MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / July 1, 2000

LAFAYETTE – The United States Junior Amateur is one of the most prestigious junior events in the country, the place where many a young golfer, including Tiger Woods, have gotten their start.

Each year, approximately 130 golfers get a chance to add their name their names to that list. And this year, one of those will be LaPlace’s own BrettBergeron.

Bergeron earned the trip to the Junior Amateur by winning the 36-hole qualifying tournament Tuesday at Oak Bourne Country Club in Lafayette with a 1-over par 145. Avery Vincent of New Iberia was a shot behindwith a 2-over 146. Frank Briseno of River Ridge was third with a 3-over147. Craig Trahan Jr. of Marrero had a 5-over 149 and Joshua Clements ofHouma was at 6-over 150. Those four are alternates for the JuniorAmateur.

With 31 players in the field, only the winner of the tournament advanced to the Junior Amateur scheduled for July 31 to Aug. 5 at Pumpkin RidgeGolf Course in North Plains, Ore.

“I knew with so many players and only one slot, I had to shoot around even par to have a chance,” Bergeron said.

Bergeron was three back of Briseno and two back of Vincent after shooting a 2-over par 74 in the first round. He opened his second round with pars onthe first three holes before birdieing the fourth hole and bogeying the fifth.

On the 330-yard, par 4 sixth hole, Bergeron hit a 240-yard drive to set up a 90-yard uphill second shot to the pin. Bergeron hit a sand wedge withthe shot hitting the pin and dropping in for an eagle.

“Mike told me to hit the sand wedge,” Bergeron said of Mike Lozano, his Riverside teammate who caddied for him during the tournament. “I heardit hit the pin and I saw my dad going crazy on the green. That’s when Iknew it went in. That jump started my round.”Bergeron bogeyed the eighth hole to finish with a 1-under 35 on the front nine. Briseno had already finished with a 4-over 76 but Bergeron didn’tknow how Vincent, playing a few groups ahead of him, was doing.

“I knew I had to have par or better on the back nine,” Bergeron said.

Bergeron birdied the 11th hole before parring the next three. On the par 315th, he chipped in for a birdie to go to 2-under for the back nine. Hewould bogey 16 and 18 to finish with a even-par 36 on the back nine and a 1-under 71 for the round.

“I hit a lot of fairways and greens both days,” Bergeron said. “I hit 13greens each round. The first day I didn’t putt well. The second round, I hitthe ball just as well, I just putted much better. I worked on a few thingson the putting green (between the rounds). I knew the speed was the key onthe putts because the greens there are large and undulating. I had just onethree-putt in the second round and I made a lot of long ones.” Bergeron had played in one other one-day, 36-hole tournament before, the Louisiana Junior Amateur a few years back. From that experience, with theheat and the 36-hole day, he knew he needed a caddy, so he turned to Lozano. Lozano had played with Bergeron on Riverside’s Class 2A statechampion team this spring and knew his game.

“Brett came one day and said he needed a caddy,” Lozano recalled. “Atfirst I didn’t know but I was thinking about it and said it could be fun.”Bergeron said having Lozano around was a key to his victory.

“Mike confirmed my line on a lot of putts and he gave me confidence,” Bergeron said. “He knew my whole game. He didn’t let me do anythingstupid, especially at the end when I knew I had a chance and didn’t want to make high numbers.”Bergeron will remain active on the course before heading up to Oregon. Heis planning to play in the qualifier for the PGA Junior Championship scheduled for Belle Terre Country Club July 10-11.

Bergeron is also planning to leave early for the Junior Amateur to get in practice rounds at the two courses that the tournament will be played at.

The first two rounds of the Junior Amateur are stroke play after which the 132-player field is cut down to 64. The final rounds are then matchplay.

“I’m looking forward to just having fun out there even if I don’t make the cut,” Bergeron said. “It’s going to be a good experience.”

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