Michael Smith of Lafayette putts on the 18th green during the first round of the Chitimacha Louisiana Open Thursday at Le Triomphe in Broussard.

BROUSSARD — Calm winds, blue skies and warm conditions all added up to low scores Thursday in the first round of the Chitimacha Louisiana Open presented by NACHER.

Most of the low scores came out of the morning flight, where first round leader Julian Etulain fired a 9-under par 62 with six birdies on the front nine and three more on the back nine. Etulain finished the round with no bogeys.

“I hit it really good,” Etulain said. “I hit a lot of really good shots on the front. I was hitting it close, and the putter was the difference. I think I’m going to sleep with him (the putter) tonight.”

Etulain, who missed a 30-foot birdie putt on 18 to force a playoff with 2016 champion Wesley Bryan, didn’t have a bogey in the round to continue his streak of 50 straight holes without a bogey at the Louisiana Open at Le Triomphe Golf and Country Club.

“I lost by one two years ago,” said Etulain, who made a 50 foot putt on No. 6 for a birdie. “I hit the ball great that week and love this place.”

One shot back was Adam Svensson, who also had a bogey-free round but had one less birdie for a 8-under 72 on the 7,061 yard, par 71 course.

“I played pretty well today and made a bunch of 20-footers,” Svensson said. “The putter was rolling and overall it was a solid round.”

Svensson entered the Louisiana Open with a Web.com win this year after he claimed the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic in January.

Two shots behind the leader were Joey Gardner and Jose’ Toledo, each with a 7-under 64.

Garber had the best round of those who teed off in the afternoon groupings with five birdies on the back nine. He started his round on the 10th hole, and had four straight birdies at one point on 17, 18, 1 and 2.

“I hit a lot of shots close on the back side and that made it easy,” Garber said. “I had three or four relative tap in putts. I saw the 9-under posted on the leaderboard and I knew this might be the best scoring day we get on the tour this year so I had to take advantage.”

The Louisiana contingent at the Open had a mixed day of results Thursday.

Hammond’s Grady Brame Jr. fired the best round of the group with a 4-under 67, including an eagle on the 12th hole. His round didn’t start off all that great with two bogeys on the first four holes but went 6-under the rest of the way around Le Triomphe.

“I had a slow start and didn’t drive the ball well,” Brame said. “But I knew that there were plenty of holes left and the scores were low so I knew there were plenty of birdie holes out there.

“Seeing the low scores helped me after that start. It was kind of a kick in the butt to remind me there’s plenty of golf left.”

Lafayette’s Brian Rowell, who lives at Le Triomphe, had a bogey-free 3-under 68 with birdies at 5, 12 and 17. Michael Smith, also from Lafayette, had three birdies and three bogeys for an even round 71.

Former LSU golfer Sam Burns, from Shreveport, who had two top15 finishes on the PGA Tour in the past month, got to 5-under par through 12 holes before back-to-back bogeys on 13 and 14, the two toughest holes at Le Triomphe, dropped him to two-under 69. Former LSU golfer Ben Taylor finished with a 1-over 72 while Mandeville native Ken Looper finished with a 7-over 78.

“I made some bad swings on the back,” Burns said. “It happens. I knew they were tough holes going in, I just hit a bad tee shot on 13 and a bad chip on 14. It was good round. It could have been a lot better.”

Second round play gets underway today at 7:20 a.m. off the No. 1 and 10 tees. The field will be cut to the low 65 and ties for the final two rounds Saturday and Sunday.