Lake Charles City Championship
Published 8:47 pm Saturday, June 24, 2017
Gage Primeaux and John Morrissey are tied for the lead after one round at the 40th annual Lake Charles Toyota/Lake Charles Men’s City Championship at Mallard Cove Golf Course.
Gage Primeaux tees off on the par-3 No. 16 at Mallard Cove Golf Course during the first round of the Lake Charles City Championship on Friday.
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Both shot four-under 68 on Friday but are closely followed by a group of four just one shot back that includes two-time champion Neithan Allen, Doug Quienalty, Zak Barton and Hank Shaheen.
Primeaux’s round started out as gloomy as the weather — which eventually cleared midway through the round — with bogeys on No. 2 and 3.
But the recent Barbe graduate used the confidence he gained in May when he won the Division I state medalist title to get back in it. He made back-to-back birdies on No. 5 and No. 6 to get back to par.
On the par-five No. 8, Primeaux hit a nine-iron from 175 yards out to within 10 feet and made the putt for an eagle. He closed out the front nine three-under with a birdie.
“I gained a lot of confidence after that tournament,” Primeaux said. “I just had to keep my head in it.
“It is possible to make birdies on the greens out here. They are all different but I kept my head into it.”
Morrissey, playing in the final group of the day, led Primeaux by one shot after a four-under front nine with birdies on Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 8. He got to five-under after a birdie on No. 12, but dropped a stroke after overshooting the green on No. 15 and carding a bogey.
“I just didn’t make as many putts on the back,” Morrissey said. “I only missed three greens all day and the only one I really missed was No. 15 but it was a good round.
“The back played tough and it is just a tough golf course, especially when it is wet and long. I just flew the green and had a tough up and down. I didn’t want to get silly with it and make a made double.”
Allen, looking to win his third championship since 2013, only had one bad hole when he three-putted No. 17 but rebounded with a birdie to close out the round.
Defending champion Matt Nicholas was four shots off the lead after nine holes but bogeys on Nos. 11, 14, 17 and a double bogey on No. 18 left him nine shots off the lead at 77.
