Shreveport, LA - 140 of the best junior golfers in Louisiana competed over 54 holes at Southern Trace Country Club this week. Maci Williams of Brusly claimed the 60th Louisiana Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship and Ivan Popp of Lafayette won the 68th Louisiana Junior Amateur Championship. Both players played brilliantly and won wire-to-wire, with Williams winning by three shots over defending champion Jade Neves of New Orleans and Popp earning a two-shot victory over Drew Prieto of Baton Rouge and Maddox Mowad of Monroe. This is the second Louisiana Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship for Williams and Popp’s first. Both players are in the graduating class of 2028 and will be contenders for years to come.
Popp put everyone on notice after an opening round 64 on Wednesday. He followed that with a two-under par 70 on Thursday, giving him a six-shot lead to start the final round. Most impressive for Popp was the fact that he played his first 37 holes bogey-free at the challenging Southern Trace layout. Popp birdied the par 5 1st hole to start the day, getting to 11-under for the championship. However, it was a struggle from there. Popp would bogey holes 2 and 5 and double-bogey the par 4 9th, making the turn in 39 (+3). He bogeyed three of his first four holes to start the back nine, but showed tremendous fortitude to right the ship en route to the victory. Popp made birdie at the par 5 14th hole, playing conservative to the green then draining a 15-foot putt. His tee shot on 15 clipped a tree branch on the left side of the hole, forcing him to punch out to the fairway. He hit his approach to 15 feet then made the putt for an impressive par save. Popp hit the center of the green at the par 3 16th hole and continued his putting shot streak by sinking a 20-foot birdie putt. He followed that up with a routine par on 17.
However, the par 5 18th hole was anything but routine. Popp found the water twice and managed to salvage a double bogey to finish. The final round 78 wasn’t what he envisioned to close out the tournament, but winning by two and cementing his status as the best junior golfer in Louisiana certainly makes it sting less! Popp finished the championship at four-under par 212. He has now earned an exemption into the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas, July 21-26 and he’s fully exempt with the AJGA. He’s also exempt into the 107th Louisiana Amateur Championship at Metairie Country Club and an automatic selection to the 2025 Junior River Cup. Popp will have custody of the Russ Gaudin Trophy to be displayed at his home club Le Triomphe Golf & Country Club in Broussard for the next year.
Prieto (-2), Mowad (-2), Hudson Greene of Bossier City (-1) and James Holtsclaw of Shreveport (-1) were the only other players to finish under par for the championship.
Maci Williams carded rounds of 71-72-76 to finish the championship at three-over par 219. Williams’ stellar play gave her a six-shot lead heading into the final round over Neves and Evelynn Artieta of Denham Springs. Williams shot 38-38 to cruise to victory on Friday. She had four birdies, seven bogeys, and forty-three pars in the tournament.
Jack Gilmer of Shreveport won the Boys’s Overall Division First Flight at 11-over par 227 (83-72-72). On Thursday, Derby Everson of Shreveport fired a 66 to win the Boys 12-13 Division at one-under par 143 (77-66).
Junior Amateur Final Results can be found here: 68th Louisiana Junior Amateur Championship presented by Cajun Country Rice Event :: Results
Girls’ Junior Amateur Final Results can be found here: 60th Louisiana Girls' Junior Amateur Championship presented by Cajun Country Rice Event :: Results
Finally, the Louisiana Golf Association would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to Southern Trace Country Club for its capable cooperation and generous hospitality this week. The golf course was in impeccable condition for this championship. Director of Golf Cameron Alford, Superintendent Chris Owen, and General Manager Ricky Rogers, and all the staff went above and beyond to make this a truly memorable experience for all the players and guests.