Six Golfers Earn Major Titles at Southern Nevada Amateur at Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort
LAS VEGAS, NV (June 20, 2025)–Scott Lytle (Championship), Greg Hudson (Senior) and Steve Fink (Silver) won gross titles in the 2025 Southern Nevada Amateur. Leighton Canarelli (Net), Lee Martin (Senior) and Michael Tanimoto (Silver) won net titles in the tournament held June 19-20, 2025, at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort’s Snow Mountain Course. This was the SNGA’s third major of 2025.—by Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider
Championship
Scott Lytle rode a hot birdie streak in the first round to the title in the Championship Division. It was Lytle’s second major as he also won this event four years ago.
Lytle had five birdies in an eight-hole stretch to help him to a one-stroke lead after the first round and he hung on for the win. It was Lytle’s second win of 2025 but first individual title as he also won a team crown with Matt Mitchell.
“It was two different golf courses,” Lytle said of the two days. “Saturday wasn’t windy and we went out early and the course was getable. I hit it better than my score showed but I was happy. Today, it was brutally tough with the wind. Pars were a good score.”
In the end, Lytle said the tournament, the course and the conditions were perfect for him.
“Paiute, when it’s windy, allows someone in their late 40s to have a chance to win,” said Lytle, who works for a Wall Street Investment firm based out of New York. “I came in playing pretty well and it was certainly the right venue for me.”
And he added that winning a major definitely shows his work is paying off.
“I started going to Craig Barlow (at Reflection Bay) for lessons two months ago,” Lytle said. “I saw immediate results. I thought I could get a good finish this week but I certainly didn’t expect to win. It tells me I’m on the right track. I just wanted to hit good golf shots and see where that took me.”
In the end, Lytle said his main battle was against the course.
“This was a great field,” he said. “I told myself all I needed to do was beat the golf course and see what happens. I tried not to think about the field because if I did, I probably wouldn’t even show up.”
Championship
Scott Lytle, 69-75—144
Alex Forristal, 70-75—145
Ian Fritz, 71-74—145
Net
Leighton Canarelli played a four-hole stretch in five-under-par (one net eagle and three net birdies) midway through the final round in winning an SNGA title for the first time.
It was also the first SNGA tournament he has entered.
Canarelli opened the tournament with three net eagles in the first round as he wound up winning by two.
“This was awesome,” he said. “The wind was pretty tough but I managed to find fairways today and my putting was amazing which really helped me a lot.”
Canarelli’s best round coming into the tournament was an 85 but he beat that score both days, posting an 84 the first day and an 80 the final round.
“Everything was pretty solid,” he said of his overall game. “Once I started playing pretty well, I just tried to stay mentally focused and not worry if I hit a bad shot. I just told myself that I was OK.”
He said the win was a huge boost to his confidence.
“Everyone wants to win,” he said. “I just hoped to finish in the top five. I just played my game and wound up winning. My confidence has really risen a bunch knowing if I play well I can have a chance to win in other tournaments.”
Net
Leighton Canarelli, 72-68—140
Thomas Coolidge, 70-72—142
Jason Berton, 68-74—142
Senior
Greg Hudson overcame a shaky final round start to win his first SNGA major.
Hudson, who was four-over-par through his first five holes in the final round, won for the second time in 2025 and third time overall.
“I play scrappy golf,” he said with a laugh. “I had three three-putts early but after that I settled down. I didn’t let my mind wander. The mental side of the game held me together.”
He added he stayed focused on the holes he had remaining.
“It could have gone south quickly,” he said. “But I kept telling myself there’s always another shot and that one’s the most important. I just kept my head in the game.”
He said the weather and the course helped him out.
“I didn’t think it would be this windy early in the day but everyone was fighting the same conditions,” he said.
He added winning a major upped his outlook on his game.
“Obviously this trophy will be the centerpiece for me,” he said. “Playing against this talented group of golfers and being able to win a major is beyond awesome. This was pretty darn cool.”
Senior
Greg Hudson, 70-74—144
Rick Sepp, 76-72—148
Todd Roberts, 75-73—148
Senior Net
Lee Martin made his first individual SNGA victory a major as he posted 11 birdies over the two days (four natural and seven net) to win by three strokes.
Martin did win a team event about six years ago but said this one sits atop his accomplishments list.
“I haven’t won silverware since I was in my 20s,” he said. “This was totally unexpected.”
He said a couple of changes have upped his game.
“For the first time in my career I had clubs fitted to me about nine months ago,” he said. “And I took some lessons at TPC Summerlin. It’s all helped me have a better outlook.”
He said the start of the final round was both good and bad.
“I started on No. 10 and went in the lake and went double bogey, bogey,” he said. “I just told myself to concentrate on the next shot rather than where you are in the standings. That’s what I did and it probably made me play better.”
Senior Net
Lee Martin, 71-73—144
Greg Pyszko, 78-69—147
John Turk, 72-77—149
Silver
Steve Fink made it two straight Silver gross titles in the Southern Nevada Amateur, winning by three strokes. He won the 2024 title by two strokes.
It was Fink’s third win in 2025.
“Winning majors is the most fun but also the most grueling,” said Fink who won two majors in 2024. “It just means a little more than a regular event. Guess that’s why they call them majors. When there’s a major and when you walk away with a nice big trophy, it feels pretty good.”
Fink said his putting carried his play over the two days.
“I putted much better,” he said. “I hadn’t been putting that well and this week I made a lot of good putts. I made about a 30-footer on the first hole and that started me off well. I changed my putting a little, committed to it and it made all the difference in the world.”
Fink said this victory was historic for him.
“This one gives me 60 total individual wins,” he said. “And that goes back to 1965 when I was eight years old.”
Silver
Steven Fink, 70-71—141
Steve McPherson, 68-76—144
Patrick Woerner, 76-70—146
Silver Net
Michael Tanimoto had a net eagle and three net birdies over a six-hole stretch in the final round en route to winning the Silver Net title by two strokes.
For the tournament, Tanimoto had a net eagle and 13 net birdies in picking up the victory.
Tanimoto was unavailable for comment.
Silver Net
Michael Tanimoto, 78-72—150
George Yocum, 72-80—152
Jeffrey Campbell, 79-74—153
