LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Sept. 10, 2017)—What a difference a day can make especially on the golf course. Just ask Craig Erickson and Nate Ross. Erickson (gross division) rallied from a huge first-day deficit to win his division in the 2017 Clark County Amateur while Ross (net division) held the lead but had to go into a playoff before posting a victory. — By Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff.
The tournament was held Sept. 9-10, 2017, at Boulder Creek Golf Course, a 27-hole layout. The tournament was played on the Desert Hawk and Coyote Run nines.
Erickson trailed by six strokes heading into the final round following an even-par 72 in the first round. He rebounded with a four-under par 68 in the second round to win by two strokes. He held off a furious rally by Alex Jordan. Jordan had rounds of 76-66—142 to finish second.
Greg Hudson opened the championship portion of the tournament with the only sub-par round, firing a one-under-par 71 on the first day. He finished third after a second-round 73.
Erickson said the key was his accuracy.
“I only missed two greens (Sunday),” he said. “And I didn’t hit it into the desert all weekend so I wasn’t in any trouble and didn’t have any penalty shots.”
He added his putting was solid but, like most players, admitted it could have been better.
“Saturday I didn’t hit it as well, but I putted well,” he said. “Today I had a few bad breaks. A few putts I thought were going in wobbled and didn’t. But I had a lot of shots within 20 feet (Sunday) so I didn’t leave myself any testers for par.”
Erickson said his last big win was a four-stroke victory in the Nevada State Mid-Amateur in 2012 at Cascata.
Gross Division
Craig Erickson, 72-68—140
Alex Jordan, 76-66—142
Greg Hudson, 71-73—144
Net Division
Nate Ross had a two-stroke lead heading into the final round in the Net Division on Sunday after an opening round 68. But he struggled during Sunday’s second round and had to hold off a hard-charging Martin Lee for the victory. Ross won the title on the first playoff hole with a birdie as both players wound up with two-day totals of 142.
While Ross struggled Sunday to a two-over-par 74 that included three birdies and five bogeys, Lee scorched the course over the final 14 holes to force a playoff. Lee played the final 14 holes in seven-under par. Included in Lee’s run were six net birdies (including five in a row) and an eagle.
“I didn’t make a birdie all day until the playoff hole,” Ross said. “I just couldn’t make a putt all day and had a few out of bounds that were really killers.”
But he survived to get into the playoff and made it count.
“I felt lucky to play a hole I felt comfortable with,” Ross said. “I had a little more confidence when (Lee) hit it into the sand off the tee. I hit it to five or six feet but he got it up and down for par so I had to make the birdie to win it.”
It was Ross’ second SNGA win of the year as he picked up a victory at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort event earlier in the year.
Net Division
x-Nate Ross, 68-74—142
Martin Lee, 75-67—142
Andy Sessa, 70-74—144
x-won in playoff
