Vallette leads wet Sulphur City Championship after two rounds

By Mickel Ponthieux

Chris Vallette putts on Hole No. 12 during the second round of the Sulphur City Championship on Saturday at Frasch Golf Course

By Mickel Ponthieux

Southwest Daily News

Sun Aug 17, 2008, 04:00 AM CDT

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Sulphur, La. -

Chris Vallette held on to the lead on Saturday in the Sulphur City Championship at Frasch Golf Course with a score of 70 and a combined 142 to lead Blake DeReese (143) and defending champion Cory Vincent (144).

Vincent had a one-under 34 at the turn and posted an even par 36 on the back nine for a one-under 70 on Saturday.

Vallette posted three birdies on the front nine on Saturday and held a three-stroke lead over DeReese at the turn but got tripped up on the back nine with three bogeys.

The tournament was delayed on Friday and again on Saturday due to rain.

“It’s still a little wet out there,” said Vallette. “The group I’ve played with struggled with the water. We played a little clean and place, which kind of helped out with the water.”

Frasch Golf Course Golf Pro George McInnis said that the course is dealing well with the rain.

“The greens are in good shape and don’t have a problem draining,” said McInnis. “It’s some other areas on the golf course that are now draining better than in the past.”

DeReese, winner of the 2007 Lake Charles Championship, made the only eagle on the day on No. 8.

“I think the course is in really good shape,” said DeReese on the condition of the course. “The greens are pretty good, and the fairways are good. From the last time I played it, the course is in excellent condition.”

Craig Trosclair had a six-stroke improvement with a 70 on Saturday to make the top four on the leader board. Donny Abshire made the biggest improvement from Friday with a 13-stroke improvement with a second round score of 73.

Trosclair and the rest of top four in the presidential flight put up scores that were under par after no one posted sub-par scores on Friday.

With four golfers within four strokes of Vallette, the final round on Sunday looks interesting with the forecast for rain looking about the same as the last two days.

“Everybody’s just going to have to grind,” said Vallette. “We are going to have to go out there and play our best, and that’s all there is to it. We have to deal with the situation, and go from there.”