Potgieter Claims Day One Lead at 40th Annual Louisiana Classics

LAFAYETTE – Malan Potgieter used a four-hole stretch on the front nine with an eagle and three birdies to move into the overall lead while the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns finished eight strokes behind a pair of top-25 programs during the opening day of the 40^th Annual Louisiana Classics on Monday at Oakbourne Country Club.

The final round will begin on Tuesday at 7:30 a.m., with live coverage on ESPN+ beginning at 9 a.m. The event is free and open to the public. Live scoring is available at Scoreboard.clippd.com.

Louisiana finished third overall in the 12-team field after shooting an 8-under-280 in the second round and 7-under-569 after 36 holes. The Ragin' Cajuns trailed No. 7-ranked LSU (561) and No. 24 Texas A&M (564) heading into the final round. No. 38-ranked Little Rock (577) was eight strokes behind in fourth place with Sam Houston (579) rounding out the top five.

Potgieter opened the day with a 1-under-par 71 before jumping up the leaderboard midway through the front nine. The junior, who started both rounds at No. 2, opened his surge with an eagle at the par-4, 381-yard No. 6 before posting birdies at No. 7, 8 and 9 to make the turn at 5-under.

He added a birdie on the back nine at No. 11 and concluded his round with a birdie at No. 1 to finish with a 7-under-65 – the lowest score in a round at the Louisiana Classics since Peter Hinnant's 8-under-64 in 2021.

Potgieter finished the first day at 8-under-par 136, three strokes ahead of Texas State's Sakke Siltala, defending champion Phichaksn Maichon of Texas A&M and LSU's Alfons Bondesson.

Kyle Bennett extended his streak of consecutive rounds of par or below to eight after recording a 1-under-71 in the opening round before a 3-under 69 in the second. Bennett, who added an eagle on the back nine at No. 11, finished in a tie for fifth-place in the 78-player field finishing four shots behind Potgieter at 4-under-140.

Eli Ortego posted identical rounds of 1-over-73 to finish at 2-over-146 after 36 holes. Playing with former Ascension Episcopal School teammate Jay Mendell (LSU) and Texas A&M's Michael Heidelbaugh, the senior capped off the second round with a 1-under-35 on the back nine, including a birdie at No. 18.

Jean Louis du Plessis posted rounds of 75 and 73 in his first home event to finish at 4-over-148 after 36 holes with Carter Schmitt, also making his Louisiana Classics debut, recording rounds of 74 and 75 to finish at 5-over-149.

Burke Alford was Louisiana's top individual, posting rounds of 78 and 74 to finish at 152. Dylan Keating (76-77-153) finished one stroke behind Alford with Matthew Lotz (80-77-157) and redshirt freshman Ross Anderson (78-79-157), making his collegiate debut, following.

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40^TH LOUISIANA CLASSICS
March 10-11, 2025
Lafayette, La. (Oakbourne CC)
Par 72, 6,898 yards

TEAM SCORING
1. LSU 279-282-561; 2. Texas A&M 284-280-564; 3. Louisiana 289-280-569; 4. Little Rock 291-286-577; 5. Sam Houston 290-289-579; 6. South Alabama 300-281-581; 7. Rice 287-296-583; 8. Oral Roberts 292-294-586; 9. Louisiana Tech 300-287-587; 10. Texas State 289-299-588; 11. Illinois State 297-295-592; 12. Middle Tennessee 299-296-595.

LOUISIANA RESULTS
1. Malan Potgieter 71-65-136; T5. Kyle Bennett 71-69-140; T28. Eli Ortego 73-73-146; T39. Jean Louis du Plessis 75-73-148; T46. Carter Schmitt 74-75-149.

LOUISIANA INDIVIDUALS
T57. Burke Alford 74-78-152; T64. Dylan Keating 76-77-153; T70. Ross Anderson 78-79-157; T70. Matthew Lotz 80-77-157.

Potgieter Claims Day One Lead at 40th Annual Louisiana Classics

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Players Mentioned

Burke Alford

Ross Anderson

Kyle Bennett

Jean Louis du Plessis

Dylan Keating

Matthew Lotz

Eli Ortego

Malan Potgieter

Carter Schmitt