Two former champions share the lead after 18 holes at the 45th Lake Charles City Championship on Friday at Mallard Golf Club.

Blake DeReese (2007) and Hank Shaheen (2022) are at one-under 71.

“It was a grind,” DeReese said. “I was two-over par twice today.

“I just kept telling myself to stay in it because I knew there were birdies out there. I didn’t think I would make what I did. To get 2-over and get 1-under, I was happy with it.”

DeReese saved an up-and-down round with a par on the par-3 No. 15 to propel himself into the lead. He followed that up with two birdies over the final three holes.

“Two holes before, I made an eagle, and I felt good,” DeReese said. “That was a comeback. Then I made a bogey on 14.

“On No. 15, the par-3, I was looking at another bogey, dead in the eye. I had to hit a flop shot over the bunker, downhill lie. I landed it in the fringe, and it trickled out to four feet. That putt right there and I birdied the next hole, parred the next hole and birdied the next hole. That is where I felt like it changed.”

Shaheen was 2-under at the turn before a double bogey on No. 14 dropped him back to even par. He birdied No. 16 to go 1-under.

5-time champion Matt Nicholas and St. Louis Catholic sophomore Kye Hanks sit one shot back.

Hanks was leading at 2-under until back-to-back bogeys on No. 17 and 18 to card an even-par 72.

Nicholas was one-under with five holes left until a double bogey on No. 15, but a birdie on 17 got him back to even par.

 

45th Lake Charles City Championship

at Mallard Golf Club

Championship Flight

Round 1

1, Blake DeReese 36-35—71

1, Hank Shaheen 34-37—71

3, Matt Nicholas 36-36—72

3, Kye Hanks 36-36—72

5, John Morrissey 36-38—74

6, Jacob Lejeune 37-38—75

7, Gage Primeaux 38-38—76

7, Billy Gabbert 38-38—76

9, Zachary Robertson 40-37—77

9, George Trappey 39-38—77

11, Thad Gaspard 41-37—78

12, Austin DeReese 41-38—79

12, Jackson Wood 42-37—79

12, Billy Dressler 41-38—79

12, Scott Hines 37-42—79

16, Skylar Petroski 40-72—82

16, Collin Jones 43-39—82

16, Alex Augustine 40-42—82

19, Dustin Bertrand 41-42—83

Saturday tee-times

Championship Flight

8 a.m. —

8:08 a.m. —

8:16 a.m. —

8:24 a.m. —

8:32 a.m. —

All other flights

8:40 a.m. — David Martin, Dustin Ratliff, Cody Stroud, Mitch Thomas.

8:48 a.m. — Corey Theriot, Cody Soileau, Grant LaRocca, Jaxson Caldwell.

8:56 a.m. — Travis Furs, Evan Comeaux, Cole Bergeron, Bill Hamrick.

9:04 a.m. — Jake Daughenbaugh, Andrew Hebert, Chase Rains, Patrick Osborne.

9:12 a.m. — Jason Katchur, Cody King, Sam Wade, Logan Mimms.

9:20 a.m. — Matthew Stewart, Ryan Benoit, Wesley Littleton, Michael Castille.

9:28 a.m. — Wilford Carter St., Adam Zayor, Alvin Langley, Ellis Hawkins.

9:36 a.m. — Pap Williams, John Garrett, Dexter Naylor, Samuel Baynes.

9:44 a.m. — Rick Robert, Lindell Lambright, Clark Cormier, Dennie Thigpen.

9:52 a.m. — Sid Bradley, Randy Tadlock, Marcus Leonard, Lindsay Barnes.

10 a.m. — Val East, Michael Colletta, Jerry Bonvillain, Mike Roussaeu.

10:08 a.m. — Mike Cagle, Wendell Christian, Joey Bourgeois, Lloyd Guillory.

10:16 a.m. — Billy Creel, Mike Beglis, Ricky Menard, Mike Holland.

10:24 a.m. — Curtis Cole, Todd Fontenot, Carl Cole, Chad Langley.

10:32 a.m. — Michael Carter, Doyle Carter, Ricky Norwood, Tony Colletta.

10:40 a.m. — Doug Quienalty, Donny Abshire, David Jones, Byron Martin.

10:48 a.m. — Brian LaRocca, Brian Soram, Nikki Stout, Troy Higginbotham.

10:56 a.m. — Dishon Wesley, Buddy Burks, Dwayne Hightower, Walt Dulaney.

11:04 a.m. — Kevin Primeaux, David Huber, Jeff Harper, Mike Farley.

11:12 a.m. — Samuel Lavoi, Rob Matte, Jordan Poole, Kolby Carter.

11:20 a.m. — Shane Curlee, Drew Beard, Michael Walker, Derrick Fendley.

11:28 a.m. — Gabe LaLande, Ryan Ardoin, Chase Parmentier, Trey Wilkerson.