Llewellyn, Roberts, Fink, Goleno, Golder, Chamberlain Win 2024 Mesquite Am Titles
David Llewellyn (Championship), Todd Roberts (Senior) and Steven Fink (Silver) won scratch titles at the 2024 SNGA Mesquite Classic. Craig Goleno (Net), Dave Golder (Senior) and Bruce Chamberlain (Silver) captured net titles in the tournament held May 4-5, 2024, at the Palms Golf Club in Mesquite.–by Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider.
Championship
David Llewellyn beat Josh Crossen on the third playoff hole to win an SNGA title for the second time.
Llewellyn said the final round, played in extremely windy conditions, was definitely a challenge.
“I’m very wind-burnt right now,” Llewellyn said. “My face is very red.”
Llewellyn had one goal in mind.
“I just wanted to keep the ball in play,” he said. “I accomplished that. I only missed six fairways. Leading up to this I prepared well for this weekend. My game is in the best spot it’s been in for awhile.”
He said despite the scores, he’s happy with his effort.
“You just had to stay patient out there,” he said. “I did that pretty well even with how tough the conditions were.”
He said the final hole was full of ups-and-downs.
“I thinned it on my second shot and thought I hit it out of bounds,” he said. “It ended up OK but Josh (Crossen) was just short of the green in two. I was a shot behind and thought I had to make it to have a chance. I chipped it close and made par and he ended up making bogey and that forced the playoff. I feel sorry for Josh because that took the momentum from his side to my side.”
Championship
x-David Llewellyn, 72-81—153
Josh Crossen, 74-79—153
Kamden Ganir, 80-74—154
x-won in playoff
Net
Craig Goleno had three net birdies on the front nine during the second round as he won an SNGA title for the first time in five years.
Goleno last won in 2019 when he won two net titles.
“It’s certainly been awhile,” Goleno said with a laugh. “I’ve tried lots and lots of other times, that’s for sure.”
He said his goal was to keep the ball in play.
“I just tried to keep it on the grid,” he said. “It was blowing out of control. But I didn’t lose a golf ball so I must have done a lot of things right.”
He said his net birdies on the front nine were key.
“The front nine was very playable if you kept it in play,” he said. “The back nine definitely had a lot of wind when you were exposed. At times it was a 40-yard club differential.”
In the end, he said he wasn’t sure how the outcome came about.
“I don’t know if I won it or if everyone else who had a chance just didn’t finish strong,” he said. “I know I didn’t do anything to put myself in bad shape where I couldn’t get out of it.”
Net
Craig Goleno, 73-77—150
Todd Kirby, 67-85—152
Lonnie Wilson, 73-81—154
Senior
Todd Roberts thrived when the wind died down Sunday, playing the final six holes in two-under-par in posting a six-shot victory.
It was Roberts’ third victory of 2024.
“I’m glad it’s over, that’s all I can say,” Roberts said. “It’s unbelievable how it can be almost unplayable and then all of a sudden you can play it again.”
Roberts added the course and wind teamed up to be quite the challenge.
“This golf course keeps you off balance, especially with the cross winds we faced,” he said. “Sometimes it helps you and sometimes it hurts you and sometimes it’s just tough to tell.”
In the end, Roberts just tried to stay poised.
“I really didn’t think I was going to get it done today,” he said. “I had lost a four-shot lead. Usually, I’m pretty good in the wind but this was so difficult.”
He said playing in the wind really makes players concentrate.
“With a day like today, it’s tough,” he said. “If you’re behind and chasing the leader, you just have to stay positive because anything can happen because it’s so easy to make a big number. If you’re the leader, you don’t have to play that great…you just can’t do anything stupid. It’s just so hard to play a good round in this type of weather.”
Senior
Todd Roberts, 73-79—152
Brian Freymueller, 77-81—158
Rick Sepp, 77-84—161
Senior Net
Dave Golder had three net eagles, including two in the final round, in winning the Senior Net title.
It was Golder’s first individual title since 2022.
“I played so well…except on the 12th hole,” Golder said. “It’s a short, uphill par-4. It’s the easiest hole on the course (No. 18 handicap) and I made a triple on Saturday and a quad today. Take away those two holes and I played fantastic.”
Despite his troubles on that hole, he stayed calm.
“I don’t get angry,” he said. “I play golf because I enjoy it. If I win, great…if I come in last, that’s OK. I just love the competition.”
Golder added his two net eagles early in the final round gave him a confidence boost.
“The first one, on the first hole, I hit a couple of good shots and made a five-foot putt for birdie,” he said. “The second one, on the fourth hole, I made about a 50-foot putt. That was a bonus for sure because you’re not thinking about making those.”
It turns out that putt was needed.
“I missed about a two-footer on the last hole,” he said. “I thought that may end up costing me.”
Senior Net
Dave Golder, 75-70—145
Marty Pena, 73-81—154
Artie Miller, 74-83—157
Silver
Steve Fink birdied the first hole in the second round en route to a four-stroke victory in the Silver Division.
It was Fink’s first win of 2024.
“It was brutal out there,” Fink said. “I’m very happy to be out of the wind.”
Fink said about the only positive about the final round was when it was over.
“It was nothing but trying to survive and grind it out to the end,” Fink said, “There were putts where I couldn’t stand over a putt.”
But in the end, Fink said it was nice to win again.
“The only tournament I won in 2023 was the Tournament of Champions so it’s been a long time,” he said. “It’s nice to get back in the winner’s circle.”
Silver
Steven Fink, 76-77—153
David Foggia, 77-80—157
Patrick Woerner, 78-80—158
Silver Net
Bruce Chamberlain won for the second time in 2024, capitalizing on a two-birdie effort (one natural and one net) to win by three strokes.
It was Chamberlain’s second win of 2024.
“I’m pretty excited…that’s back-to-back wins,” he said.
He said it certainly wasn’t an easy two days.
“These were probably the toughest conditions we have played in with as much wind as we had,” he said. “The ball was oscillating on the greens. You really had to stay focused when you were putting.”
That focus paid off.
“My putting was the difference,” he said. “I think I only three-putted two greens over the two days and I had a lot of one-putts.”
He also had one other trick in his bag.
“I hit a low ball so whether it was downwind or into the wind, that helped me keep it in play,” he said. “It was a solid 35 miles an hour all day today. It was brutal hitting into the wind and it was just as brutal hitting downwind.”
He also kept a positive attitude.
“Pars were birdies and bogeys were pars is what it felt like today,” he said. “When I got a double I thought, well, that one’s going to knock me out. But then I thought that everyone’s dealing with these same conditions so I just tried to stay focused.”
Silver Net
Bruce Chamberlain, 74-79—153
Tony Troilo, 74-82—156
Barry Boudreaux, 78-79—157
