Goldstein Leads Champs at Historical SNGA Southern Nevada Amateur
History was made at Legacy Golf Club as major championships for the Women’s Southern Nevada Golf Association and Southern Nevada Golf Association were played at the same course on the same weekend for the first time. Josh Goldstein breezed to the title in the Championship Division of the SNGA Southern Nevada Amateur, first major of the year, the 2018 Southern Nevada Championship. Frank Acker (Senior) and Frank Abbott (Silver) also won gross division titles and Daniel Rinaldi (senior net), Randy Burton (senior net) and Larry Keever (silver net) won titles .Check this link for the WSNGA story. — By Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff.
Goldstein posted an 8-under-par 136 two-day total at Legacy Golf Club to win the crown as he beat runnerup Ed Fryatt by four strokes.
“I played really solid the first day,” he said. “I had five birdies and one bogey. Ed (Fryatt) made birdies early and I was just trying to keep up with him.”
It wound up being the 14th hole the second day that proved to be the key to his tournament. “It’s the second par-5 and I had about 240 (yards) in,” he said. “I hit a 3-iron and it never left the pin. I made the eagle and that kept me going.”
It was Goldstein’s second SNGA win of the year.
“My ball-striking was pretty solid and when you putt decent, that’s going to make for a pretty good combination,” he said.
Championship
Josh Goldstein, 68-68—136
Ed Fryatt, 71-69—140
Grant McKay, 73-70—143
Net
Daniel Rinaldi is returning to the golf scene after a 2 ½-year layoff and he’s making a statement, winning his first tournament back by 11 strokes. He did have previous SNGA success, winning back in 2015.
“I didn’t get into any trouble and hit 16 of 18 greens,” he said. “When you keep it in play, you kind of expect to play well.”
Now it’s on to the rest of the season. “I’m excited to see what the rest of the season holds,” he said. “My game is getting in better shape so that always make you feel more confident.”
Net
Daniel Rinaldi, 70-69—139
Larry Hanson, 70-80—150
Jeffrey Gilliame, 77-76—153
Senior Gross
For Frank Acker, it was business as usual.
“(Saturday), I had 17 pars and one birdie,” he said.
But it was a few of the pars that made the difference. “I had a couple of 15 footers for par and about a 4-inch birdie putt,” he said.
That led to a one-under-par round and set him up for the second day.
“It certainly wasn’t the score I had in mind,” he said of his one-over-par 73 on Sunday. “I was one-under through 7 holes (he started on the back nine) and then hit it in the water at 17. I had two more bogeys and missed a short putt on the last hole that I thought probably cost me. It was certainly a shaky round but I’ll take the win.”
Senior Gross
Frank Acker, 71-73—144
Sean Mulvenon, 70-75—145
David Koch, 71-75—146
Senior Net
Randy Burton admits his putting was less than stellar over the weekend. “My putter certainly wasn’t my friend,” he said after his victory in the Senior Net.
But, he had the answer. “I chipped in four times for birdie and that was the difference,” he said of his first victory of the year. It was also his first SNGA start of 2018.
“I’m certainly happy to win,” he said. “I’ve put in a lot of hard work and had two practice rounds here and I feel that was the difference.”
Senior Net
Randy Burton, 76-70—135
Orge Yocum, 70-69—139
David Golder, 75-68—143
Silver Gross
Different week, same result. Frank Abbott had back-to-back rounds of 73 to post a two-shot victory in the Silver Gross division.
It was Abbott’s second victory in as many weeks and third in 2018.
“At times it’s easy,” he said of his recent play. “At other times, it’s not.”
This was one of the easy weeks. The key shot came on the par 4, 4th hole. “I holed out my second shot for an eagle two,” he said. “After that, I just tried to make pars.”
Silver Gross
Frank Abbott, 73-73—146
Cyrus Whitney, 77-71—148
John Garrett, 75-78—153
Silver Net
For Larry Keever, it was simple. “My putter made all the difference,” he said. “I’m known as a short-game guy and it showed this weekend. Saturday I only had 26 putts…some for bogey, some for par. It was just one of those things.”
It was Keever’s first SNGA win of the year in his first tournament.
“This was a fun event,” he said. “I played pretty well and putted solid. That’s about all you can ask for.”
Silver Net
Larry Keever, 70-69—139
John Kelley, 76-67—143
Tom Richardson, 71-72—143
