BATON ROUGE — The LSU men’s golf program has received a National Letter of Intent from one of the South’s top unsigned prospects in Brent Blaum of Coral Gables, Fla., to complete its 2006 signing class, it was announced by head coach Chuck Winstead on Wednesday.
“Brent is a very talented player and brings valuable experience to our team after playing a tough national junior schedule this past year,” Winstead said. “He has had the advantage of receiving excellent instruction in his development and has a terrific support group in his family. He has great potential and will be a nice addition to our program.”
Part of that instruction has been under the tutelage of some of the premier teachers in the country, including David Leadbetter of the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Champions Gate, Fla. Leadbetter was recently named one of Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers for 2005-06.
Blaum’s junior career is highlighted by an appearance in the 104th U.S. Amateur Championship as a sophomore in 2004 when he earned a spot in the championship by firing rounds of 66 and 70 to finish in second place in the qualifier at Grande Oaks Golf Club in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Much of Blaum’s experience includes participation in the prestigious American Junior Golf Association, which is considered the premier organization for junior golf in the country. His best finish in an AJGA event is fifth place at the AJGA Fidelity Investments Championship in Bolton, Mass., in August 2004.
Blaum joins Bryant Lach of The Woodlands, Texas, and Thomas Galloway of Covington, La., in LSU’s signing class for 2006. Lach is the 52nd-ranked junior in the country in the latest Golfweek Junior Boys Rankings, while Galloway is considered the top high school senior in Louisiana after capturing the Region II, Division I (Class 5A) individual title in April.
“I’m very pleased with these three young men joining our team next season,” Winstead said. “They will provide our team with experience on the course, as well as great character off the course as each comes from a terrific family. We can certainly build our program around these guys.”