MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / June 24, 2000

LAPLACE – Steve Luminais has come a long way since the days he started hitting golf balls in a baseball park near his home.

Luminais, who will be a senior at Riverside this year, placed third at the Louisiana Independent Insurance Agents tournament held Tuesday and Wednesday at the University Club in Baton Rouge. Luminais shot a 7-overpar 151 and defeated four other players in a playoff.

It was the third straight top-10 finish for Luminais. He finished ninth inhis age group and 12th overall at the Gulf States PGA Junior Tour’s Ray Hoskins Invitational in Columbus, Miss., last week. Earlier in the month, hewas seventh in his age group and ninth overall at the Canton Classic in Canton, Miss.

Luminais opened the tournament Tuesday with three straight pars before double bogeying the next three holes. He overcame that and a rain delaythat forced him to finish the 18th hole Wednesday to play the final 12 holes in 2-under, finishing with a 4-over 76.

Luminais rolled in a 40-foot birdie putt on the par 5 11th to finish the second round with a 3-over par 75, tying him with four other players.

Luminais and one other player birdied the first playoff hole, the par 3 10th, to eliminate three of the others.

The players tied the next two holes before Luminais hit the green on the fourth playoff hole, again the 10th, and two putted for a par while the other player three-putted for a bogey.

“I played good,” Luminais said. “I hit a lot of greens and fairways whichyou have to do there because there is a lot of rough. The greens were justlike here (Riverlands) which I play everyday so I was used to them.”The third-place finish qualifies Luminais for the national tournament scheduled for White Columns Golf Club in Alpharetta, Ga., August 14-18.This summer marks the third year that Luminais has played golf. Luminaiswent from hitting balls on that baseball field to playing at Fashion Country Club in Hahnville. He tried out for the Riverside golf team laterthat year and made it. Shortly after, his parents joined Riverlands and hehas been playing there ever since.

This past prep season, it all came together for Luminais and the Rebels.

Riverside captured the Class 2A state title as well as the District 9-2A and Region III championships.

Luminais received all-state honors after placing ninth at the state tournament with a 157. He also placed eight at regionals with an 80 andshot a 79 at district.

“It was pretty fun,” Luminais said of winning the state title. “We won by17 shots so we didn’t have much to worry about. You just wanted to playyour game and stay away from the bigger numbers.”Luminais said playing for the school golf team has helped him with his individual golf.

“You play much better when you play for competition,” Luminais said.

Luminais said he tries to make it to Riverlands every day that he does not have a tournament. He will be playing at Fernwood Country Club inFernwood, Miss., next week before returning home to play in the PGAJunior Championships at Belle Terre, July 11-12.

Luminais also the Riverlands Club Championship at the end of August.

Last year, he placed first in the President’s Flight at the Club Championships.

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