Noah Chauvin’s record-setting performance helps Ascension Episcopal extend streak of golf titles to six straight

by William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor

Ascension Episcopal already had an established culture of success in boys golf before the arrival of Noah Chauvin.

With the freshman phenom on board in his first season, the Blue Gators’ tradition reached a new level with an even brighter future ahead.

Ascension Episcopal won its sixth consecutive Division III state championship during last week’s Ochsner Health LHSAA State Golf Championship at The Farm d’Allie in Carencro.

The Blue Gators’ team total of 579 was three strokes better than second place, Loyola College Prep of Shreveport (582) and Parkview Baptist (637).

“We really weren’t the favorite, so we all tried to play really good,” Chauvin said. “It was focused toward the team. But I had so much fun.”

In fact, he had a blast.

Chauvin won medalist honors by a 12-stroke margin, compiling a two-day total 129. He finished with a course 63, making an eye-popping nine birdies that came in handy in helping the team continue their dominance in Division III.

“It was extremely fun,” Chauvin said of his first high school state tournament. “I didn’t really have pressure because I was the youngest in the field.

“I just kind of went and played and that kind of helped a lot,” Chauvin said. “I just tried to help my team. I wasn’t focused on the individual score. It wasn’t really easy, but not having the expectations helped a lot.”

Chauvin’s second-round score of 63 was on the heels of an opening-round score of 66, tying him for the lowest score in any division since the LHSAA began conducting its state golf tournaments in the Acadiana area in 2015.

“We wanted to keep it going,” Chauvin said of the program’s successive state title streak. “(Division III’s first and second place golfers in 2023) Jay (Mendell) and Kale (Fontenot) are gone. We wanted to keep it going for as long as possible. We talked about. This is the year we wanted to win because Loyola lost some good golfers, and we’ll have all of our seniors back.”

One of the memorable takeaways for Chauvin was receiving a congratulatory phone call from Mendell, now a member of LSU’s golf team.

“I’ve always looked up to Jay,” Chauvin said. “My game’s super similar to his. We’re the same as people. I try to represent my game off of his. It’s been fun to keep up with him. I still talk to him, and it was fun to hear from him after winning state.”

While all aspects of his game were working to win medalist honors, Chauvin credited his putting for enabling him to join Mendell as state champions during AES’ rise to excellence.

“The putter was so hot,” he said. “I was hitting my wedges really good because it was a short course. I think I had 28 putts the first round and 27 the second round. That contributed to shooting that low of a score and making more birdies.

“I didn’t press at all, it was to keep going,” he said. “I wasn’t holding on. If I made a birdie my mindset was to go make another one. I wasn’t thinking about it and trying to play as aggressive as possible.”

Chauvin, the nation’s No. 67 ranked Class of 2027 junior golfer, is the product of a golfing environment.

He still vividly recalls at the tender age of 2 following his father, Jay Chauvin, and uncle, Stephen Chauvin, around golf courses and immediately gravitating toward the sport.

It’s been a big part of his life thereafter which was evident by Chauvin’s performance at the LHSAA state championships.

He’s continued with a busy 2024 calendar, already playing less than a week later in Brownwood, Texas, before embarking on upcoming junior tournaments that will take him to Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas.

Those marquee events also attract college coaches who will certainly flock to get an eye on Chauvin against some of the nation’s top competition.

“They can’t talk to me yet because of my age,” Chauvin said of college recruiters who can officially offer him a scholarship next summer. “They come to tournaments to watch me play and follow me on social media. It’s a blast.”