For the third time since 2019, Blake DeReese started the second round of the Lake Charles City Championship in the top three. After failing to gain ground in 2019 and 2021, DeReese got it right on Saturday at Mallard Golf Club to shoot his second consecutive 69 and take the lead heading into today’s final round.

DeReese is 6-under after 36 holes. He leads four-time champion Matt Nicholas by one stroke.

Nicholas, the first round leader, shot a 71 to ad to his first round 68.

DeReese is looking to win his first championship since 2007 when he overcame a six-shot deficit in the final round.

Thad Gaspard and John Morrissey are tied for third at 1-under 143.

Golfers will play the back nine holes first in the final round starting from No. 10.

The first tee time of the final round is 7:30 a.m.

The lead group of DeReese, Nicholas, Gaspard and Morrissey will tee off at 11:06 a.m.

Lake Charles City Championship

Scores

Championship Flight

Blake DeReese 69-69—138 -6

Matt Nicholas 68-71—139 -5

Thad Gaspard 73-70—143 -1

John Morrissey 73-70—143 -1

Cody Vincent 73-73—146 +2

Zachary Robertson 76-73—149 +5

Clint Stewart 74-76—150 +6

Alex Augustine 78-74—152 +8

Gage Primeaux 74-78—152 +8

Channing Kile 74-80—154 +10

Neithan Allen 81-74—155 +11

Kye Hanks 75-80—155 +11

Ian James 77-79—156 +12

Connor Castille 79-78—157 +13

Byron Martin 79-81—160 +16

Landon Beier 87-79—166 +22

Chris Gentry 83-84—167 +23

Jaxson Caldwell 88-88—176 +32

Hank Shaheen WD

First Flight

Bill Hamrick 77

David Martin 77

Chance Curlee 79

Chance Terrell 79

Jake Smith 80

Cody Stroud 83

David Girola 85

Second Flight

Zachary Vincent 77

Mike Castille 81

Cole Bergeron 81

Tyler Richard 82

Noah Hinton 82

Austin Creel 83

Patrick Osborne 87

Connor Thompson 88

Third Flight

Matt Purgahn 74

Mike Farley 79

David Duzan 79

Clayton Ashford 80

Williams Wiese 80

Jeffrey Harper 84

Gray Guillory 85

Tyler Istre 85

Mike Beglis 86

Billy Creel 88

Alvin Langley 90

Andrew Hebert 90

Jake Daughenbaugh NC

Fourth Flight

Dwight Gerst 76

Samuel Lavoi 79

Michael Yocham 80

Blake Reynolds 86

Matt Stewart 88

Ricky Menard 91

Alex Buller 95

Dewayne Hightower WD

Fifth Flight

Jordan Poole 70

Brandon Picou 75

Jason Kaliszeski 75

Tony Colletta 75

Cody Miller 79

Shane Curlee 80

Ryan Benoit 82

Chase Parmentier 84

Caleb Miller 85

Derrick Fendley 96

Senior Flight

Michael Broussard 72

Doug Quienalty 74

Troy Higginbotham 75

Bille Kiteley 81

Walt Dulany 81

Doyle Carter 83

Kurt Hamilton 83

Joey Bourgeois 84

Timothy Meyer 85

Ricky Norwood 87

Todd Fontenot 88

Kevin Primeaux 88

Brad Buller 89

Scott Landreneau 90

Carl Lemaire 91

David Huber 93

Philip Jardell 96

Randy Jones 96

Terry Hagen 97

Todd Mathis 99

Vince Castille 101

Michael Carter 102

Brent Soileau WD

Mike Abshire WD

Super Senior Flight

Sid Bradley 73

Randy Tadlock 78

David Flanagan 81

Charlie Buller 81

Sam Morris 82

Pap Williams 86

Joe Landry 86

Val East 87

Lindsay Barnes 87

Mike Cagle 90

Terry Mullis 92

Dexter Naylor 96

Ricky Anderson 97

Gene Loar 98

Sam Marsiglia 100

Samuel Baynes 103

Sunday tee times

Super Senior Flight

7:30 a.m. — Samuel Baynes, Sam Marsiglia, Gene Loar, Ricky Anderson.

7:38 a.m. — Dexter Naylor, Terry Mullins, Mike Cagle, Lindsay Barnes.

7:46 a.m. — Val East, Joe Landry, Pap Williams, Sam Morris.

7:54 a.m. — Charlie Buller, David Flanagan, Randy Tadlock, Sid Bradley.

Senior Flight

8:02 a.m. — Vince Castille, Michael Carter, Todd Mathis, Terry Hagen.

8:10 a.m. — Phillip Jardell, Randy Jones, David Huber, Carl Lemaire.

8:18 a.m. — Scott Landreneau, Brad  Buller, Kevin Primeaux, Todd Fontenot.

8:26 a.m. — Ricky Norwood, Timothy Meyer, Joey Bourgeois.

8:34 a.m. — Kurt Hamilton, Doyle Carter, Walt Dulany.

8:42 a.m. — Bill Kiteley, Michael Broussard, Troy Higginbotham, Doug Quienalty.

Fifth Flight

8:50 a.m. — Derrick Fendley, Caleb Miller, Chase Parmentier.

8:58 a.m. — Ryan Benoit, Shane Curlee, Cody Miller.

9:06 a.m. — Tony Colletta, Jason Kaliszeski, Brandon Picou, Jordan Poole.

Fourth Flight

9:14 a.m. — Alex Buller, Blake Reynolds, Matt Stewart, Ricky Menard.

9:22 a.m. — Dwight Gerst, Michael Yocham, Samuel Lavoi.

Third Flight

9:30 a.m. — Jake Daughenbaugh, Andrew Hebert, Alvin Langley, Billy Creel.

9:38 a.m. — Mike Beglis, Tyler Istre, Gray Guillory.

9:46 a.m. — Jeffrey Harper, William Wiese, Clayton Ashford.

9:54 a.m. — David Duzan, Mike Farley, Matt Purgahn.

Second Flight

10:02 a.m. — Connor Thompson, Patrick Osborne, Austin Creel, Tyler Richard.

10:10 a.m. — Noah Hinton, Cole Bergeron, Mike Castille, Zachary Vincent.

First Flight

10:18 a.m. — David Girola, Jake Smith, Cody Stroud.

10:26 a.m. — Chance Curlee, Bill Hamrick, David Martin, Chance Terrell.

Championship Flight

10:34 a.m. — Jaxson Caldwell, Landon Beier, Chris Gentry, Byron Martin.

10:42 a.m. — Connor Castille, Ian James, Kye Hanks.

10:50 a.m. — Neithan Allen, Channing Kile, Gage Primeaux, Alex Augustine.

10:58 a.m. — Zachary Robertson, Coby Vincent, Clint Stewart.

11:06 a.m. — John Morrissey, Thad Gaspard, Matt Nicholas, Blake DeReese.