at 4-under 140.
LSU sophomores Austin Gutgsell and Sang Yi finished the day among the Top 20 individuals in the event after posting matching 36-hole scores of 1-over 145. Gutgsell fired rounds of 2-over 74 and 1-under 71 on Monday, while Yi recorded rounds of 3-over 75 and 2-under 70 on the first day of competition.
Senior Brent Blaum also cracked the starting lineup this week and wrapped up the day in 78th place on the leaderboard with a two-round total of 14-over par 158.
Two Tigers are also competing as individuals this week at the Louisiana Classics. Junior standout Clayton Rotz is in a tie for 41st place at 6-over 150, including rounds of 7-over 79 and 1-under 71, while senior Brian Leveille is in a tie for 68th place at 10-over 154, including rounds of 8-over 80 and 2-over 74.
LOUISIANA CLASSICS – FIRST & SECOND ROUND RESULTS
TEAM SCORES (Par 576)
T1. LSU 295-277 – 572 -4; T1. Illinois 284-288 – 572 -4; T1. Tulsa 289-283 – 572 -4; 4. Southeastern Louisiana 287-293 – 580 +4; T5. Houston 297-290 – 587 +11; T5. UAB 293-294 – 587 +11; 7. Colorado 293-295 – 588 +12; 8. Southern Mississippi 294-296 – 590 +14; T9. Texas State 296-296 – 592 +16; T9. SMU 299-293 – 592 +16; T11. Memphis 289-304 – 593 +17; T11. New Orleans 297-296 – 593 +17; 13. Arkansas-Little Rock 295-301 – 596 +20; 14. Louisiana-Lafayette 302-296 – 598 +22; 15. Kansas 299-301 – 600 +24.
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (Par 144)
1. Scott Langley, Illinois, 68-68 – 136 -8; T2. Philipp Westerman, Southeastern Louisiana, 69-71 – 140 -4; T2. Adam West, UAB, 70-70 – 140 -4; T2. Matt Eschenberg, Houston, 70-70 – 140 -4; T5. Andrew Loupe, LSU, 74-67 – 141 -3; T5. John Peterson, LSU, 72-69 – 141 -3; T5. Draegen Majors, SMU, 71-70 – 141 -3; T8. Paul Apyan, Southern Mississippi, 73-69 – 142 -2; T8. Cedric Scotto, Southeastern Louisiana, 69-73 – 142 -2; T8. Oscar Zetterwall, New Orleans, 70-72 – 142 -2; T8. Chris Worrell, Tulsa, 73-69 – 142 -2.
LSU SCORES
T5. Andrew Loupe, 74-67 – 141 -3
T5. John Peterson, 72-69 – 141 -3
T19. Austin Gutgsell, 74-71 – 145 +1
T19. Sang Yi, 75-70 – 145 +1
T41. Clayton Rotz, 79-71 – 150 +6*
T68. Brian Leveille, 80-74 – 154 +10*
78. Brent Blaum, 78-80 – 158 +14
* – Denotes player competing as an individual