Golf dog fight to support cancer battle

Published 7:08 am Sunday, February 19, 2017

There was a wave of purple showing during a recent tournament at Mallard Cove.

The event was the Billy LaRocca par-3 super dog fight and the color purple on clothing that contestants were wearing was to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer, which Billy is now battling.

He’s a longtime golfer and participant in the weekly dog fights at the course, having started when they were played at Pine Shadows.

For this dog fight, each of Mallard’s 18 holes were set up as par-3s.

The team of David Martin, Brock Smith, Thomas Schexnider and Roy Murphy took top honors with a 7-under-par total. Bill Stevens, Ricky Norwood, Tony Colletta and Marion Landry shot 5-under and finished second while Mason James, Clyde Langley, Jim Abrams and Brian LeLeaux also posted a 5-under score and finished third (scorecard playoff).

l

McNeese State Cowgirl golf coach Mike Fluty announced the early scholarship signings of Karlei Hemler of Port Neches-Groves (Texas) High School, Isabel Huntsman of Alpha Omega Academy of Huntsville, Texas, and Anika Hovda of Weslaco (Texas) High School.

“All are very competitive players,” Fluty said. “They are hard workers, excellent students and they win golf tournaments. They are the kind of kids we want here to represent the Cowgirls.”

Hemler has won 21 high school tournaments, including a pair of district titles, will be playing in her third state tournament this year and owns the school 18 hole record (68). She also has a couple of national United States Specialty Sports Association junior titles and has played in the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach in California.

Huntsman has earned five titles and 25 top-three finishes on the South Texas junior PGA and the Texas junior tours, while Hovda has helped her team win two district titles.

Both Hemler (No. 19) and Hovda (No. 60) are ranked in state polls.

l

Hemler was in action last week at Gray Plantation when she won the girls 16- to 18-year-old division in the Texas-Louisiana junior tour event. She shot 76 to beat Daphney Tilton, who finished second with 81.

In the boys 16-18 play, Brody Jeans shot 78 for first place and Logan Guillory was second with 80. Jack Burke posted a 76 to win the boys 14-15 group, Carly Whittington shot an 85 for first in girls 14-15, Xander Parks shot 87 and Luke Hightower 88 in boys 12-13 and Chelsey Shaheen had a 105 to win girls 12-13.

This was the final event of the winter season for the tour, which averaged 58 players an event.

l

A tournament to benefit the Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu will be played March 10 at Gray Plantation. It is the Inaugural Billy Navarre Chevrolet-Cadillac Mardi Gras Museum Golf Classic.

More information can be obtained from the pro shop at Gray.

l

The National in Westlake is looking for volunteers to hold down positions during the upcoming Adams Pro Tour Southwest Louisiana Open.

The event will run March 8-11. Volunteers are needed as starters, spotters at checkpoints and pace of play, scoring computer entry, working the scoring tent and for hospitality.

Contact Robert Robertson by email (robbierobertson@live.com) or phone (832-319-8124).

Upcoming

Wednesday — Callaway EPIC demo day, The National (Westlake) (rescheduled from Feb. 17).

l

Louis Bonnette has written about local golf for the American Press since 1971. His column appears each Sunday. Contact him at 274-5689 or lbonnette@mcneese.edu