University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
41st Louisiana Classics
Potgieter Leads After 36 Holes at 41st Louisiana Classics
3/9/2026 8:58:00 PM | Golf
Senior goes 12-under-132 after 36 holes; Cajuns in seventh heading into final round
LAFAYETTE – UL's Malan Potgieter is one round away from both Ragin' Cajun and Louisiana Classics Golf Tournament history.
The senior from Kirkwood, South Africa, who last year became the first Cajun to win the Louisiana Classics individual title in the 40-year history of the event, posted a seven-under-par 65 in Monday's morning round. He followed that with a five-under 67 in the afternoon trip around Oakbourne Country Club, and takes a four-shot lead into Tuesday's final 18 holes.
No player in the history of the 41st annual tournament has won back-to-back individual titles, and none have really come close. Potgieter has a good chance at that, with his 12-under 132 score four shots ahead of Carter Maneth of Middle Tennessee and Oliver Blackadder of East Tennessee State (both -8) entering the final round.
He was locked in all day, said Cajun coach Theo Sliman, and that's difficult to do in a 36-hole day. I am continually amazed and impressed with the things he does on the course, and Monday was just another example of that.
Potgieter, who has finished in the top four individually in six of UL's seven tournaments this season, had 14 birdies in his two Monday rounds. His only hiccups were a bogey at the par-three 17th hole in the opening round and a bogey at the par-four 12th hole in the afternoon. He birdied his first three holes Monday and seven of his first 14 to take the individual lead that he never relinquished all day.
I told him after he finished that nobody was going to give him the tournament tomorrow (Tuesday), Sliman said. He's going to have to go out there and win it.
Texas A&M, ranked 29th nationally and winners of three of the last four Louisiana Classics team titles, holds the team lead at 23-under-par 553. The Aggies trailed unranked New Mexico State for much of Monday's morning round but added a 13-under 275 in the afternoon round – tied for the ninth-lowest team round in tournament history – to its 10-under 278 in the morning.
Despite not having an individual in the top six, A&M holds an eight-shot lead over 48th-ranked Little Rock (-15) entering the final round over the 6,898-yard par-72 Oakbourne layout. Michigan (-14) stands in third place and Lamar, which tied for the third-best team round in tournament history with a 16-under 272 in the afternoon, stands in fourth at -13.
Lamar's David Schneider single-handedly brought the Cardinals back into contention Monday afternoon, coming back from an opening two-over 74 to tie the tournament record with a nine-under-par 63 in the afternoon. Schneider had a shot at Oakbourne's competitive-event course record of 62 but bogeyed his final hole at the par-five 12th, and is one of three players tied for fourth at seven-under 137.
The host Cajuns, who finished third last year behind LSU and A&M for their best Classics finish since 2021, stand in seventh place at seven-under 569 after a five-under-par 283 in the afternoon round. Freshman James Holtsclaw had back-to-back 71 rounds and is tied for 25th individually at 71-71-142.
Senior Jean Louis du Plessis is tied for 60th at 73-74-147, junior Carter Schmitt is 65th at four-over 148 after rallying for a one-under 71 in the afternoon round, and freshman Drew Sliman had back-to-back 77 rounds and is at 154. Jay Brooks and Nathan Schuldt, playing as individuals are at three-over 147 and five-over 150, respectively.
The final round is set for 7:30 a.m. Tuesday with tee times off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees. The final round will air over ESPN+ beginning at 9 a.m. There is no admission charge for the tournament.
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