University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Monday, September 21
Westchester, Ill.
7:00 a.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
at
Highlands Invitational
Strong Start, Second Round Struggles See Cajuns In Eighth-Place Tie in Chicago
9/21/2026 8:39:00 PM | Golf
Second round to conclude at 7 a.m., final round to follow
WESTCHESTER, Ill. – A strong morning round turned into a struggle in the afternoon, and UL's golf team stands tied for eighth place after Monday's first two rounds of the Chicago Highlands Invitational tournament.
The Ragin' Cajuns carded a two-under-par 286 in Monday's first of two rounds at the difficult Chicago Highlands Golf Club, but could only manage an 11-over 301 score in the second half of the 36-hole day.
"It's the type course that you can't let up on," said Cajun coach Theo Sliman. "It takes a high golf IQ to navigate it. The greens were running 13 on the stimpmeter, and when you pair that with rain and 25 mile-per-hour winds it can beat you up. You wind up playing defensive and that's what we did this afternoon."
Host East Tennessee State, Eastern Michigan and defending champion Wake Forest were the only teams to find sub-par success on Monday, with ETSU holding a six-stroke lead at 15-under after the low morning round of 11-under 277. EMU is at 9-under and Wake at 1-under after both shot the afternoon's low round at 281.
UL sophomore James Holtsclaw of Shreveport was the most consistent of the Cajuns on Monday, turning in back-to-back even-par 72 scores including two birdies in his final five holes to battle back to 144 and tie for 12th individually. Fourth-year senior Carter Schmitt had the low round of the day for UL with an opening three-under 69 that included six birdies, but the Baton Rouge product slipped to a 77 in the afternoon round and is in 21st place at two-over 146.
Freshman Jack Carter of Baton Rouge matched two-over 74 scores, finishing with three straight birdies in the afternoon round to post a four-over 148 score for 38th place. Sophomore Drew Sliman had UL's second-low round of the day with a four-birdie 71 but struggled to a second-round 78 to finish tied for 42nd, while fourth-year senior Ellis Bright of Bath, England had a 75-78—153 day to rank tied for 58th after leading the Cajuns and finishing tied for fourth overall in last week's season-opening Sandestin Collegiate.
In contrast to the hot temperatures in that opening event where the Cajuns finished only three strokes out of the team title, temperatures hovered in the high 50's with consistent wind and occasional showers for Monday's 36 holes. The weather contributed to three teams – Indiana, Maryland and Charleston – not finishing their second round.
Toledo and Coastal Carolina are tied for fourth at plus-8, three shots ahead of UL's 11-over score. East Tennessee State's Erik Tjarnberg is the two-round leader at 7-under 70-67—137, with Arsit Areephun of Eastern Michigan one shot back at 6-under and ETSU's Veigar Heidarsoon one more stroke back at minus-5.
"It was playing tough all day, misty and windy in the morning, but the guys played with great poise," Sliman said. "The afternoon it was Jekyll and Hyde. I think they're shocked, trying to figure out what happened. They know they're better than that afternoon round and I know they're better and they're excited about having one more opportunity to show it."
The remaining three teams will finish their rounds early Tuesday morning, followed by a final-round shotgun start at a time to be determined. Pairings and live scoring are available at Scoreboard.clippd.com.
Chicago Highlands Invitational – Two-round results
Sept. 21, 2026
Chicago Highlands Golf Club (7,349 yards, par 72), Westchester, Ill.
Team Standings: 1. East Tennessee State 277-284—561 (-15); 2. Eastern Michigan 286-281—567 (-9); 3. Wake Forest 294-281—575 (-1); T4. Toledo 282-302—584 (+8); T4. Coastal Carolina 283-301—584 (+8); T6. Indiana 285-DNF (+9); T6. Maryland 292-DNF (+9); T8. Louisiana 286-301—587 (+11); T8. Charleston 297-DNF (+11); 10. North Alabama 292-306—598 (+22); 11. Western Carolina 297-303—600 (+24); 11. Southern Illinois 304-297--601 (+25).
Individual Leaders: 1. Erik Tjarnberg, East Tennessee State, 70-67—137 (-7); 2, Arsit Areephun, Eastern Michigan, 68-70—138 (-6); 3. Veigar Heidarsson, East Tennessee State, 70-69—139 (-5); T4. Jorge Hao, Wake Forest, 71-69—140 (-4); T4. Joshua Hess, Eastern Michigan, 72-68—140 (-4).
UL Scores: T12. James Holtsclaw 72-72—144 (even); T21. Carter Schmitt 69-77—146 (+2); T38. Jack Carter 74-74—148 (+4); T42. Drew Sliman 71-78—149 (+5); T58. Ellis Bright 75-78—153 (+9); T71. Jay Brooks (individual) 83-80—163 (+19).
The Ragin' Cajuns carded a two-under-par 286 in Monday's first of two rounds at the difficult Chicago Highlands Golf Club, but could only manage an 11-over 301 score in the second half of the 36-hole day.
"It's the type course that you can't let up on," said Cajun coach Theo Sliman. "It takes a high golf IQ to navigate it. The greens were running 13 on the stimpmeter, and when you pair that with rain and 25 mile-per-hour winds it can beat you up. You wind up playing defensive and that's what we did this afternoon."
Host East Tennessee State, Eastern Michigan and defending champion Wake Forest were the only teams to find sub-par success on Monday, with ETSU holding a six-stroke lead at 15-under after the low morning round of 11-under 277. EMU is at 9-under and Wake at 1-under after both shot the afternoon's low round at 281.
UL sophomore James Holtsclaw of Shreveport was the most consistent of the Cajuns on Monday, turning in back-to-back even-par 72 scores including two birdies in his final five holes to battle back to 144 and tie for 12th individually. Fourth-year senior Carter Schmitt had the low round of the day for UL with an opening three-under 69 that included six birdies, but the Baton Rouge product slipped to a 77 in the afternoon round and is in 21st place at two-over 146.
Freshman Jack Carter of Baton Rouge matched two-over 74 scores, finishing with three straight birdies in the afternoon round to post a four-over 148 score for 38th place. Sophomore Drew Sliman had UL's second-low round of the day with a four-birdie 71 but struggled to a second-round 78 to finish tied for 42nd, while fourth-year senior Ellis Bright of Bath, England had a 75-78—153 day to rank tied for 58th after leading the Cajuns and finishing tied for fourth overall in last week's season-opening Sandestin Collegiate.
In contrast to the hot temperatures in that opening event where the Cajuns finished only three strokes out of the team title, temperatures hovered in the high 50's with consistent wind and occasional showers for Monday's 36 holes. The weather contributed to three teams – Indiana, Maryland and Charleston – not finishing their second round.
Toledo and Coastal Carolina are tied for fourth at plus-8, three shots ahead of UL's 11-over score. East Tennessee State's Erik Tjarnberg is the two-round leader at 7-under 70-67—137, with Arsit Areephun of Eastern Michigan one shot back at 6-under and ETSU's Veigar Heidarsoon one more stroke back at minus-5.
"It was playing tough all day, misty and windy in the morning, but the guys played with great poise," Sliman said. "The afternoon it was Jekyll and Hyde. I think they're shocked, trying to figure out what happened. They know they're better than that afternoon round and I know they're better and they're excited about having one more opportunity to show it."
The remaining three teams will finish their rounds early Tuesday morning, followed by a final-round shotgun start at a time to be determined. Pairings and live scoring are available at Scoreboard.clippd.com.
Chicago Highlands Invitational – Two-round results
Sept. 21, 2026
Chicago Highlands Golf Club (7,349 yards, par 72), Westchester, Ill.
Team Standings: 1. East Tennessee State 277-284—561 (-15); 2. Eastern Michigan 286-281—567 (-9); 3. Wake Forest 294-281—575 (-1); T4. Toledo 282-302—584 (+8); T4. Coastal Carolina 283-301—584 (+8); T6. Indiana 285-DNF (+9); T6. Maryland 292-DNF (+9); T8. Louisiana 286-301—587 (+11); T8. Charleston 297-DNF (+11); 10. North Alabama 292-306—598 (+22); 11. Western Carolina 297-303—600 (+24); 11. Southern Illinois 304-297--601 (+25).
Individual Leaders: 1. Erik Tjarnberg, East Tennessee State, 70-67—137 (-7); 2, Arsit Areephun, Eastern Michigan, 68-70—138 (-6); 3. Veigar Heidarsson, East Tennessee State, 70-69—139 (-5); T4. Jorge Hao, Wake Forest, 71-69—140 (-4); T4. Joshua Hess, Eastern Michigan, 72-68—140 (-4).
UL Scores: T12. James Holtsclaw 72-72—144 (even); T21. Carter Schmitt 69-77—146 (+2); T38. Jack Carter 74-74—148 (+4); T42. Drew Sliman 71-78—149 (+5); T58. Ellis Bright 75-78—153 (+9); T71. Jay Brooks (individual) 83-80—163 (+19).
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