BROUSSARD — The first round of the Chitimacha Louisiana Open presented by MISTRAS was delayed by more than an hour due to fog, and then was suspended Thursday due to darkness.
Those delays and limitations didn’t prevent golfers from carding low scores at Le Triomphe Golf and Country Club. Peter Uihlein, Shad Tuten, Mark Hubbard and Braden Thornberry all shot 6-under 65 on Thursday.
Uihlein, who finished as runner-up to Roberto Diaz last year, strung together three straight birdies on No. 7, 8 and 9, and also had a eagle on No. 5. The former Oklahoma State star did give a stroke back with a bogey on No. 10 but still found himself the leaderboard.
“I do like this course,” Uihlein said. “I like that it’s firm. It was pretty soft on Tuesday, so it’s nice to see it firmer today. Hopefully the rain’s not too bad tomorrow and keeps it firm.”
Tuten propelled himself to atop the leaderboard with a field-leading eight birdies on Thursday. After opening up with a par, Tuten carded birdies on No. 11, 12 and 13.
“Yeah, It was fun, it’s always fun to get started with that kind of stretch,” Tuten said. “I made a good one on 11, that got me settled in and made me feel pretty good this morning.”
Hubbard meanwhile opened up his round with back-to-back birdies on No. 1 and 2, and chipped in for birdie on the par-4 No. 4.
“I got lucky on four, I had a good lie around the green which you don’t always get out here, able to chip it in,” Hubbard said. “I let a few go on the par-fives after that, but all in all good.”
Thornberry was the only leader to not have teed off during the morning flight. The former Ole Miss star birdied No. 4, 5, 6, 8, 11 and 17 to grab a share of the lead.
“I know people talk about horses for courses,” Thornberry said. “Some courses it seems like when you play well you’re toward the top of the leaderboard, and sometimes you’re fighting to make the cut. This is one of those places I feel like if I play my game and am really clicking. I’m looking good on the leaderboard.”
The foursome’s lead though is not massive as there were 10 other golfers one stroke behind at 5-under par. Defending champion Diaz shot 2-under 69, 2010 champion Fabian Gomez shot 4-under 67 and 2018 champion Julian Etulain carded a 3-under 68.