The LSU golf squads finished their respective three-day tournaments Tuesday with a pair of top-10 team results and impressive individual performances.
The No. 7 Tigers placed third in the John Hayt Invitational at Sawgrass Country Club in Florida behind conference rivals Arkansas and Auburn, who finished first and second, respectively.
“I think a 1-under par team score was a solid final day and one of our better rounds this year, given the windy conditions,” said LSU men’s coach Chuck Winstead.
As usual, the senior trio of Andrew Loupe, John Peterson and Ken Looper paced LSU, with each earning top-15 spots individually.
“Those guys have the experience and understand how to grind it out when they don’t have their best stuff,” Winstead said.
However, it was junior Andrew Presley who led the Tigers on Tuesday with a team-best 2-under par 70.
Looper also went below par, shooting a 1-under 71 for a three-day total of even-par, good for a share of eighth place.
Loupe fired a second-straight even-par 72 and finished in a tie for 11th place Peterson, who led the tournament after the first round, stumbled late, posting a 74 to tie for 15th.
The No. 4 Lady Tigers, competing in the Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate tournament at English Turn Golf Course in New Orleans, bounced back from a rough second round to record a 6-over par team total in Tuesday’s final round, but could not move up the leaderboard late, culminating in a ninth-place finish.
Senior Megan McChrystal took second place after a final-round 73 left her one shot behind Alabama’s Stephanie Meadows for the individual title. An early double bogey and consecutive bogeys on her final two holes ultimately doomed McChrystal’s chances.
“[McChrystal] played a lot of steady golf and had that one big mistake before she settled down, but the double [bogey] did cost her,” said LSU women’s coach Karen Bahnsen. “Still, she came out and had another great tournament for us.”
Sophomore Mary Michael Maggio posted a team-best 71 in her final round on the strength of four birdies.
Freshman Austin Ernst carded a 75 for a 54-hole total of 13-over par just one week after claiming the individual title at the Central District Invitational.
Bahnsen said ball striking was the main issue for the Lady Tigers during the tournament.
“[English Turn] is a course that can really get you when you miss in the wrong places, especially since we didn’t strike the ball well this week.” Bahnsen said. “We didn’t finish where we wanted to, but we came back mentally today, which is a good sign as we gear up for our home event and the postseason.”
 
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Contact Chris Abshire at [email protected]