University of New Orleans freshman golfer Ken Looper III, a 2007 Fontainebleau grad, helped lead the Privateers to a fourth-place finish in the 16-team field Tuesday in the Arkansas State University Indian Classic at Sage Meadows Golf Course. UNO won the event in 2006 and was runner-up last year.

UNO held the lead by two strokes after two rounds before Austin Peay rallied back with an 8-under par 280 to grab the team title, five shots ahead of the Privateers.

Looper (6-foot-1, 175-pounds), who finished tied for 11th place individually, shot the team’s low round, posting a 2-under par 70 on the final day. Looper shot rounds of 67, 73, 70 for a 210 total, 6-under par.

KEN LOOPER

“It was a short course. It was much easier than some of the ones we have played before” he said.

“The team played exceptionally well in the first round. I thought we would be well in the lead. After the second round, we didn’t play as well. I expected us to win, but we just didn’t finish up in the final round,” Looper added.

Looper’s teammate junior Jose Toledo finished tied for seventh, posting his seventh top 10 performance of the year.

UNO shot a 14-under par 274 in Monday’s morning round, the lowest team-score in school history. The Privateers followed with a 10-under par 278 in the afternoon round. The participants shot 36 holes on Monday.

“That makes for a long day, and I guess you could say I got a little tired,” Looper said.

Looper said he finished with 15 birdies, so he was little disappointed that he only finished at 6-under.

“I should have been there probably in the top five at least. I kind of fell off at the end of the second round (73), which kind of killed it for me,” Looper said.

He said he did a good job hitting the greens, making a lot of long puts. He said his putter was good to him for the most part.

Looper said his teammates have been a big help to him.

“I have learned a lot. It is really a big jump going from junior golf to playing in college. The competition level is much better, and the courses are much harder. The pin placements are tough, and they don’t cut you any slack,” the freshman added.

UNO golf coach Chris McCarter said it was good to see Looper have a good tournament.

“Ken has had somewhat of an up and down season, which usually happens with freshmen. He has a ton of ability, and we have to keep him focused. When he stays focused, he has great results,” McCarter said.

“He has had some good tournaments. As a freshman, if he can continue to improve with his decision making process he has a bright future. Hopefully, he can keep it going because we will need him in the upcoming conference championship.”

UNO will participate in the Sun Belt Conference Championship April 21-23 in Muscle Shoals, Ala.

McCarter said Rob Noel, who runs the Rob Noel Golf Academy at Money Hill in Abita Springs, has done a great job with Looper preparing him to perform at the college level.

“High school golfers come to us with lots of ability. It’s our job to strengthen their mental approach on decision-making and to keep them positive. I see that as a college coach’s main challenge with younger players,” McCarter added.