First-year McNeese State head golf coach Austin Burk has announced the signing of four players that will be called upon to make
an immediate impact for the Cowboys.
Those signing are Shane Fontenot from Barbe High, Hampus Bergman of Sweden, Vetle Maroey of Norway and Geoff Fry of Canada.
“If you had put these four young men in front of me when I got the job here at McNeese in June, I would have said we have
an outside chance at maybe signing one of these players,” Burk said. “To have them all coming in as a portion of my first
recruiting class is something I am very excited about. These guys are proven winners across the board and will excel here
with the courses, practice facilities and weather in place here in Lake Charles.”
Bergman was a member of the team that
won the 2012 European Boys Team Championship and finished sixth in
stroke play at the
event. He won the 2012 Lindesbergs Open, Skandia Cup, KeNako Boys
team championship, Skandia Tour Riks 2008, 2009 and 2010.
He’s also been a member of Sweden’s National Team since he’s been
14 years old and has a low round of 65.
Maroey has a world amateur ranking of
290 and a European amateur ranking of 97. He’s the winner of the 2010
French Boys Carlhian
Trophy and has a victory on the Titleist Tour this past May. He
finished eighth in the 2012 German Boys Open Championship
and was 24th at the 2012 Portuguese Amateur. He’s also been a
member of the Norwegian National Team the past five years and
has a low tournament round of 66.
“Vetle has represented Norway for many years and is considered one of the best players in Europe,” said Burk. “He will come
in and compete for our No. 1 spot from day one. He’s very long off the tee and has soft hands around the green.
“Hampus is in the same class as Vetle. He handles his game on the course as well as anyone I have seen. Numerous coaches
have told me they wish they had him on their squad.”
Fry had three top six finishes in well
known Canadian tournaments including sixth at the 2012 AJGA Sunriver
Junior Open, sixth
and the Alberta Junior Provincial Championship and third at the
2012 PGA of Alberta Championship. He also had a 20th place
at the 2012 Alberta Open, a professional event. He was a member
of Team Alberta at the Canada Summer Games and is ranked
fifth on National Order of Merit. His lowest tournament round is a
69.
“Geoff grew up playing hockey and has become one of the best golfers in Canada in the last few years,” said Burk. “His work
ethic and raw talent is going to mold him into a very solid college golfer.”
Fontenot had a couple of runner-up
finishes this past year – at the 2012 Louisiana State Junior
Championship and the 2012
AJGA Purple & Gold Junior Classic. He also finished fourth at
the Tommy Moore Allstate Sugar Bowl Classic. He led Barbe
High School to the 2012 state championship and shot under par in
nearly half his tournament rounds in 2012. He’s the fifth
ranked junior player in the state of Louisiana and has a low
tournament round of 64.
His mother, Lisa, played tennis at McNeese while his brother, Tanner, is currently at student at MSU. Fontenot will be the
11th member of his family to attend McNeese State.
“Shane is a southpaw, which caught my attention immediately,” said Burk. “He’s got a very strong and athletic swing. It’s
clear his best golf is ahead of him.”