KINDER, La. – After dropping a sudden-death playoff to future LSU teammate Andrew Loupe for the Louisiana Amateur title in 2009, senior transfer Ken Looper left no doubt of who would be crowned this year’s champion in the 91st edition of the state’s top amateur tournament after firing a final round 4-under 67 on Sunday at Koasati Pines at Coushatta Golf Club.
Looper earned a three-stroke victory at the 2010 Louisiana Golf Association Amateur Championship over Louisiana-Lafayette sophomore Andrew Noto as he fired a 14-under par 270 in four rounds.
After opening with rounds of 1-under 70 on Thursday and 6-under 65 on Friday, Looper took a three-shot lead for the first time with a round of 3-under 68 on Saturday.
Looper’s final round was highlighted by six birdies, including three birdies in a span of four holes to wrap up the front nine and three consecutive birdies coming down the stretch on the par-four 15th, par-three 16th and par-four 17th holes. He then clinched the title by making par on the par-five 18th hole.
Looper continues LSU’s dominance in the annual event as he is the eighth LSU Tiger in 10 years to win a Louisiana Amateur title. He joins the likes of former LSU standouts Alan Morgan (2001), John Humphries (2003), Garrett Prather (2004), Aaron Smith (2005), Chris Wells (2006) and Jarrod Barsamian (2008), as well as future teammate in senior All-American Andrew Loupe (2009) as recent champions.
Looper will join the LSU program in the fall following three highly successful seasons at the University of New Orleans where he was an NCAA Regional qualifier as an individual in 2008 and 2009, in addition to an All-Sun Belt Conference selection earlier this spring.
LSU junior-to-be Austin Gutgsell was also outstanding this weekend at the LGA Amateur Championships as he earned a seventh-place finish with a 72-hole score of 2-under par 282, including impressive rounds of 4-under 67 in the first round on Thursday and 3-under 68 in the final round on Sunday.
Gutgsell recently wrapped up his sophomore campaign with a spot in LSU’s starting lineup that competed at the 2010 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships on June 1-3.