LAS VEGAS, Nev. (March 6, 2018)–The team of Ronda Henderson and Sherry Jackson rallied for a four-stroke victory in the gross division at the Nevada State Women’s Golf Association’s 2018 Partners Tournament while the Net Division featured two days of consistency from champions Linda Cartwright and Sandra Jenkins. — By Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff.
The tournament was held at the Revere Golf Club’s Lexington Course.
Gross Division
The team of Henderson-Jackson trailed by two strokes after an opening round 75, but a final-round two-under-par 70 gave them the come-from-behind victory.
“We definitely knew we could play better (Tuesday) than we did yesterday,” Henderson said. “The biggest difference is that we had just two bogeys on the card today. Yesterday….well, we had a few more.”
Henderson added the final nine holes of the second day, especially a four-hole stretch, proved to be the difference when they put three birdies on the scorecard.
“I birdied 12 and 13 and Sherry birdied 15 and then we knew we had a chance,” she said. “We played even on the front side (the second day) and we wanted to shoot under par on the back and got that done.”
Jackson said the event was one of those that brings out the camaraderie in everyone in the women’s golf association.
“It’s just a fun event for everyone,” she said. “There’s no pressure at all.”
But, she added with a laugh, “Making a few birdies does help.”
Consistency was the name of the game for Cartwright and Jenkins. They carded net scores of 65 and 66 to hold on for a one-stroke victory.
“We definitely ham and egged it very well both days,” Cartwright said. “And we made a few putts we had no business making. It was a very good team effort.”
One of those was a birdie on the 13th hole in the final round. It was a 40-foot putt for the duo’s only birdie over the two days.
Jenkins said that while they have played together in past events, this was their first team event.
“We just had two very consistent days,” Jenkins said. “We were just trying to have fun and the golf gods were with us. We just kept taking turns making the putts when we needed them.”
Steve and Judy Stine recently earned the Ike Grainger Award for decades of service. The annual honor is given to people who have served as United States Golf Association volunteers for 25 years. Grainger, the namesake of the award, served on the USGA Executive Committee and served as USGA president in 1954 and 1955.
Grainger was known as one of the top rules experts in the history of golf and was the committee chair person in 1951 that negotiated the first uniform code of rules with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in Scotland. He also reportedly assisted President Dwight D. Eisenhower with his short game at the White House. He lived to be 104 years old.
The Stines are the perfect choice to carry on Grainger’s lasting legacy.
“Steve and Judy are an exceptional team who are devoted to giving back to the game of golf,” SNGA executive director Ann Sunstrum says. “They have been volunteering their services and sharing their rules knowledge at USGA events, collegiate, state and local events around the country for 25 plus years. The Stine’s are personable, kind and full of life. You can really tell that they enjoy what they do for the game of golf. The SNGA is very fortunate to have them dedicate their time to our association.”
For Chris Anderson, being a caddie at Portland Golf Club starting at age of 11 was a life-changing experience. Not only did he get to hang around golfers who became role models, but due to his diligence in school and on the course, three members suggested he apply to receive a Chick Evans caddie scholarship as a senior in high school and he was successful. – By Brian Hurlburt, Las Vegas Golf Insider.
Anderson received a full-ride, four-year scholarship to the University of Oregon, where he graduated in 1970 with an accounting degree. Anderson is now a member of Anthem Country Club and has lived in Las Vegas since the eighties. He retired from construction management and now helps his wife with her real estate business and is also the new director of the Western Golf Association in Southern Nevada, the group that organizes and awards the scholarships.
Chris Anderson
“All I can say is receiving the scholarship was life-changing for me and now to be a part of helping change the lives of others is very meaningful,” Anderson says.
The Evans Scholarship is a full tuition and housing college scholarship for deserving golf caddies. Each year, more than 900 students nationwide attend college on a four-year scholarship awarded by the Evans Scholars Foundation, which was established by famed amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr. Candidates must demonstrate strong records of caddying, academics and leadership, as well as financial need. In 2017, a record 965 caddies are enrolled at 19 universities nationwide. Since 1930 when the first two Evans Scholars enrolled at Northwestern.
Asni Solomon, a Colorado Evans Scholar at Northwestern University, said the following: “The Evans Scholarship changed the course of my life. It helped shape who I am as an individual and remarkably changed my whole future. I am so thankful to have earned this full-ride scholarship; it is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
To date, a youth from Southern Nevada hasn’t earned an Evans Scholarship, but that is mostly due to the fact that there are no youth caddie programs available in the valley. Anderson and other Evans Scholarship alumni are working to change that and are discussing it with area course management to implement a program.
But Anderson says area youth can apply for an annual summer academy program that allows them to meet the requirements of the scholarship, which are good grades, financial need and a certain amount of actual caddie rounds. Each summer, the caddies in the academy are housed in the Evans House on the Northwestern University campus and spend seven weeks in the Chicago area.
According to Anderson, last summer, Reality Belue-Welch, an honors student at Faith Lutheran High, became the first female from Southern Nevada to attend The Caddie Academy in Chicago sponsored by the Western Golf Association and the Evans Scholars Foundation. Anderson says he believes 10 or 12 students have applied for the caddie academy but notifications about acceptance haven’t been sent out yet.
Anderson says the WGA also organizes the Western Amateur and he is working with local high school coaches and other golf officials to ensure that the top junior golfers and other amateurs have the opportunity to play in the prestigious WGA events, should they meet the high standards needed to play.
To learn more or help with his vision of a caddie program in Southern Nevada, email Anderson at chris70anderson@gmail.com. For additional Evans Scholarship information, visit www.wgaesf.org.
Southern Nevada Golf Association Director of Course Rating Jan Hansen knows a thing or two about course rating because she’s seen a thing or two during her 12 years on the committee. For those unfamiliar with the process, Hansen oversees a team that determines the overall course rating for Southern Nevada golf courses. The course slope, overall rating and difficulty ranking of each hole are the byproduct of the committee’s hard work and dedication. — By Brian Hurlburt, Las Vegas Golf Insider Staff.
Hansen believes that in her time on the committee, the team has rated every course in Southern Nevada. Each course must undergo the rating process every 10 years and/or when major changes or renovations occur.
“I really enjoy what I do and it has given me an appreciation for what goes into a course design and what I experience when I play a course,” Hansen says. “Course rating is a vital part of the USGA handicap system because it’s what makes the whole process and system possible and keeps it equitable for everyone. The system is also designed to ensure that all courses relate and are in sync with one another when it comes to the ratings so when golfers travel and play elsewhere, their handicaps are in line in other areas.”
Some of the SNGA course rating team – (l to r) Lew Carlson, Janis Lunde, Jackie Pierson, Jan Hansen, Susan Daum, John Zeller, Tim Quinn and Tom Khamis.
The official USGA definition of course rating:
The USGA Course Rating System™ is the standard upon which the USGA Handicap System™ is built. It affects all golfers in the calculation of a Handicap Index®. Players “play to their handicaps,” when their net scores (gross score-handicap strokes) equal the USGA Course Rating™.
The USGA Course Rating System takes into account the factors that affect the playing difficulty of a golf course.
Course rating teams from authorized golf associations carry out the on-course portion of the rating process. Authorized golf associations review the work of the teams and then issue ratings.
Accuracy and consistency are the keys to effective course rating. A course must first be accurately measured. The measured yardage must then be corrected for the effective playing length. These effective playing length corrections are roll, elevation, dogleg/forced lay-up, prevailing wind, and altitude. Obstacles that affect playing difficulty must then be evaluated in accordance with established standards. These standards increase objectivity in course rating.
Hansen says when she initially got involved and was working with previous Women’s Southern Nevada Golf Association course ratings director Sherry Corsello, the men’s and women’s associations rated courses separately. One of her first ideas was to work with former SNGA executive director Nicole Dutt-Roberts to bring the two teams together. Now the men and women work together in teams on course rating days.
It’s a painstaking and thorough process that takes parts of several days to complete. To start, the team spends a day measuring the course from each tee box to the middle of the green and then notes major obstacles. On day two, the team—broken up into pairs on each tee box—meticulously scours the course and rate it for obstacles ranging from size of green and green speeds to bunkers and depth of bunkers to water hazards to extremity of rough to out of bounds prevalence and many other factors.
Since the “Tee it Forward” movement was initiated by the USGA, the team rates each tee box on the course for men and usually two or three tee boxes for ladies. The team also rates courses for the abilities of scratch golfers and bogey golfers.
Once the measuring and assessing is done, Hansen says “the hard work really starts”. She meets with Tom Khamis and Tim Quinn, who work with her as part of the ratings review committee. Once they have input the data, a USGA software system spits out the final course rating. Khamis, Quinn and Hanson have a chance to review the final results and can adjust the numbers if they believe it is warranted, but for the most part the final computed rating stands.
“If you have a love of numbers and logic and golf, being a course rater is very enjoyable,” Hansen says. “I get to work with great people and make a difference in golf. The courses and golfers we meet while rating appreciate us and we are helping make the game more enjoyable.”
Hansen and her team attend various USGA seminars and as the director, she has been to at least five rating seminars over the years. She also learned a lot working with previous directors. A USGA course rating guidebook helps lead the team through the overall process.
A perk to the job for the volunteer committee is being able to play the recently rated course. While the round is always enjoyable, playing the course also allows the team to determine if their ratings were valid and offers a final chance to adjust the numbers. The team recently completed the new Tom Fazio-designed Summit course also attended a seminar in San Francisco.
The SNGA course rating team welcomes new volunteers. Contact the SNGA at 702-458-4653 if you are interested.
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (February 26, 2018)–The SNGA Tour’s 2018 season is under way and Eric Bauman (Championship), Scott Gardner (Senior) and Loren Little (Silver) opened the year with gross division titles at the SNGA Tour–Wildhorse event, held at Wildhorse Golf Club. The 76-year-old Little wowed everyone by shooting 75 and bettering his age. — By Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff.
Silver
Loren Little birdied the 18th hole to win the Silver Division crown by a stroke. It was Little’s first gross win on the SNGA Tour. It was also Little’s first time shooting his age as the 76-year-old carded a 3-over-par 75.
“I shot 75 about four years ago but I was younger,” he said with a laugh. “I just tried to stay calm today. I usually have two or three bad holes but this time I stayed consistent and played good golf.”
He came to the 18th knowing what needed to be done. “I knew I needed a birdie and I got it,” he said.
Little not only defeated Father Time but he beat perennial favorite and multi SNGA player of the year Frank Abbott in the process.
Loren Little
Silver
Loren Little, 75
Frank Abbott, 76
John Kelley, 80
Championship
Eric Bauman carded a three-over-par 73 to post a three-shot victory in the Championship Division. His round included a birdie and four bogeys.
“I just outlasted everyone on the greens,” said Bauman, a mortgage broker. “I think the longest putt I made today was three feet.”
He said his tee to green play made up for putting woes. “I had a good ball-striking day,” Bauman, who also won last fall at Las Vegas Muni, said. “I think I only missed one fairway and hit a lot of greens. I’m happy with the way I hit the ball and that’s where you’ve got to start, right?”
Eric Bauman
Championship
Eric Bauman, 73
Jason Cordon, 76
Lorenzo Gillenwater, 76
Net
Larry Hanson breezed around the course in even-par 70 to win the Net Division by three strokes. Hanson had six net birdies during his round. It was his second win on the SNGA Tour as he won a two-day event in 2017 at Cascata.
“It was a good day,” he said. “I shot 43 on the front and 40 on the back. The greens were a little tough so I just told myself not to over-putt and deal with what you can control.”
And that control came off the tee. “The wind picked up a little on the back so I put the driver in the bag and hit three-wood a lot,” he said. “I gave up distance to keep it in the fairway and everything worked out. It feels good to put a decent round together.”
Larry Hanson
Net
Larry Hanson, 70
Christopher Scheneman, 73
Jayar Hawley, 75
Senior
Scott Gardner’s three birdies (including one on a par-3, one on a par-4 and one on a par-5) were good enough for him to breeze to a Senior Division win. It was Gardner’s first SNGA event and earned him his first victory.
“It was the first time I had played the course so I was pretty happy,” he said.
He credited his wedge game for the win. “Flighting my wedges really helped,” he said. “These greens were pretty soft and held pretty well. The birdies I had were all wedges to within two or three feet.”
He added his first SNGA experience was definitely a positive one. “It was a great time and the SNGA is awesome,” he said. “The tournament was really run well.”
Scott Gardner
Senior
Scott Gardner, 74
David Koch, 82
Pat Thompson, 83
Senior Net
Clayton Barrow’s first SNGA Tour experience proved to be a winning one. He wound up with a one-under-par 69 and breezed to the victory in the Senior Net Division.
“It’s always a good day when you can play golf,” he said. “I definitely had a good round. A 79 is pretty good for me.”
His goals were simple for his maiden tournament voyage. “I tried to keep it in the fairway and hit the middle of the greens,” he said. “Those were my swing thoughts and they seemed to work out.”
He added a practice round at the course helped his game plan. “After the practice round, this was a course I thought I could play pretty well and it turned out I did,” he said.
Clayton Barrow
Senior Net
Clayton Barrow, 69
Donald Klier, 77
Graham Doyle, 78
Silver Net
It took a playoff but James Kirkwood picked up his first SNGA Tour title in a scorecard playoff over Walter Sabati in the Silver Net Division. Both players wound up with one-under-par 69s.
“It was my first time playing the Tour,” Kirkwood said. “I basically wanted to get into the Tour and work on my game, play against good competition and meet a bunch of good golfers.”
And winning is also a good addition. “I was surprised to hear that I won,” he said. “I guess the one thing that worked today was my handicap (16.5 index). It all worked out today but I had some three putts so I know part of that bit about working on my game will include working on my putting.”
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (February 19, 2018)—Ed Fryatt took up right where he left off in 2017, finding a way to win a SNGA title at the Henderson Amateur at Revere Golf Club. Frank Acker (Senior) and Kevin Parrish (Silver) also won gross division titles over a wind-swept weekend while Jeffrey Gilliame (Net), Richard Mier (Senior Net) and Al Kueker (Silver Net) won net titles. — By Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff
The two-day tournament was held Feb. 17-18, 2018, and featured rounds on both the Concord and Revere layouts at The Revere Golf Club.
Edward Fryatt
Championship
It was anything but easy. Fryatt and Josh Goldstein battled into a playoff in the championship division before Fryatt won with a scrambling par on the first playoff hole. Both he and Goldstein stumbled down the stretch on 16 and 17 in the final round on a windy day. But each then made a birdie on the par-5 18th to force the playoff.
Fryatt’s par on the first hole sealed his first win of the 2018 SNGA season. He has won the SNGA Player of the Year award three straight years and won four tournaments in the 2017 season.
In the playoff, Fryatt and Goldstein both hit the green in regulation but Fryatt’s birdie putt was offline and he had a 10-footer left for par while Goldstein had a short putt for par.
“I figured I had about a 10-15 percent chance of making the putt with the wind blowing and not having the smoothest of greens,” Fryatt said. “But after I hit it, I knew it was in when it was about a foot from the hole.”
But, after Goldstein then missed his putt, that stroke gave the victory to Fryatt. “I was as surprised as anyone when he missed it,” Fryatt said. “I figured we were going on to a second playoff hole.”
Overall, Fryatt said perseverance was the key. “We were all fighting the wind and the greens were quick,” he said. “It wasn’t easy to get stable over some of the putts. It’s the old saying…sometimes you make them and sometimes you miss.”
Championship
Ed Fryatt, 73-74—147
Josh Goldstein, 73-74-147
Daren Johnson, 74-78—152
Net
Jeffrey Gilliame had to go overtime to record his second SNGA victory as he beat George Yocum on the first playoff hole to win the Net Division title.
“I turned it around at the end and I feel good about that,” Gilliame said. “I just tried to stay away from the double bogeys.”
He admitted the win didn’t come easy. “I was all over the place today but I did putt really well and that helped,” he said.
In the playoff, he said focus was the key as he won with a par. “I just tried to get it down the fairway and get on the green in two,” he said.
Jeffrey Gilliame
Net
Jeffrey Gilliame, 71-79—150
George Yocum, 78-72—150
Larry Hanson, 76-82–158
Senior
Frank Acker admitted this tournament was a tough one as he held on to beat Gary Carpendale by two strokes.
“There was definitely a lot of grinding going on out there,” he said of his win. “There wasn’t much offense. I only made one birdie (the the final hole) today. I was just trying to hold them off.”
Acker had a simple game plan. “I was looking to hit it in the middle of the greens,” said Acker. “I didn’t aim at flags. I knew it was too windy to make many birdies and that we would all make mistakes. Luckily we ran out of holes.”
Frank Acker
Senior
Frank Acker, 76-76—152
Gary Carpendale, 81-73—154
Kelly Knievel, 78-82—160
Senior Net
Richard Mier breezed to victory in the Senior Net Division, beating Donald Blanton and Nicolas Bock by six strokes. It was his first win in an SNGA event.
“My tee shots were pretty good and that helped,” said Mier, who didn’t hear he had won until late Sunday.
Mier finished par, birdie (net eagle), par (net birdie). “That finish will definitely help a lot of scorecards,” he said. “It was definitely a challenging two days but it was a lot of fun.”
Senior Net
Richard Mier, 75-79—154
Donald Blanton, 82-78—160
Nicolas Bock, 80-80—160
Silver
Kevin Parrish held on to win the Silver Division crown by five strokes over Frank Abbott and John Garrett.
Parrish is working his way up the ladder as he has previously won SNGA tournaments in the Senior Division and, more recently, has added crowns in the Silver Division.
“There’s a lot of stiff competition in the Silver Division,” he said. “We have a very strong over-60 group and it’s good to have that type of competition.”
His putting kept Parrish atop the leaderboard this weekend. “I think I had the fewest putts of anyone,” he said. “I made a lot of four and five footers.”
He added the first day play for everyone was the difference. “Playing well the first day was the key,” he said. “I played well yesterday when a lot of others didn’t play as well and that certainly helped.”
Kavin Parrish
Silver
Kevin Parrish, 75-79—154
Frank Abbott, 82-77—159
John Garrett, 80-79—159
Silver Net
Al Kueker rallied with a one-over-par 73 to win the net title by a stroke over Keith Redmann.
It was his final two holes that proved to be the difference. “I finished birdie, birdie and hoped that would be good enough to help me,” he said. “In fact, I had about a 10-footer for eagle on the last hole. It’s a good thing I had a tap-in for birdie because I really wasn’t making anything.”
He added the key was his ball-striking. “For the first time in a long time I was hitting the ball squarely,” he said. “Because with the wind, if you got the ball going sideways, you were in big trouble.”
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (February 10, 2018)—Las Vegans Joshua Goldstein and Wes Taylor teamed up to card a 7-under-par 63 to win the 2018 USGA Four-Ball Qualifier held Feb. 9 at Bear’s Best Golf Club. That suo, along with the second and third place finishers, advanced to the 2018 U.S. Men’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship which will be held May 19-23, 2018 at Jupiter Hills Club at Tesquesta, Fla. — By Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider, staff.
The prestigious national event is open to players with a handicap index of 5.4 or lower and the Las Vegas qualifier drew 51 two-man teams. Click here for the complete results.
Joshua Goldstein and Wes Taylor
Joining Taylor and Goldstein in advancing were McCain Schellhardt and Trey Martin along with Brandon Bradosky and Raymond Wooten. Each team came in with 6-under-par 64 totals. Bear’s Best played to a par 70 for the USGA qualifier. The first alternate team is Stephen Brand and Brian Tennyson while the second alternate spot went to J.J Gresco and Jack Trent, representing the UNLV men’s golf team.
For Taylor and Goldstein, two of just 18 players in the field from Las Vegas, it was a round that forced them to stay positive.
“We had a lot of tap-ins for pars and a couple of birdies in the early going,” said Taylor, who plays out of Spanish Trail. “But we had a bogey on the ninth and that wasn’t good.”
After good looks for birdies that didn’t drop early on the back nine, the putts starting falling on 13–and never stopped.
“We birdied 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17,” Taylor said. “And we also had about a six-footer for eagle that just missed on 17.”
Goldstein, who plays out of Anthem, said the birdie on 15 was huge. “That was kind of like stealing a stroke from the field,” he said of the long par-3. “We figured 62 might win it and 63 might be in a playoff so we definitely had a number in mind. But in the early going it didn’t look good but then we just started making birdies.”
This is Goldstein’s second-straight year qualifying for the national event. His partner last year couldn’t make it this year so Taylor stepped in.
“We’ve played a lot together and it worked out well,” Goldstein said.
McCain Schellhardt and Trey Martin
For Schellhardt (Edmond, Okla.) and Martin (Scottsdale, Ariz.), it was a family affair. Schellhardt, who is Martin’s nephew, said the family ties definitely helped.
“My uncle started me in the game and playing in an event like this makes it that much more special,” Schellhardt said. “We know each other’s golf game and he’s a great putter so that definitely helps.”
Martin said spending time with his nephew on the golf course, and to qualify for nationals, is special.
“We just played solid golf and had fun,” Martin said. “We had just one bogey and it’s because of his consistency. And when you play with quality players like this event has, it makes you step up your game.”
Raymond Wooten and Brandon Bradosky
South Carolina’s Bradosky and Wooten said a lightning-quick start fueled a solid round.
“We were four under through five holes and that definitely got us going,” Bradosky said. “Then we went into neutral for a few holes and finished strong (birdies on 17 and 18).”
The 18th hole finish saw Bradosky hit his drive into the rough but then he fired an approach shot to just five feet for the birdie on the tough closing hole.
Wooten was impressed. “Those last two birdies to get us to six-under were huge,” he said. “And that birdie by Brandon on 18 was impressive.”
In the 2017 national event, the title went to Frankie Capan and Shuai Ming Wong, a pair of 17-year-olds. They won the crown with a 2-and-1 victory over Kyle Hudelson and Clark Collier in the tournament played at Pinehurst No. 2.
To say Nicole Dutt-Roberts and 2017 Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Inductee Kerri Clark are passionate about their new roles leading the Southern Nevada Junior Golf Association is an understatement. The enthusiasm oozes from the two, who both were charter members of the organization in 1977. They plan to work together to create unmatched excitement for junior golf in Southern Nevada and help as many kids as they can. — By Brian Hurlburt, Las Vegas Golf Insider.
Dutt-Roberts and Clark served as co-captains of the SNJGA Southern Nevada Girls Junior America’s Cup team over the summer and it seemed only natural for them to jump in and try and lead the SNJGA back to prosperity after some lean years during the economic downturn.
Dutt-Roberts and Clark were both top-ranked junior golfers and Clark went on to play the LPGA Tour after an All-American career at Weber State. Dutt-Roberts is a PGA of America professional with 30 years of teaching experience who was one of the top female amateur golfers in the history of Nevada.
The roles of Clark and Dutt will dividing and working together on include fundraising, management, grant writing, tournament organization, instruction, other programming and anything else that needs to be done. They will also serve as the ongoing captains of the Southern Nevada Girls Junior Americas Cup team.
To help them with their mission, visit SouthernNevadaJuniorGolf.com or email info@snjga.org.
Volunteers are welcome as are donations.
Nicole Dutt-Roberts
Dutt-Roberts (SNJGA, 1977-1983):
I am excited to give back to an association that was a big part of my childhood in junior golf. Kerri and I were part of the junior SNJGA Board back in the late 1970’s when our parents use to meet at the Winterwood Golf Club to establish the SNJGA. The friendships that were established and the memories are something I will never forget and I hope the current juniors of the SNJGA realize how important that part of the game of golf is. it’s not always about winning.
My goal is to make sure the SNJGA is financially solvent and sustainable while remaining affordable for any child who wants to play competitive golf. I want the juniors whose parents cannot afford to send them out of state to compete to have the opportunity to play locally so they can work towards earning a college golf scholarship.
I feel a sense of loyalty and bonding to the SNJGA, which gives me a passion to work hard to help make it great again
Kerri Clark
Clark (SNJGA, 1977-1981):
The first thing that comes to mind about getting back involved is what a wonderful history the program has had and the careers in golf it helped launched. SNJGA also helped members get scholarships to go to college and launched other careers. And the friendships that I have developed over the years thanks to the SNJGA are very meaningful to me.
Our goals are to get the program back on track after being off the grid as the premier junior program that it once was. Plus, we want to expose golf to the kids in the Vegas valley, no matter their socio or economic backgrounds. Golf can be attainable.
Giving back is very important to me. I know how the SNJGA helped me and I want to help the kids get out of golf what I received. Whether it’s playing on tour, or just going to college, I want to just give back what I received.
Welcome to the SNGA’s version of Battle of the Stars. Many of Southern Nevada’s top amateur men and women golfers faced off in the SNGA’s Tournament of Champions at Bear’s Best Golf Club held Jan. 22, 2018. — By Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff.
In all, 55 golfers teed it up chasing the first SNGA titles of the year.
Championship
Daren Johnson, the defending Nevada State Amateur champion, kept up his winning ways in posting a one-shot victory in the Championship Division.
“It was the first time I had played the course so I’m happy with the way I played,” said Johnson, who recently completed an MBA in marketing and is moving to Laughlin. “I just tried to stay in the moment…which is sometime easier said than done.”
He added that not having played the course before forced him to concentrate more on a game plan. “I just tried to play it to spots where I felt comfortable with yardages in to greens and I putted pretty well.”
Daren Johnson
Championship
Daren Johnson, 73
Kenny Ebal, 74
Edward Fryatt, 74
Net
Eduardo Ramirez used a strong chipping game to come away with a two-shot victory in the Net Division.
Ramirez, a table games dealer at Aria, worked the late shift on Sunday night and finished up work at 2 a.m. Despite a lack of sleep, a pair of chip-ins helped him to the win.
“I really struggled on the front and didn’t have focus early,” he said. “But I got it back and with two chip-ins from 20 or 30 feet, it really helped.”
He said winning came as a shock. “I was just amazed that I won,” he said. “There are so many good golfers out here and to win is just a great feeling.”
Net
Eduardo Ramirez, 74
Nate Ross, 76
Todd McDevitt, 76
Senior Gross
For Frank Acker, it was definitely an up-and-down round of 2-under-par 70. Acker posted seven birdies and five bogeys to win the Senior Gross crown.
He said the obvious difference was his putting. “I putted real well,” he said. “My ball-striking was OK.”
Acker was three-under his first five holes and also had a run of three straight birdies later in the round.
“I didn’t really expect to play well and it was just a very good round,” Acker said.
Senior Gross
Frank Acker, 70
Joe Rada, 80
James Corey, 84
Senior Net
Todd Roberts’ chase of Frank Acker in the Senior Division came up just short, but he still came away with the net title.
“I played good but Frank (Acker) was just on fire,” Roberts said. “It was good to shoot and good score and play a solid round of golf.”
Todd Roberts
Senior Net
Todd Roberts, 73
Charles Roy, 78
Donald Klier, 78
Silver Gross
Cyrus Whitney’s even-par 72 was good enough for a four-stroke win in the Silver Gross division.
Whitney’s round consisted of five birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey. Second went to Kevin Parrish.
“I just had a nice day on the course,” Whitney said. “I made some birdies and made a few bogeys. I knew around even par would be a good score on that course.”
Whitney added the layout at Bear’s Best was impressive.
“The golf course suited me and I did hit the ball pretty well,” he said. “Overall, it was just a solid round of golf.”
Silver Gross
Cyrus Whitney, 72
Kevin Parrish, 76
Neil Driscoll, 79
Silver Net
John Kelley was as surprised as anyone in winning the Silver Net title.
“I hit the ball well, but I just didn’t make any putts,” Kelley said. “I didn’t have any birdies and had a double bogey so I never really thought about winning. But, I‘m super excited now.”
John Kelley
Silver Net
John Kelley, 72
Al Kueker, 73
Walter Sabati, 73
Women
Ronda Henderson overcame three double bogeys in posting a three-shot win in the women’s division.
“I had some nice par saves but it definitely wasn’t one of my better rounds,” Henderson said. “It was feast or famine. My putter was solid and my short game really saved me.”
It was another exciting tournament season for the Southern Nevada Golf Association in 2017. Now, the Players of the Year are revealed and some familiar faces rose to the top once again as did some newcomers. Click for the complete point race final results.
2017 Players of the Year
Championship – Edward Fryatt
Net – Nate Ross
Senior – Gary Carpendale
Silver – Frank Abbott
Senior Net – Don Blanton
Silver Net – John Kelley
2017 Volunteers of the Year
The SNGA wouldn’t be successful with the unselfish and amazing efforts of our volunteers. Our two Volunteers of the Year for 2017 are David Hon and Jackie Pierson. We deeply thank them–and all of our volunteers–for their service.
Jackie PiersonDavid Hon
Edward Fryatt
In an extremely close points race, former UNLV star and PGA Tour player Edward Fryatt, who regained his amateur status a few years ago, edged out Josh Goldstein 983.17 to 982.50. Both played in 12 tournaments. Fryatt won the season-ending Southern Nevada Championship to clinch the award for the third year in a row. Fryatt won four times in 2017.
“It just means that I played well at the end of the year,” Fryatt said. “I never go into it with intention of winning Player of the Year. But I tried to concentrate on the tournaments that mean the most to me, the four majors, and the other stuff kind of takes care of itself. With everything on the line at the last event, and going to a course that I haven’t done well on (Las Vegas National), and to play well was a real confidence boost.”
Gary Carpendale
It must be an odd year because Gary Carpendale is your 2017 SNGA Senior Player of the Year. He also won the award in 2013 and 2015. In 2017, he won three times.
“Apparently I only win player of the every other year,” Carpendale laughed. “Consistency is the key for me. I have to play good in every one of them. It just shows that I had a good year. Don’t set out to achieve a goal like Player of the Year, but once it’s close, you start looking at it. It’s playing against all your friends and people you’re always around. Any time come out on top, it’s a great accomplishment.”
Gary Carpendale
Frank Abbott
It was more of the same for the dominant Frank Abbott in the Silver Division. It is almost a foregone conclusion for Abbott to win Player of the Year and he did it again in 2017. It was the fourth-straight time Abbott has earned the award.
Frank Abbott
Nate Ross
Nate Ross played in only eight tournaments in 2017 on the net schedule, but won the Net Player of the Year award by a large margin over Michael Godfrey, 756.50 to 537.50. Ross won the Clark County Amateur, a major, in a playoff.
Nate Ross
Don Blanton
Don Blanton had a busy year, playing in 15 tournaments and earning 804.50 points to win the Senior Net Player of the Year award by about 200 points over Chris Whatley.
“This was my second year in the SNGA since moving to Vegas in August 2015,” Blanton said. “After doing terrible in two or three tournaments in 2016, my goal in 2017 was to play often and learn from fellow players. I played in 15 tournaments in 2017 and my handicap in two years has gone from low 20s to 16, and my goal for 2018 is to be less than 12. I have significant room for improving my game and winning the Senior Net Championship this year was due to playing so many tournaments with a positive attitude. An example was in the last tournament of 2017, I had 55 on the front 9 after making a “11” on the 9th hole, but I shot 41 on back nine by not letting blow up holes ruin my attitude.”
Don Blanton
John Kelley
In the Silver Net division, John Kelley won the Silver Net Player of the Year award again in 2017. He played in 14 tournaments and earned 1015 points.
“It’s pretty exciting and I wasn’t really sure until you asked the question,” Kelley said. “I didn’t play very well towards the end of the year, but early on I was playing very well. I was very consistent.
“What the SNGA and its staff and volunteers provide for us is great and they create a lot of opportunities for us. I really appreciate everything the SNGA does.”
Ed Fryatt (Championship), Doug Pool (Senior) and Frank Abbott (Silver) posted victories in the season-ending 2017 Southern Nevada Championship. The two-day event was held Dec. 9-10, 2017 at Las Vegas National Golf Club. Michael Godfrey, Martin Azzolina and Jim Burger picked up net championships. — By Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff.
Championship
Fryatt, who also won the crown in 2016, ended the opening day with a four-stroke lead and breezed to a nine-shot victory. He birdied three of the final four holes on the opening day and wound up with 10 birdies over the two days.
“I always thought that par is a good score at Las Vegas National,” Fryatt said. “The par 3s are as much of a challenge as you want. I just come out and try to make pars. When things go your way and you have a birdie putt, you’ve got to take advantage.”
Fryatt added working his way around at a course like National is the key. “This is one of these courses you have to manage your game and hit your driver well,” he said. “You’ve got to drive it between the trees and make those 10 footers.”
He noted the opening day final stretch definitely helped his cause. “I had a couple of 3-4 footers to end the round and managed to get them in the hole,” he said. “Then I got off to a good start (Sunday) with birdies on two of the first three holes (10 and 12) and just tried to leave myself with full shots into the greens.”
Ed Fryatt
Championship
Ed Fryatt, 69-67—136
Lorenzo Gillenwater, 74-71—145
Mitchell Abbott, 73-73—146
Net
Michael Godfrey, who just started playing competitive golf a year ago, came away with a three-stroke victory in the Net Division. It was Godfrey’s first win in SNGA events.
“I’m proud to win with this excellent field of competitors and it’s nice to win where Tiger Woods won his first event,” Godfrey said. Woods played one round at Las Vegas National, firing a 70, in winning his first event, the 1996 Las Vegas Invitational.
“I just played solid,” Godfrey said. “Everything was working. My short game was really good and my putting was reasonable. It was just my day.”
Michael Godfrey
Net
Michael Godfrey, 74-72—146
Nate Ross, 75-74—149
Gary McCollum, 75-77—152
Senior
For Doug Pool, it was a little bit of a roller coaster ride en route to a three-stroke victory in the Senior Division.
“(Saturday) was pretty solid but I did need a couple of chip-ins to score,” Pool said. “(Sunday) was much better. I chipped and putted well.”
Pool said the scoring for players can be a little deceptive at Las Vegas National. “I’m happy with those scores,” he said. “This is one of the better courses we play. You’ve got to keep your wits about you and execute a lot of shots.”\
He also said he’s thankful it was just a 36-hole event. “Todd Roberts was coming on strong,” Pool said. “He probably would have caught me if he had a couple more holes. I would have had tire tracks on my back.”
It was Pool’s second SNGA win in 2017 out of the three events he entered.
Doug Pool
Senior
Doug Pool, 70-71—141
Todd Roberts, 75-69—144
Gary Carpendale, 72-74—146
Senior Net
Martin Azzolina is making the most of his annual Las Vegas trip. He won the Senior Net title, his first SNGA win.
“My wife and I usually make a trip to Vegas every year in December,” the Connecticut resident said. “I love to play golf but I usually wind up playing by myself.”
That changed about six years ago. “I joined the SNGA and try to play at least once a year in an event,” he said. “It’s definitely more fun than playing alone.”
Winning the event wasn’t even on his radar when he teed it up. “I played a practice round (at Las Vegas National) but really didn’t have any big expectations,” he said.”I just went out to have fun. I hit the ball pretty well off the tee and putted OK. It all worked out well.”
Michael Azzolina
Senior Net
Martin Azzolina, 71-73—144
James Corey, 73-74—147
Ron Siskey, 75-77—152
Silver
Frank Abbott kept his hot streak going, winning for the 11th time in the 2017 SNGA year. Abbott’s three-birdie second round helped him post a six-stroke victory over Steven Fink. It was Abbott’s fifth straight SNGA championship.
“(Saturday) I didn’t play well and just kind of hung in there,” Abbott said. “(Sunday) I hit the ball really well…finally.”
He said his overall play was consistent, with one exception. “I had a hiccup on the 16th (a double bogey on the par-3) but other than that I played real solid,” he said.
Abbott added his double-digit victory total in 2017 was the result of his competition. “When you have guys like Steve Fink, Kevin Parrish and the rest of the guys in the field, it really forces you to play good golf,” he said. “Luckily today I did that.”
Frank Abbott
Silver
Frank Abbott, 74-70—144
Steven Fink, 77-73—150
Kevin Parrish, 81-73—154
Silver Net
Jim Burger has definitely found a course that fits his game. Burger won his second SNGA event in 2017 with both victories coming at Las Vegas National.
This time it was a one-stroke win in the Silver Net Division.
“I think I’m really starting to like this course,” he said with a laugh. “I didn’t really feel like I played that well but I didn’t have any blowup holes.”
In the end, it was his finish that sealed the deal. “I still shot a couple of strokes over my handicap but I finished with a couple of pars and that really helped,” he said. “I didn’t feel like I played well enough to win, but then, low and behold, they came up and handed me a trophy. But, that’s the game of golf. It can be kind of fickle.”
Notes courtesy Landon Nelson, PGA–The team from the SNGA got some clutch up and downs on the 18th hole from Ed Fryatt and Daren Johnson that helped clinch the win in a tightly contested two-day match between some of the best amateurs from the SNGA and some of the best PGA professionals in Las Vegas. Going into the singles matches with a 2.5-1.5 lead, the SNGA got three wins (1 up) and the final nail in the coffin was put there by Frank Abbott closing out his match on the 17th green.
SNGA Team
The final score was 6.5-5.5 in the closest battle in the three years this event has been running.
Congratulations to all of the players for making their respective teams! This is a great event that we look forward to every year and hope to see many making a push in 2018 to make their teams.
It was business as usual to end the 2017 SNGA Tour as Ed Fryatt (Championship), Frank Acker (Senior) and Frank Abbott (Silver) all finished in the winner’s circle at the 2017 SNGA Tour Championship. All three were multiple winners in SNGA events this year. Eduardo Ramirez, Charlie Roy and Neil Driscoll picked up net victories in the finale. — By Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff.
The finale was played Nov. 30 at Bear’s Best Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus Signature course.
Championship
Ed Fryatt came to the 16th hole at even par, but birdies on the 16th and 17th holes helped him post a two-shot victory over Nathan Maas.
“The weather was perfect,” Fryatt said. “It was an ideal day not to screw it up with a bad round of golf.”
Fryatt has been taking some time off to work on his health. “I just felt sluggish the whole year and I’m tired of it,” he said. “I’m just trying to get in better shape. I’m down to 204 (pounds) and I’m trying to get down to 190 by the spring and see if it helps my golf game.”
That work certainly has shown good results so far. “I really played well today,” he said. “I maybe missed one or two greens and never really got in trouble. I rolled in a couple of putts and got it up and down a couple of times. It was kind of boring, but it was good. I just played solid.”
Especially coming down the stretch. “I made about a 20-footer for birdie on 16,” he said. “I had to lay up on 17 but hit it to about three feet for birdie (on a par-5). I hit a real good drive on 18 and that took the pressure off.”
Ed Fryatt
Championship
Ed Fryatt, 70
Nathan Maas, 72
Lorenzo Gillenwater, 75
Net
Eduardo Ramirez birdied the par-4 14th hole for a net eagle en route to a two-stroke win in the Net Division.
The net eagle helped him rally from a struggle on the front nine. “It just killed me on the front nine,” Ramirez said. “After that I just tried to relax. I tried to clear my mind and started to play better.”
His strategy worked as he had a net 37 on the back nine including that net eagle. “I hit driver and a short iron to about 12 feet and made the putt,” he said. “It really helped calm me down.”
Eduardo Ramirez
Net
Eduardo Ramirez, 74
George Yocum, 76
Todd McDevitt, 76
Senior
Frank Acker posted three birdies in a six-hole stretch on the back nine to edge Todd Roberts by a stroke in the Senior Division finale.
Acker rallied for his one-over-par 73 score after making the turn at two-over-par with a pair of bogeys on the front nine.
As the final putt fell, Acker wasn’t sure of his standing. “I bogeyed the last hole and I thought that would probably cost me,” he said of his fourth one-day event win of the year. “But it wound up that I nipped Todd (Roberts) by a shot.”
Acker added the one-day events mean there’s no time for finesse. “You’ve got to go for it,” he said. “I started off slow but made three birdies on the back. You’ve got one shot so you’ve got to be a little more aggressive.”
Frank Acker
Senior
Frank Acker, 73
Todd Roberts, 74
Darin Garness, 84
Senior Net
Charlie Roy’s three-under-par 69 was good enough for a four-stroke win in the Senior Net Division. It was his first SNGA win.
Roy opened with a double bogey on the first hole, but he ran off five net birdies on the back to breeze to the victory.
“Tournament neves,” Roy said of his opening double bogey. “I haven’t played a tournament in quite awhile and it showed.”
But he did get it back in the right direction. “I got it leveled out and started hitting fairways and greens,” he said. “I just tried to be consistent and not do anything too risky.”
He said his putting didn’t help the cause. “I really didn’t putt well at all,” he said. “I left a bunch out there…mostly short and right in the jar.”
Senior Net
Charlie Roy, 69
James Corey, 73
Don Blanton, 77
Silver Gross
Frank Abbott won his 10th event of the year, posting a five-shot victory in the Senior Gross portion of the event.
It wasn’t easy. “I started out strong,” he said of his 1-over-par 73 round. “I was a couple under through five holes and then played the last three holes on the front in five-over.”
But, he managed to get the ship righted quickly.” I started the 10th with a birdie and just kept going,” he said. “Overall, I had five birdies to go with a couple of uglies. But any time you get in the house ahead you feel pretty good.”
Silver Gross
Frank Abbott, 73
Mark Griffin, 78
Bruce Swanson, 79
Silver Net
The Silver Net saw Neil Driscoll post his first victory of the year, posting an even-par 72. He edged Jim Wise by a stroke.
Driscoll’s final hole, the always-tough par-4 18th at Bear’s Best, proved to be the key.
“I made a nice par on the last hole and it turned out to be a winning par,” he said. “I had a real good second shot, a three-wood from 200 yards to about 12 feet. I two-putted for par and I was more than happy with a par on that hole.”
[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1511574254568{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Mesquite Nev.–Josh Goldstein gives new meaning to overcoming adversity to win a golf tournament. Goldstein’s car was rear-ended in an accident six weeks ago. After undergoing rehab for a back injury, he wound up in the winner’s circle in the Championship Division at the SNGA’s 2017 Virgin Valley Amateur. Goldstein eagled the first playoff hole to beat Min Hao Feng. The other division winners included: George Yocum, Frank Acker, James Corey, Cyrus Whitney and Les Eastman. — By Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff.
The two-day event was held in Mesquite on Nov. 18-19, 2017, at Falcon Ridge Golf Club (Saturday) and Wolf Creek (Sunday).
Championship
Goldstein, who designs solar panels for Tesla, has been competitive in 2017 SNGA events but this is his first foray into the winner’s circle.
“I’ve been in the top five a lot, but it’s certainly nice to win,” he said.
He just wasn’t sure this would be the week to post that first victory. “After the accident I had a lot of physical therapy and I’ve only been practicing seriously for about two weeks since the accident,” he said. “But I was able to play two solid rounds.”
That included an eagle in the playoff for the victory. “I hit it to about six feet with a six iron and made the putt,” he said. “It was certainly a great way to finish.”
His putting was solid all weekend. “I took a putting lesson two weeks ago and I really putted well both days,” he said. “I made a lot of four and five footers that kept both rounds going.”
Goldsten
Championship
x-Josh Goldstein, 74-72—146
Min Hao Feng, 78-68—146
Ryan Bolton, 75-74—149
x-won on first playoff hole
Net
For George Yocum, winning was a simple formula.
“My bad shots weren’t too bad and my good shots made up for those bad shots,” he said of his nine-stroke win over Hugh Manning. “The key for me was also my putting. I actually started to practice my putting recently and it was by far the best part of my game this weekend. It obviously made a huge difference.”
Yocum
It was his first SNGA win in seven years. But, even with a big lead, he was never complacent.
“With my handicap, I’m always scared,” he said. “It wasn’t an easy win. I wish that my game was good enough that once I got the lead I wasn’t worried but that’s just not the case.”
Net
George Yocum, 67-71—138
Hugh Manning, 71-76—147
John Hawk, 88-69—157
Senior
Frank Acker rode back-to-back eagles during the first round to a four-stroke win over Todd Roberts in the Senior Division.
“I holed out from the fairway on a par-4 (the 15th) for eagle and then made an eagle putt on the next hole, a par-5 (the 16th),” he said. “That’s a first for me.”
He also had five birdies to go along with the two eagles on the first day to help the cause.
“I actually hit the ball much better (Sunday) than (Saturday),” he said. “But I made a lot of putts the first day. (Sunday), I just didn’t make any putts and just tried to survive.”
The second day he had three birdies and a triple bogey for an even-par 72.
“I do like the two-day events better,” he said despite the fact he has multiple one-day event victories in 2017. “I was just working too much to play in the two-day events earlier in the year. This is just my third two-day event but these are much better because you get the chance to think about the round overnight and what you did in the first round and what’s coming up next.”
Acker
Senior
Frank Acker, 66-72—138
Todd Roberts, 68-74—142
Chris Whatley, 80-76—156
Senior Net
James Corey rallied in the second round to post a two-stroke victory in the Senior Net Division. Corey opened with a three-over-par 75, but a three-under-par 69 in the second round helped him post the victory.
Corey had 11 net birdies over the two days to offset a pair of triple bogeys during the first round.
“The first day I had two incredible holes where I didn’t do any good thinking at all, especially since they were both on par 5s,” he said of the two triple bogeys. “But I overcame them and didn’t throw in the towel.”
He said his driving and putting helped him steady the ship. “I hit the ball well off the tee and made a lot of great putts,” he said. “But the first day it was just survival. (Sunday) was pretty solid and everything turned out well.”
Senior Net
James Corey, 75-69—144
Jim O’Hare, 71-75—146
Kenneth Paul Jr., 80-82—162
Silver
Cyrus Whitney recently turned 60 and celebrated with a four-stroke victory in the Silver Division.
“I did win a few Senior events but this is my first Silver win,” he said. “I’m usually pretty good at driving the ball and kept it in play. Both courses were a little on the short side so you really had to pick your lines well. I did manage to make a couple of birdies and a couple of good par saves.”
He finished with a bang. “I made a birdie on the last hole and that always makes you feel better,” he said.
Whitney
Silver
Cyrus Whitney, 70-77—147
Kevin Parrish, 74-77—151
Bruce Swanson, 72-80—152
Silver Net
Les Eastman opened with a six-under-par 66 and went on to post a two-stroke victory over John Kelley in the Silver Division Net.
Eastman had an even-par 72 during the second round.
“The second course (Wolf Creek) was pretty tough,” Eastman said. “I got lucky on a few shots and managed to hold on to win.”
Eastman
Silver Net
Les Eastman, 66-72—138
John Kelley, 67-73—140
Gary Franzen, 74-78—152[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Cracker jack practice sport season third base sweep bag hitter peanuts. Sabremetrics center fielder doubleheader series fielder’s choice left field skipper. Batting average base passed ball wild pitch second base home leather. Pennant ground ball national pastime dead ball era sweep extra innings grass extra innings. Backstop rope bases loaded pull bench, airmail cubs relay away. Pennant loogy contact loss baseball loss bunt cubs.
Pennant robbed yankees inside reliever, yankees basehit. Run batted in cellar cy young game friendly confines play butcher boy butcher boy. Contact in the hole bench mitt relief pitcher plunked gap. Shutout streak gap national pastime foul line double switch defensive indifference. Warning track losses stretch ground rule double alley dribbler nubber ground ball skipper. Flyout rope 4-bagger swing umpire sacrifice slugging fenway gold glove.
In the hole friendly confines 1-2-3 balk walk off win hardball. No decision curve sweep bat baseball butcher boy pinch hitter shift left field. Club reliever leadoff triple play pinch hit squeeze off-speed sacrifice fly pinch hit. Sacrifice second base reds rubber game hack, away assist backstop cellar. Strike zone sweep defensive indifference sweep no decision sweep wins hot dog away. Practice extra innings rotation club bases loaded club grand slam run batted in balk.
[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1511574344291{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Mesquite, Nevada—The $140,000 Nevada Open featured overtime golf as Riley Arp, from Scottsdale, Arizona, and Trevor Simsby, from Carlsbad, California, finished tied at 16-under 200 at the end of regulation. Simsby made a par on the second playoff hole, the first hole at CasaBlanca, to win and claim the $28,000 first-place prize. The tournament was played at CasaBlanca Golf Club and Palms Golf Club in Mesquite, Nevada, a golf destination located 77 miles north of Las Vegas. —By Brian Hurlburt, LasVegasGolfInsider.com.
Arp shot a final round 4-under 68 at CasaBlanca to move up the leaderboard and tie Simsby, who shot 1-under 71 in the final round. Both barely missed birdie putts on the first playoff hole, the 18th, before Simsby calmly made his par after Arp missed his own short par putt.
“It’s been a bit of a struggle the last few years so it means a lot to me and this is my biggest win,” Simsby said. “I played on the Web.com Tour in 2015, but only made two cuts. Since then I’ve had some good events, but haven’t won anything. Obviously, as far as prize money, this is my biggest win. This will open up a few doors for me and I will be able to go to some qualifying events that I wouldn’t have been able to go to without this win.”
Simsby played at the University of Washington from 2011-14. After this week’s victory, he may try and qualify for the 2018 Asian Tour.
Two former champions made the cut. Seann Harlingten, from North Vancouver, Canada, finished 9-under 207 and tied for 17th. Kevin Lucas, the defending champion and a former University of Nevada golfer, finished tied for 59th at 2-under 214.
Torey Edwards, from Long Beach, California, shot 7-under 209 and finished as the low amateur. Edwards is a former Cal State Long Beach University golf team captain who earned his amateur status back following a professional career that spanned from 2003-10. He is now a financial advisor with Bryson Wealth Management.
A record number of professionals and amateurs played this year due to the popularity of the annual event. Tournament director Christian Adderson said 219 professionals and five amateurs from more than 20 states and Canada were in the field.
“We just want to continue the momentum of the last few years and the success we have had,” Adderson said. “Our field keeps getting better and deeper, and the players love playing in it. We are going to continue to progress. The quality of golf course they get to play is a main attraction and our fall Southern Nevada weather is hard to beat. This week we were in the 70s and this time of year makes it a perfect fall event for these guys, whether they are trying to qualify for the Web.com or playing other mini tour events.”
For the first time, the CasaBlanca Resort is hosting a two-person tournament in the days following the Nevada Open. A purse of $5,000 is available in the three-day tournament that is being played at CasaBlanca Golf Club, the Palms Golf Club and Conestoga Golf Club. Adderson said the event will also be held immediately following the Nevada Open in 2018.
The Nevada Open is presented by Mesquite Gaming. Mesquite Gaming, located 77 miles north of Las Vegas, includes Virgin River Hotel/Casino/Bingo and CasaBlanca Resort-Casino-Golf-Spa. A premier golf destination, Mesquite Gaming owns and operates The Palms Golf Club and CasaBlanca Golf Club. Combined, the two properties feature 1,186 guest rooms, 76,000 square-feet of casino space, with 1,600 slot machines and 36 gaming tables, 70,000 square-feet of meeting and convention space including an outdoor entertainment venue. For more information, visit mesquitegaming.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Net
Congratulations to all of the players for making their respective teams! This is a great event that we look forward to every year and hope to see many making a push in 2018 to make their teams.
Arp shot a final round 4-under 68 at CasaBlanca to move up the leaderboard and tie Simsby, who shot 1-under 71 in the final round. Both barely missed birdie putts on the first playoff hole, the 18th, before Simsby calmly made his par after Arp missed his own short par putt.