By ROBERT L. LEE

ST. FRANCISVILLE – In his first Louisiana Amateur Championship last weekend, Reserve’s Brett Bergeron earned a fourth-place finish, tied with Gayle Sanchez from Baton Rouge, and trailing the champion by only five strokes.

“I felt confident after the first two days,” said Bergeron. “I hit the ball really well, but I left two or three strokes out there every day. It’s tough to win a bit tournament like that leaving shots out there.”

Bergeron was one of 66 players to make the top 60, two-day cut, which included ties. With his two-day total of 146 strokes he rallied under the mark set at 157 strokes.

“I thought if I shot another two really good rounds I could win, but I couldn’t quite do it,” he added.

“If I could have just picked up those strokes and a couple of putts I would have been there with the winner.”

The lost strokes added up to a four-over par. His last visit to the Bluffs on Thompson Creek had been at least a year ago, but he claimed he quickly familiarized himself with the course again during the practice rounds leading up to the tournament.

Also on his side for every hole along the four rounds was his father, giving advice and helping him read a few putts.

“The course is tough. A lot of players say it’s the hardest in Louisiana,” he said. “It’s tough driving on that course, there are about two or three really intimidating holes.”

Another reason for the course’s difficulty is the length of the course, at more than 7,000 yards from the first tee to the last flag. Bergeron’s top 10 finish won him a gift certificate to the course’s pro shop. Finishing four strokes ahead in second place overall, was Tommy Brennan, who routinely competes head-to-head with Bergeron in similar tournaments. Most recently, Brennan won The Mackel metro amateur championship, with Bergeron, the defending champion, tied for second.

Brennan had a chance of taking this amateur title in St. Francisville, but three-putted the last hole.

“There’s a little added level of competition when we play,” said Bergeron, after the two met up again during the last round at The Bluffs.

“But I was mainly trying to focus and shoot under par. I’m pleased with a fourth place finish in my first Louisiana Amateur tournament. I know with a couple of shots I could have been right there with the winner.”

Bergeron plans to continue practicing and playing, in preparation for his first U.S. Amateur in Michigan, which will hold qualifying toward the end of July in Lake Charles.