Shaheen wins state mid-amateur title in playoff

Staff Reports

BROUSSARD — DeQuincy’s Hank Shaheen, who plays out of the Lake Charles Country Club, stormed back with a final round of 7-under-par 65 and eventually won the Louisiana mid-Amateur golf championship on the fourth playoff hole Sunday at Le Triomphe Golf & Country Club.

Shaeen started the day seven shots out of the lead.

Shaheen’s final round was the best of the day by three shots, but he still had plenty of work to do as it only tied him at 8-under for the tournament lead with Brandon Aydlett and James Fuselier of LaPlace.

The trio played the par-4 18th hole three straight times, with Fuselier eliminated on the first trip down the 430-yard hole.

Shaheen had a chance to win on the first playoff hole, but his 4-foot birdie burned the edge of the cup.

He and Aydlett parred the hole three times in the playoff, but before they were able to tee it up for a fourth time, a strong storm blew through Broussard, and play was suspended.

After an hour rain delay, it was determined that No. 18 was no longer playable and the par 3 8th hole was used when the playoff resumed.

It was playing at 158 yards with the hole location on the right side of the green, making the tee shot carry over water. Aydlett, playing first, hit his tee shot off the edge of the bulkhead and into the water. Shaheen took the water out of play but launched his tee shot over the green to the left. Aydlett hit his third shot to within 12 feet of the hole. Shaheen gingerly hit his chip shot, and it stopped just beyond the ridge in the middle of the green but still 20 feet short of the hole.

Shaheen missed his par putt, and Aydlett, with a chance to extend the playoff, missed his bogey putt and Shaheen tapped in for his bogey putt to finally clinch the championship.

Shaheen, who finished third in the event last year, roared back despite being 1-over for the day after his first three holes following back-to-back bogeys. He bounced back for a 2-under 34 on the front nine, and destroyed the back nine with a 5-under 31 to get into the playoff.

The keys were pair of eagles on par-5 holes to go with six birdies.

Matt Nicholas was Lake Charles’ next-highest finisher as he closed with a 3-under-par 69 and finished tied for sixth at 2-under 214.

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Hank Shaheen of DeQuincy won the Louisiana mid-Amateur golf championship Sunday, August 5, 2018 at Le Triomphe Golf & Country Club.

Courtesy of www.lgagolf.org

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