Marcus Byrd claimed his first professional title on Tuesday at the APGA event at TPC Louisiana in New Orleans. Byrd closed out a final-round 69 with a birdie on the par-5 18th hole and wrapped up a single-stroke victory over Rafa Guerrero Lauria.
Byrd finished the 36-hole event with an 11-under 133 total. The 23-year-old from Nashville managed to hold off Lauria despite making double-bogey on the 10th hole and Laura throwing out seven consecutive birdies mid-round.
This is only the sixth APGA Tour start for Byrd, who played collegiately for Middle Tennessee State and qualified for the 2020 U.S. Amateur.
“I’m happy with the way I kept my composure. When a guy makes seven birdies in a row, it gets disconcerting,” said Byrd, who took home the winner’s purse of $7,500. “I was able to play the best golf I could to get it done, so that’s good.”
Marcus Byrd competes Tuesday at TPC Louisiana.
Willie Mack took third with a 6-under 141 and now heads to the Korn Ferry Tour’s BMW Charity Pro-Am in South Carolina on June 10-13 as a sponsor exemption.
Behind Mack, five players tied for fourth: Patrick Newcomb, Trey Valentine, Landon Lyons, Michael Herrera and Wyatt Worthington. Kevin Hall finished ninth and Tommy Schaff of Ridgeland tied with Ryan Alford for 10th.