LAFAYETTE, La. – ULM's
Guillaume Fanonnel and
Andoni Etchenique completed the first day of the 36th Annual Louisiana Classics in 12th and 18th, respectively, helping the Warhawks place sixth in the team standings through two rounds.
Fanonnel, locked in a six-way tie for 12th, capped off the day 1-under-par with a 143 after posting rounds of 71 and 72. His opening round play at the Oakbourne Country Club resulted in 11 pars and four birdies, which included three birdies in his first five holes. Fanonnel followed that with an even-par 72 in the second round, which came as a result of four birdies and 11 pars. Three of his four second round birdies came on the back nine.
Etchenique, one of eight players tied for 18th, carded 12 pars and two birdies in the first round as he finished the round 2-over par with a score of 74. He took four strokes off his second-round score, closing with a 70, as he moved his two-round score to even-par. Etchenique converted six birdies and nine pars over the course of the second round, carding four birdies in a five-hole stretch at one point.
Led by the play of seniors Fanonnel and Etchenique, ULM will enter Tuesday's third round in sixth place with a 4-over-par score of 590 (299-291). The Warhawks are 25 shots off the pace established by No. 5 ranked Illinois, which is 21-under-par with a combined score of 555 (282-273). The tournament host Ragin' Cajuns are second at 8-under-par with a score of 568 (291-277).
Otto Van Buynder posted the third-best score for the Warhawks on Monday, closing in a 26th-place tie with McNeese State's Jack Hearn, with a 1-over-par 145 following rounds of 71 and 74. Van Buynder emerged with 11 pars and two birdies to tie Fanonnel for the lowest first round (71) by any ULM player. His second round drew to a close with nine pars and four birdies, including back-to-back birdies on the back nine.
Melan Dhaubhadel began play with a 73 before scoring a 75 in the second, closing in a seven-way tie for 43rd with a 4-over-par score of 148. His first-round scorecard included 12 pars and three birdies, two of which came on the 11th and 14th greens, where he finished 1-over-par. Dhaubhadel closed the day with a 3-over-par round of 75 by virtue of 11 pars and two birdies.
Michael Gilbert rounded out the ULM scorecard with a 14-over-par score of 158. Gilbert, who is 74th after two rounds, had three birdies and 10 pars in the first round. His second round 83 came despite 10 pars and a birdie at 14.
ULM returns to the course on Tuesday and will tee off at 8:15 a.m.
36th Annual Louisiana Classics (ULM Only Results—Thru Two Rounds)
