By PAITON HAGA
In the second round of the Coke Dr. Pepper Open pro golf tournament Thursday at Alexandria’s Links on the Bayou, spectators saw an intense battle unfold between two players, Will Cannon and Jake Doggett, who were tied off and on throughout the day.
Three in-state pros, Phillip Barbaree Jr. of Shreveport, Charlie Flynn from Lafayette and Ruston’s Sam Murphy, are close behind after strong rounds in challenging weather conditions.
Cannon (Birmingham, AL) managed to edge ahead of Doggett (Hutto, TX), finishing the day with an impressive 4 under par, bringing his total to an outstanding 12 under par. His consistent play and steady nerves propelled him into the lead.
Doggett matched Cannon’s 4 under par for the day as he finished the round at 11 under par through 36 holes.
Meanwhile, Flynn and Barbaree emerged as formidable contenders. Flynn shot an impressive 7 under par for the day, bringing his total to 10 under par, third on the leaderboard, setting himself up as a threat in the final rounds.
Barbaree, the former LSU standout, backed up his opening 5-under with a 4-under card Thursday morning and is in a three-way tie for fourth. Murphy, a former Louisiana Tech golfer is tied for seventh at 8-under.
Weather conditions added an extra layer of challenge to the day’s play. The morning wave faced chilly temperatures, with the cold lingering all day. As the afternoon wave took to the course, the weather took a turn, with intermittent rain showers happening all day. Despite the inclement weather, the players showcased their resilience, navigating the conditions with skill and determination.
Cannon’s surge ahead has set the tone for what promises to be a thrilling moving day. The third round will begin today at 8 a.m. with players being sorted by score, with the leaders teeing off last at 10:39.
Barbaree goes off the first tee at 10:28 while Murphy’s start time is 10:17.
After the third round has concluded, the field will be paired by score again heading into the final round Saturday. The field over the next two days will be competing for their share of the $120,000 purse and the winner will take home $20,000.
Fans can attend the Coke Dr. Pepper Open at no admission charge. Follow along with the action on the AllPro Tour socials: Instagram @allprotourgolf twitter @AllProTourGolf.
To check the leaderboard, visit https://agpts.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/agpt24/event/agpt245/contest/1/leaderboard.htm