MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / August 30, 2000

LAPLACE – Brett Bergeron was back in a familiar place this weekend – atop a golf leaderboard.

Bergeron, a junior at Riverside, shot a 1-over 217 to capture the Riverlands Country Club Championship by three strokes over Rick Bratcher who finished at 4-over 220. It was Bergeron’s second straight win in theevent. Riverside teammate Steve Luminais was third with a 9-over 225.Dale Leonard won the Ladies Flight with an 83-88-171 with a 153 net.

Janet Hymel was second was second with a 104-97-201 and a 153 net. LizTorres came in third with a 94-89-183 and a 159 net.

Pat Lambert came out on top in the President Flight with a 239, two strokes ahead of Jason Smith. Dan Richmond was first in the First Flight,shooting an 85-81-166. Bud Manuel was second at 87-83-170. In theSecond Flight, Byron Jacob was the winner at 86-90-176. Arnold Ragashad a 91-85-176 and Bob Alito an 88-88-176.

Floyd Guillot was the winner of the Third Flight with an 82-87-169. BillyMayeux was a shot back at 84-86-170. Bob Palmisano was another shotback at 89-82-171. Bob Handy came out on top in the Fourth Flight with an86-86-172. Troy Rizzo was one back at 83-90-173. Louis Hotard wasthird with a 89-90-179.

David Dill took the Fifth Flight with an 86-86-172. Jeff Pennebaker wasat 87-96-183. Allen Constantine was third with a 91-92-183. In the SixthFlight, John Carcich was first with a 96-96-192 and a 142 net. WayneSilva was at 92-101-193 and a net of 147 in placing second.

Joe Ollar was the winner of the Senior First Flight with a 78-76-154.

Paul Millet was second at 79-83-162. Floyd Guillot had the low net at143. In the Second Flight, Carcich had a 96-96-192 and a 142 net inplacing first. Bob Handy was second with an 86-82 and 142 net. Bergeron was one up on Bratcher after the first round Saturday after shooting a 2-under par 70. Bergeron was 2-over after the first five holesbefore shooting 4-under over the final 13. He maintained a one-stroke leadover Bratcher after the second round Sunday after both finished with 1- over 73s.

Bergeron shot a 1-under par 35 on the front nine of the final round to take a three-stroke lead. Bratcher parred the 12th hole while Bergeron wasmaking a bogey to pull to within two. But on the par 4 13th, Bergeron madepar while Bratcher triple bogeyed the hole to go back up by five.

Bergeron bogeyed the 14th to make the lead four. On the par 5 15th,Bratcher had an eight-foot putt for birdie while Bergeron had one of the similar distance for par. Bratcher went first and missed while Bergeronmade his to stay four ahead.

“We came off even,” Bergeron said. “That was a big hole. That was a bigputt I made there. I knew if I came in without big numbers, I would be ingood shape.”Bratcher parred the 16th and made a birdie on the 17th to pull to within two. But Bergeron came back with a solid drive and second shot on the18th, two putting for a par to finish with a 2-over 74. Bratcher bogeyedthe final hole to finish with a 4-over 76.

“I hit the ball well,” Bergeron said. “I had no penalty strokes. I hit a lot offairways and greens and I made the putts when I needed to. I knew if I keptaround even par for the tournament I would be in good shape.”Bergeron is headed this weekend to the AJGA Tour’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Classic held at Magnolia Grove in Mobile, Ala. The event is rated asthe eighth toughest tournament in junior golf. Many of the top 50 juniorgolfers in the country are entered in the field, including Matthew Rosenfeld, who won the U.S. Junior Amateur championship earlier thismonth.

“Hopefully, I can play well all three days,” Bergeron said.

Bergeron played in the Junior Amateur in Oregon but failed to make the cut after stroke play.

“It was a great experience,” Bergeron said. “I didn’t play like I wanted tobut I had a great time. Hopefully, I can get another shot next year and havebetter results. I know what to expect. From now to then, I will be workinghard on my game. I have to raise it to another level to hang with thoseguys.”

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