Carpendale, English, Faaesea, Dopheide Win Senior City Am Titles
LAS VEGAS, NV (Oct. 23, 2020)–Gary Carpendale (Senior) and Jeffrey English (Silver) captured the gross titles at the 2020 Las Vegas Senior City Amateur. Dave Faaesea (Senior) and Mark Dopheide (Silver) won the net crowns at the tournament held Oct. 22-23, 2020, at Las Vegas Golf Club. –by Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff.
Senior
Gary Carpendale used nine birdies and an eagle over the two days to coast to a three-shot victory.
It was Carpendale’s seventh City Am title but the first individual title in a few years as he’s just coming back from injuries.
“I’ve been off for a couple of years with tears in both knees,” he said. “When you get older it takes a lot longer to heal up.”
But, now he’s back…and playing well.
“You can never complain when you shoot four-under and five-under,” he said. “It’s a golf course that drives a lot of players nuts but it really fits my eye.”
Carpendale’s second round included the eagle, three birdies and no bogeys.
He said the eagle jump-started the final round as he opened up with five straight pars.
“Typically I get off to fast starts on that nine but today I was kind of stuck in the mud,” he said. “But then I pitched in for eagle on the second par-5 and that really got me going.”
He said his goal the second day was just steady play.
“I didn’t make a bogey today,” he said. “And with guys chasing you down and you not making any mistakes, that makes it a little harder on them.”
Senior
Gary Carpendale, 68-67—135
Brigham Gibbs, 70-68—138
Kelly Knievel, 69-72—141
Senior Net
Dave Faaesea had two birdies (one natural and one net) and seven pars on his final nine holes to hold on for the Senior Net title.
Faaesea struggled on the opening nine before his back-nine run earned him his first SNGA title.
“The first day I played OK,” Faaesea said. “But today I got off to a bad start. I was nervous trying to figure out the speed of the greens.”
But, he kept fighting.
“I recovered on the second nine so I was happy with that,” he said.
He said he’s played in just a couple of SNGA events, and is having a blast.
“I’m just trying to do my best and have fun,” he said. “I don’t concentrate on my score…I concentrate on my shots.”
He added his final nine of the tournament showed his work is paying off.
“I usually spend more than 80 percent of my practice on my short game,” he said. “I practice a lot with my 9-iron and wedges. I watch the PGA and LPGA on television and you see them really working on their short games and it pays off. And it really saved me today.”
Senior Net
Dave Faaesea, 68-74—142
Ed White, 70-74—144
John Bobroski, 74-71—145
Silver
Jeffrey English won an SNGA event for the fourth time in 2020, beating Steven Fink in a playoff.
Both players shot identical rounds of 69-71—140 to force the playoff which English won on the first hole with a birdie.
He said this title is special.
“It was totally unexpected to be honest,” he said of the victory. “But it’s a great feeling to win that first major.”
English said the 36th hole was both a highlight and a lowlight for his tournament.
“I was three-under par for that nine and just in front of the green in two,” he said of the par-5 hole. “Then I thought I blew it. I chunked two straight shots. (Steven) was on the green in two and I figured it was over. But I stood up and drained a 30-footer for par and he three-putted and we were tied. I would have never thought that could happen.”
He birdied the first playoff hole, knocking a rescue club to 2½ feet for a tap-in, and securing the win.
“It’s just a great feeling,” he said. “I didn’t expect much going into the event. I was playing good but not great.”
And this two-day event was no different.
“I had some birdies and no double bogeys and that helps a lot,” he said. “I was never in a whole lot of trouble.”
Silver
Jeffrey English, 69-71—140
Steven Fink, 69-71—140
John Turk, 71-70—141
Silver Net
Mark Dopheide played a steady two days of golf in rallying to win the Silver Net crown.
Dopheide played his final four holes of the second round in one-under to slip past Keith Redman for the title in a scorecard playoff.
It was Dopheide’s first win of 2020 after posting one victory in 2019. He said he’s glad to finally be back in the winner’s circle.
“Unfortunately it’s been awhile since I’ve won,” he said with a laugh. “And that’s not good.”
He said his iron play saved him.
“My irons bailed me out more than anything else,” he said. “My driver was left and right a lot but wherever I came in from seemed to be a good spot and my iron play helped me take advantage.”
Winning his first major also has him pumped up.
“I’m hoping this gets me going and I can make it two in a row next month,” he said. “I’m a little disappointed in my putting because if I would have putted a little better I think I could have had a chance to win the gross.”
But, he’s not complaining.
“Winning the net side is really, really fun,” he said. “I’m excited about that.”
Silver Net
Mark Dopheide, 69-71—140
Keith Redman, 66-74—140
Tony Troilo, 74-69—143
