McNeese State University - Log Yearbook (Lake Charles, LA)

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bid for the Southland Con- ference Championship was well-deserved by the eight member McNeese Golf Team. The team played one of its best Fall sea- sons ever and the Spring season fol- lowed suit. Coach Ellis Guillory knew that he had the team that could take the Conference Championship; and the team and he worked hard toward earning the title, although they even- tually fell just short of their goal. With three returning seniors, two having red-shirted the 1987 season, the McNeese Golf team looked for- ward to its best season ever. Billy Gabbert, 1985 Hal Sutton Champion, 1986 Louisiana Amateur Runnerup and 1986 Lake Charles Champion; Keith Harris, 1987 Louisiana Colle- giate Champion, 1987 Lake Charles City Champion, and All-Louisiana for 1985, 1986 and 1987; Pat Mahoney, 1987 Northeast Louisiana Invitational Champ and 20th in 1987 Southland Conference; and Kurt Schoppe, Fourth in 1987 SLC, 1987 All-SLC and 1986 All Louisiana are the four players that set the pace for the Cowboy team. Completing the squad are Laurence David (Jr.), Kelly Hicke, (Jr.), Lucas Siorois, (Jr.) and Steve Bratcher (Soph.). McNeese opened its fall season at the Northeast Louisiana Invitational in Monroe with a second place team score of 874, just behind the 872 game of the Southwest Texas team. Mahoney received individual honors by claiming the first lace spot in the tournament. From a great beginning the team moved on to the Texas Invitational in Grand Prairie where they compiled a total of 654. At the Hal Sutton Invitational in Shreve- port, the team grabbed the Cham- pionship with a score of 580; and at the last tournament of the fall sea- son, the Louisiana Intercollegiate in Shreveport, the team once again earned honors by winning second place with Keith Harris receiving the championship honors. The team resumed play on Feb- ruary 28 for the Spring Season at the Pepsi Cola Invitational in Jackson, Mississippi. Moving to the New Or- leans Classic, March 6-8, the team placed second while Billy Gabbert captured the championship. The Cowboys hosted the Moe O’Brien Invitational at the Lake Charles Country Club April 13-15. The McNeese golf team hosted the 25th Southland Conference Golf Championship for only the second time ever. The tournament was held at the Mallard Cove Golf Course; al- though the team had the home ad- vantage as well as the support of numerous spectators, they were able to finish only behind Stephen F. Austin. Continued on page 210. ) Golf 209

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208 Golf “ afternoon tournament, just hé @ © his dog. . . or phy sR BILLY GABBERT gets ready for 2

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Moving up stroke by stroke Continued from page 209. It seemed a tough day for all at the Southland Conference. Billy Gabbert, who was the tournament’s choice for winning the individual medalist honors, finished second place with a 1-under- par 215, finishing behind Ken Novak of S.W. Texas who scored a 1-under-par f bi . KEITH HARRIS adds another winning stroke to the score at the Southland Conference held at the Mallard Cove Golf course. WHO SAID GOLF WAS a lonely sport? On a good afternoon, the players and competition abound, especially around conference time. Golf @) 208. Head Coach Ellis Guillory was pleased with the team’s performance but still had hoped for better. ‘’There are four or five teams who could have won this tournament. Each team has improved on their own golf program over the past five years. Of course, we e if 7 had the home field advantage, but w) didn’t play to our own expectations.” Keith Harris also found himself | second place with the second be game of the tournament. After con) pleting the second round on 36 holes:) play, he held a 3-under-par 69, with | two-day average of a 1-under-par 14 al eh ;