College Station, TX – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns golf team teed off at the 2025 Aggie Invitational on April 12-13 at Traditions Club, facing a stacked field of 15 teams, including powerhouses like No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 16 Oklahoma, and No. 25 Baylor. The 54-hole event, a key stop on the Cajuns’ spring schedule, saw Louisiana finish fourth overall, delivering a competitive performance driven by standout play from Malan Potgieter and Jean Louis du Plessis.

Steady Start, Strong Finish

Louisiana opened the tournament with a team score of 5-over-par 293 in the first round, placing them fifth behind Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Baylor, and Texas Tech. Potgieter set the tone early, carding an even-par 72 with three birdies, including back-to-back sinks on holes 13 and 14. His steady play kept the Cajuns in contention, while du Plessis added a 2-over 74, showing flashes of brilliance with a birdie on the par-4 15th.

Day two brought tougher conditions, with swirling winds challenging the field. Louisiana responded with a 4-over 292 in the second round, climbing to fourth as Potgieter surged into the individual top-10. The senior from South Africa posted a 1-under 71, highlighted by a birdie barrage on holes 13-15, moving to even-par for the tournament. Du Plessis complemented the effort, battling to a 1-over 73 with three birdies, keeping Louisiana ahead of ranked teams like No. 47 Texas Tech and No. 58 SMU. Social media updates from the team noted du Plessis’ hot streak, with three birdies through 15 holes pushing him into the individual top-10 temporarily.

The final round saw Louisiana hold firm, closing with a 6-over 294 to secure fourth place at 15-over 879 overall. Texas A&M ran away with the team title at 8-under 856, followed by Oklahoma (+2) and Baylor (+10). The Cajuns edged out Texas Tech (+16) and SMU (+18), proving they could hang with elite competition. Potgieter led the way, finishing tied for eighth individually at 2-over 218 (72-71-75), his fourth top-10 finish of the season. Du Plessis tied for 12th at 4-over 220 (74-73-73), anchoring the lineup with consistency.

Key Contributions Across the Board

Eli Ortego, Carter Schmitt, and Jake Marler rounded out Louisiana’s scoring. Ortego posted a 7-over 223 (75-74-74), with a strong second round that included two birdies. Schmitt battled to a 10-over 226 (76-75-75), while Marler, the 2023 Louisiana State Amateur champion, finished at 12-over 228 (77-74-77). Though the back half of the lineup faced challenges, their steady play ensured Louisiana stayed competitive in a field where nine teams were ranked in the top 100 nationally.

Coach Theo Sliman praised the team’s resilience. “This was a tough course and a deep field,” he said, per comments shared on the team’s social media. “Malan and Jean Louis stepped up big, and we showed we can compete with anyone when we’re dialed in.” The Cajuns’ performance built on their recent success, including a team title at the Border Olympics in February, their first win since 2023.

Looking Ahead

The Aggie Invitational was a critical test for Louisiana as they approach the Sun Belt Championships, set for April 20-23 in Madison, Mississippi. With Potgieter’s scoring average of 71.17 and du Plessis’ emergence as a reliable No. 2, the Cajuns are peaking at the right time. Their ability to finish ahead of ranked foes in College Station signals potential for a deep postseason run.

Louisiana’s next challenge is the Sun Belt title fight, where they’ll look to carry momentum from their fourth-place finish in Aggieland.