A Southeastern Louisiana University golfer has won the Louisiana State Amateur three consecutive years now .
Southeastern ’ s Anstiss new LGA Champ
A Southeastern Louisiana University golfer has won the Louisiana State Amateur three consecutive years now .
James Anstiss of Hammond fired a final round 71 to win the 2016 Louisiana Golf Association A m a t e u r Championship at Carter Plantation by three strokes over Hank Shaheen of DeQuincy .
Anstiss finished with a 72 hole total of nine-under par 279 after posting rounds of 66-71-71- 71 . His dominant performance is the first wire-to-wire 72 hole victory since the LGA began to utilize online scoring in 2004 .
Anstiss originally hails from picturesque Queenstown , New Zealand and grew up playing rugby . He did not take up the game of golf until he was 15 years old and was able to earn a scholarship to play college golf for Southeastern Louisiana University where he is a rising senior . His impressive development over the course of the last few years has most recently resulted in a Louisiana State Amateur Championship .
Anstiss started his final round at 10:12 a . m ., holding a two shot lead of 2012 LGA Amateur Champion Patrick Christovich of New Orleans and a three shot lead over Shaheen . Anstiss stumbled on the opening hole , making a bogey 5 .
He bounced back and made three consecutive pars and continued to showcase his stellar ball striking ability by hitting his tee shot close at the par 3 fifth hole ( 187 yards ) and made the birdie putt to get back to even par on the day .
Anstiss made another par at the par 4 sixth hole and then tacked on a birdie at the par seventh hole to get his round under par . Anstiss made two pars to cap off his front nine and made the turn at one-under par 35 .
Anstiss made another birdie at the par 4 10th hole and then two consecutive pars . Play was suspended at 1:15 p . m . due to inclement weather and resumed at 3:30 p . m . Anstiss was on the 13th tee when the suspension occurred . He made a bogey on the par 5 13th hole coming out of the delay , but he responded by finishing with five consecutive pars . His back nine total of 36 was impressive considering the wet condition of the golf course following the rain .
Anstiss ’ s putter served him well , and his steady game withstood a grueling weekend golf . A Southeastern Louisiana University golfer has won the Louisiana State Amateur three consecutive years now . Grady Brame , Jr . of Hammond won in 2014 and 2015 .
There were a total of five scores under par on Saturday . The low round of the day was shot by William Meyers of Baton Rouge ( 70 / 295 ). The other score under par that was not mentioned above was shot by Micah Goulas of New Iberia ( 71 / 305 ).
This marked the first time that Carter Plantation has hosted the LGA Amateur Championship . “ Managing partners and golf professionals , Bill and Andre ’ Caldwell and the entire staff at Carter Plantation went above and beyond the call to provide a first class experience for LGA Amateur participants and families ,” said Logan Ray . “ The grounds crew , led by Director of Golf Operations Lessley Boyd and Superintendent Bill McDuffie , did a wonderful job getting the golf course in championship condition despite the inclement weather that rolled through the area over the weekend .”
The David Toms designed course drew rave reviews from this field of the top amateur players in Louisiana . The course played to a par of 72 at approximately 7,070 yards on Thursday . The course and slope rating of the set of tees that LGA Amateur Championship competitors played was 74.2 / 133
Click here to view 2016 LGA Amateur Championship final results . Story submitted .
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