Former Saint set to hold annual golf tourney

Have you ever wanted to play a round of golf with a former LSU star football player?

How about a day getting a chance to meet a former New Orleans Saints Pro Bowl halfback?

Tri-parish residents have an opportunity to do both – at the same time – this month as former Tigers and Saints star Dalton Hilliard is hosting his third-annual Dalton Hilliard Celebrity Golf Tournament.

The tournament will take place on May 14 at Atchafalaya Golf Course at Idlewild in Patterson and is being sponsored by Hilliard’s oilfield company, Southland Energy Services. The business is also partnering with Patterson’s Police Chief Patrick LaSalle to put on the event.

“We’re going to have a lot of ex-LSU and ex-Saints players coming in, and trust me, they’re ready to mingle with the public,” Hilliard said. “Everyone who comes out will get a chance to get a few autographs from some fabulous former players.”

On the guest list for this year’s event are Saints Hall of Fame linebacker Rickey Jackson, former LSU quarterback Tommy Hodson, as well as former Saints Eric Martin, Tyrone Hughes and Buford Jordan.

Former LSU basketball player and current North Texas men’s basketball coach Johnny Jones is also scheduled to tee it up in the event.

“This is going to be a fun day where people are going to be able to come in and hear a bunch of old guys tell old stories about the past,” Hilliard said.

Hilliard said he encourages those in the oilfield to take part in the event.

“The teams we’re going to have are mostly oilfield-related teams,” the former NFL halfback said. “What it does is it gives my company, Southland, a great opportunity to network and mingle, and other companies are able to go out and do that same … It’s a good thing for everyone’s business.”

Registration for the event costs $800 per team and four players make up the team. Once signed up, each team is paired with one celebrity to make up a five-man scramble.

The tournament will be one-round and is broken into a morning and an afternoon session.

And while golf brings out the competitive side of most, Hilliard said he is not expecting a Tiger Woods sighting in Patterson during the event.

“It’s a fun time where we can have fun, relax and get out of the office and play a round of golf, while eating some great food and enjoying the fellowship of your peers,” he said. “This is not a competitive tournament in terms of people trying to stack teams to win. We have some fun prizes we’re going to give out to a variety of different teams.”

But the halfback quickly recanted and joked that it’s impossible to bring together so many athletes and not have winning in high regard – even though he in no way claims to be a professional golfer.

“Of course, it winds up being competitive anytime you play golf anyway, no matter how hard you try not to,” Hilliard said while laughing. “As for me, I’m just an average guy. My work with my company doesn’t give me an opportunity to play a whole lot of golf, so I just enjoy playing.”

Each year since the tournament’s inception, a certain business or entity has been chosen to receive some of the proceeds from the event.

This year, Hilliard will honor the athletic departments of both his alma mater Patterson High School and nearby Franklin High School.

“I’m a Patterson High School alum, and I played football there in front of all of my relatives and family and friends who are from that Franklin area. We’re just trying to do something to give back to those athletic departments there, because we’re very grateful for all of the things they do to help our children.

The former football star said the tournament has run out of spots each year since it was created.

And this year figures to be no different.

“It’s been a big success, and it’s been full to the capacity each year,” he said. “This year, we’re almost at that point again, so we’re very proud of the event.”

To sign up for the tournament or to get more information, contact Joe Notto at (985) 688-0643.