LAFAYETTE, La. — Former LSU golfer Garrett Prather, who just finished up his career last month, won the 2004 Louisiana State Amateur Tournament by four strokes on Sunday at Oakbourne Country Club.
Prather, who completed his collegiate career by tying for 41st place at the NCAA East Regional last month, recorded a four-stroke victory over Lafayette resident and Oakbourne member Robert Shelton, becoming the third LSU golfer in four years to claim the Amateur championship.
Prather, a Crowley, La., native entered Sunday’s final round two shots off the lead, but fired a 3-under par 69 in the final round. Prather, the 1998 State Junior Amateur champion, became one of just eight players, including Shelton, to win both the State Amateur and Junior Amateur titles.
“It was nice to win, it really was a great feeling,” said Prather. “I told John Humphries (former teammate at LSU and defending State Amateur champion) that I wanted to win it and keep it in the LSU family.”
“It was nice to have my dad caddie for me, and I think he may have been more excited than I was, because he has really been looking forward to this for a long time,” said Prather.
Garrett Runion, who just completed his freshman season at LSU, shot a 9-over 297 to tie for 11th place. Four other LSU golfers participated in the tournament. Jeff Riemann tied for 13th at 10-over 298, Chad Bailey tied for 31st place at 15-over 303, and Brandon Aydlett and Aaron Smith tied for 36th place at 16-over 304.
“As a person, nobody deserves this more, and as a player nobody will get more out of this,” said LSU head coach Greg Jones. “Garrett just had to realize how good he is and he did, and this will do a lot for him.”
Prather had to wait out a 90-minute weather delay on Sunday, but came back on the course and birdied four of the next five holes to run away with the title at the end.
Prather joins Alan Morgan (2001) and Humphries (2003) as recent Tiger golfers to have won the prestigious title.