Brooke Tyree, who will be a senior at Sulphur High in the fall, is making steady progress towards becoming one of the best — if not the best — female golfers ever in Southwest Louisiana.

Now in only her fourth year of playing the sport — she’s 17 years old — her resume already includes having been a top four performer in three state high school championships (two second places), a leader in Sulphur having won the last three state high school team titles, producing three top five finishes in AJGA tournaments and earning automatic exemption status, tying for first in the recent Louisiana champions tournament and qualifying for and playing in numerous other national events.

Tyree’s upcoming schedule has her playing in the AJGA tournament at The Bluffs this week and then competing in the North-South junior invitational at Pinehurst, N.C., the Big I qualifier at The Island (Plaquemine), defending her championship at the LWGA junior state championship (Gray Plantation, July 11-12), the PGA junior championship at the Country Club of St. Albans (Missouri) and the Optimist International Junior golf championship (late July in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.). 

“Her best golf is in front of her,” said swing coach Bear Suarez. “Her overall game has improved through her work ethic, attention to detail and her practice. From the setup to grip to alignment, she stays on it. Her improvement in her putting to her short game will make her successful at the next level.

“When she’s going good she can shoot in the 60s.”

Tyree holds several local course records, shot 66 in a tournament when she was 15 and posted a 72.09 scoring average during prep tournaments the past season.

“She is driven to have success not only on the golf course but also in the classroom,” Suarez added, noting that she scored a 34 on her ACT test and is ranked No. 3 in her class. “Brooke is very coachable, is eager to learn and willing to put in the time.”

As for play at the next level, Tyree’s golfing talent has drawn interest from universities throughout the nation including those in the SEC, Big 12 and ACC.

Her golf play has her as the No. 1 ranked female junior player in the state and No. 52 nationally for her class. 

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Several other local junior players are also doing well.

Eric Brown, who recently graduated from Hamilton Christian, will attempt to qualify for the US junior amateur this week at Brown Bear in Gulfport. He has earned alternate status for the Junior PGA tournament in Missouri.

Daphney Tilton and Austin Stewart will join Tyree in the Optimist tournament in Florida where Jace Benoit is an alternate. Carly Whittington will also play in this week’s AJGA tournament at The Bluffs while Tilton and McKenzie LeDuff will go through a qualifying stage beginning today.

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The women’s state amateur tournament begins play today at the Lake Charles Country Club and will extend through Wednesday. The championship has both match and individual play.

Locals expected to compete in the event are Brooke Duzan, Olivia Hansen, Riley Issac, Pam Fossett, Chris Stoute, Benita Williams, Sharon Berken and Liz Herpin.

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Drew Ainsworth won another Southwest Louisiana Junior Golf Association tournament last week, taking the crown at Koasati Pines.  Ainsworth shot an 83 to win the boys 15-7 age division but had to take a back seat to Caleb Fontenot who shot 82 to win the boys 13-14.

Abbie Richard won the girls 15-17 division with a 93 and Chelsey Shaheen won the girls 13-14 with 96.

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The only hole-in-one posted the past week was made by Jim Pilgreen at Mallard Cove.

He aced No. 7 by knocking in a nine iron from 126 yards.  It was the second in his career as two years ago he aced the 11th hole at Mallard.

Upcoming

June 25-28 — Louisiana state women’s championship at Lake Charles Country Club

July 11-12 — Louisiana girls junior state championship at Gray Plantation

 

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