Former Benton star Abigail McWilliams is in fifth place after the first round of the 60th Louisiana Girls’ Amateur Championship.
McWilliams shot a 5-over 77 Wednesday at Southern Trace Country Club and trails leader Maci Williams of Brusly by six strokes. Williams, the reigning high school Division I medalist, won the tournament in 2023.
Denham Springs Evelyn Artieta, the 2024 runner-up, is three strokes back in second.
Defending champion Jade Nevis of New Orleans shot a 75 and is four strokes back in third. Nevis, who won the Louisiana Women’s Amateur earlier this month, had four bogeys on the from nine then played the back nine in 2 under.
Grace Goodwin, a rising junior at Benton who teamed with McWilliams to win Division I state titles in 2024 and 2025, shot an 84 and is tied for seventh.
Two holes, the par 3 4th and par 4 15th, proved costly for McWilliams. She had triple bogeys on both.
McWilliams played the other 16 in 1 under with birdies on No. 1 and No. 16.
The Girls’ Amateur Championship is being played simultaneously with the 68th Boys’ Amateur Championship.
Ivan Popp, a rising sophomore at Berchman’s Academy in Grand Coteau, shot an 8-under 64 and leads Baton Rouge’s Drew Pieto, Shreveport’s Slayte Guidry, a rising sophomore at Byrd, and defending champion Drew Sliman of Lafayette by five strokes.
Popp had four birdies on the front nine and four on the back. He made birdies on four of the last six holes.
Airline rising sophomore Hudson Greene shot a 74 and is tied for 16th.