Braud breezes to victory at Baton Rouge Senior Open

Chad Braud got off to an inauspicious start in Sunday’s final round of the Baton Rouge Senior Open golf tournament, but he wasn’t down for long.

The 62-year-old golfer was 1-over par through two holes, then birdied seven of the next nine to take a lead he would hold the rest of the way. Braud went on to shoot 68 and post a winning two-day total of 6-under par 138 at BREC’s Santa Maria golf course.

Braud began the day at 2 under, one shot behind first-round leader Wendell Akins, who managed only one birdie in a round of 75.

Danny Nelson also shot 68 and finished second at 2 under. Akins slipped into a tie for third at even par with Jory Comeaux and Wes Watts. Comeaux shot 68 while Watts had a 70.

“I was a little nervous starting off, but after I bogeyed number two it kind of settled me down,” said Braud, who previously won the 2011 Baton Rouge Open. “I had a good number going into three with my 5-wood, which is my favorite club. I hit it right over the flag and made birdie, and that got me started.”

Braud’s low-scoring binge included a run of five consecutive birdies, and had him 6-under for the day when he walked off the 12th green. He had two hiccups coming in, a drive out of bounds at 14 and a three-putt bogey at 17, but it wasn’t enough to let any other golfer get close.

“I realized where I was at and I wasn’t playing as aggressive as I had been,” Braud said. “I just held on. By the time I got to 18, there was no way I was hitting anything but a layup.”

For Akins, a poor drive at 3 led to a bogey, and he fell behind for good when Braud made birdie at 4. His only birdie of the day came at 13.

Phil Schmitt started his round at even par, but dropped out of contention after five holes. He found tree trouble off the tee at 6 when he tried to cut off the corner of a dogleg, and eventually made a triple bogey.

In the super seniors division for golfers over age 65, Randy Goff shot his second consecutive 66 and posted a winning total of 12-under, 132. Paul Castro shot 67 and was second at 137. Steve Thompson, who carded a 62 on Saturday, ballooned to a 76 and finished third at 138.

Final results from the Baton Rouge Senior Open at Santa Maria golf course:

Chad Braud 70 68 – 138

Danny Nelson 74 68 – 142

Jory Comeaux 76 68 – 144

Wes Watts 74 70 – 144

Wendell Akins 69 75 – 145

David Price 74 71 – 145

David Knight 72 73 – 145

Randall Little 76 71 – 147

Mpho Mmopi 76 72 – 148

Phil Schmitt 72 76 – 148

Super Senior Division (over 65)

Randy Goff 66 66 – 132

Paul Castro 70 67 – 137

Steve Thompson 62 76 – 138

Lindsey Spiller 68 73 – 141

Pat Lambert 75 70 – 145