Bob West
The Port Arthur News
PORT ARTHUR —
Hunter Cooper of Groves authored the first reported double eagle of 2012 last Friday at Belle Oaks. Cooper holed his second shot on the 478-yard, par 5 with a pitching wedge from 140 yards. The shot was witnessed by Michael Brown, Paul Kimball and Wadsworth Thompson . . . PN-G golfers dominated Boys 16-18 in Saturday’s Junior Masters of Southeast Texas at The Patch. Brandon Soileau won with a 70, edging Indian teammates Jarrod Brown and Braden Bailey by one stroke. Other 18-hole flight winners were Bryce Shaver (77 in Boys 14-15), Josh Elmore (94 in Boys 12-13) and Shelbi Vincent (74 in Girls 13-18). Collin Todara shot a 43 over 9 holes to win Boys 10-11, while Jack Burke’s 26 over 5 holes won Boys 7-9 . . . Brown and the PN-G golf team won again last week in the Hamshire-Fannett Invitational at soggy Bayou Din. Playing the Links nine twice because of wet conditions, Brown took medialist honors for the fourth consecutive tourney with a 72. Soileau was second with a 75 and Tyler Rawson and Lonnie LaBove fired 76s, as the Indians posted a 299 to win by 28 shots over second place Nederland. The Bulldogs got 81s from Trevor Trevino and Cole Trevino, an 82 from Thaine Tillie and an 83 from Hunter Huff. PN-G’s “B” team — Jordan Corcoran (78, Deny McDaniel (80), Taylor Hanley 86 and Jacob LeFort (86) placed third at 330 . . . Shawn Stefani, the former Barbers Hill product who was a teammate of Chris Stroud at Lamar, is on a bit of a roll. Stefani shot rounds of 70-65-68-68 for a 271 total that was good for a T13 in the Nationwide Tour’s Louisiana Open in Lafayette. It was Stefani’s third consecutive top 15. Things got even better for Stefani on Monday when he shot a 66 to tie for medalist honors in a Shell Houston Open qualifier over the Traditions Course at Cypresswood. That puts him in the lineup for the PGA Tour’s SHO at Redstone Golf Club starting Thursday . . . Three players with local ties — Lamar ex Hugues Joanes, former Kelly standout Anthony Broussard and West Orange-Stark’s Michael Arnaud — are in field for the Adams Tour’s inaugural Rayburn Country Open this week. The 6,776 yard Rayburn Country layout is a real gem, following a $3.2 million facelift underwritten by its new owner, Beaumont attorney Walter Umphrey. The tourney starts today and runs through Saturday. Admission is free . . . Speaking of the Adams Tour, former PN-G and University of Arkansas player Andrew Landry is No. 8 on the money list after two 2012 events. Landry, who placed 15th two weeks ago in the Coca-Cola Walmart Open, has $4,326 in earnings. Joannes is No. 3 at $6,271 . . . The team of Joden Ellender, David Cox, Dr. Pomonis and Blaine combined for a 58 to win the Cancer Society of Southeast Texas Scramble at Belle Oaks. Also shooting 58 but losing the scorecard playoff was the foursome of Robert Bodin, Reagan Bodin, Jason Allbritton and Beau Blackwell. Third with a 59 was the team of Logan Allbritton, Trevor Smith, Dillion Hebert and Tyler Rawson. Closest to the pin winners were Michael Hinote (No. 3), Blackwell (No. 8), Oxy Benites (No. 12) and Wally Istre (No. 15) . . . Barry Jackson, Major Rising and Mike Hebert all finished plus 6 to tie for first in the Monday Seniors at Belle Oaks. Rufus Mier was the closest to the pin winner on No. 15. In the Friday Seniors at Belle Oaks, Tom McPherson won with plus 6. Norm Shannon, Ron Somerville and Twyman Ash tied for second at plus 3. Shannon (No. 8) and Somerville (No. 15) were closest to the pin winners . . . The Super Saturday Game at The Babe was played in a 2 ball format. The team of Thad Borne, Dillard Darbonne, Harold Guidry and Glenn Marino won the front in minus 5. On the back, the foursome of Tony Trevino, Bill Hammond, Butch Landry and Charlie Huckaby placed first with minus 1 . . . Entries are being accepted for the Nederland Heritage Festival individual medal play tournament set for Saturday, April 14 at Babe Zaharias and Sunday, April 15 at Bayou Din. Entry fee is $50 over and above greens and cart fees, and 100 percent of the entry fee goes to the prize fund. Players will be flighted by handicap for a 9 a.m. shotgun start both days. Contact Ed Campbell (722-8286) and Clint Martin (796-1327) . . . For the first time in 10 years, greens fees are being raised at Babe Zaharias. There will be a $2 across-the-board boost. The increase, to help offset rising expenses, will be implemented on Saturday.
Golf news should be e-mailed to rdwest@usa.net or faxed to 724-6854.
