Four Golfers Earn 2025 SNGA Tour Titles at Nicklaus’s Reflection Bay at Lake Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, NV (Aug. 27, 2025)–Grant McKay (Championship), Ray Nomura (Senior), Ron Harwood (Silver) and John Pappas (Net) won titles in the 2025 SNGA Tour stop at Reflection Bay. The tournament was held Aug. 27, 2025, at Reflection Bay Golf Club.—by Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider

Championship

Grant McKay opened with a birdie and then put up four birdies in a six-hole stretch midway through the round in winning the Championship Division.

McKay, who works with the SNJGA where he runs the tournament section, won for the second time in 2025.

“It’s been an inconsistent year but I feel like I played really good at times,” McKay said. “Today I gave myself a lot of scoring opportunities and was just able to play stress-free golf.”

McKay added his scoring was the result of solid shot-making.

“I hit it close and made some putts,” he said. “My short game was also pretty solid.”

He’s happy with the win, but knows what part of his game he still wants to improve.

“This offseason, I want to put a lot of emphasis on driving the golf ball,” he said. “That’s been the weakest part of my game. I’ve done everything else pretty well so if I can improve my driving, that should give me more scoring opportunities.”

Championship

Grant McKay, 68

Nathan Bratanata, 72

Paul Mushkin, 72

Senior

Ray Nomura was two-under-par on the back nine (two birdies and no bogeys) in posting a two-stroke victory in the Senior Division.

Nomura lost in a playoff in June but got in the winner’s circle this time.

“I finally got my first win and I’m ecstatic,” Nomura said. “I just had solid putting.”

He also said the rest of his game was on-point.

“I hit it pretty well,” he said. “And when I did miss a fairway, I was lucky and was able to find the ball and try to scramble for a par.”

Nomura, who played his first SNGA event in December of 2023, said he is surprised he won…but not shocked.

“I knew I was getting closer,” he said. “I’ve just got to keep getting better and better. I was just hoping the win would come sooner rather than later.”

Senior

Ray Nomura, 71

Brian Hurlburt, 73

Michael Andrews, 75

Silver

Ron Harwood won for the third time in 2025, posting a four-shot victory in the Silver Division.

Harwood had three birdies in a five-hole stretch that helped him into the winner’s circle again.

“This season has been very good to me,” Harwood said. “I’m remembering things I struggled with about the golf courses and it’s helped me improve.”

Harwood said Reflection Bay fit his game well.

“The course was set up nicely,” he said. “I hit the ball well off the tee and just made sure I hit greens or was close.”

Two of his birdies came from short-range.

“The sixth hole I hit a big drive on the par-5,” he said. “I then hit it hole-high and chipped it to three feet and made the putt. On 10, I hit my approach shot to about four-feet and made that birdie. It’s nice to be putting from that range.”

He said the more he sees the courses, the more his confidence grows.

“I’m still learning the golf courses,” he said. “I did make a couple of mistakes at Cascata when I finished second but this week I played more consistent.”

Silver

Ron Harwood, 72

David Curley, 76

Rick Fese, 79

Net

John Pappas recorded net eagles on his first two holes of the tournament en route to a two-shot victory in the Net Division.

For the day, Pappas added six birdies (five net and one natural) in a roller-coaster round.

Pappas’ last SNGA win came in 2022 when he won twice.

“I played pretty good golf,” Pappas said. “I went birdie-birdie to start for the net eagles and I couldn’t have started any better.”

He said there’s no doubt what part of his game carried him.

“The putter was just really good today,” he said. “I stayed in play and gave myself a lot of chances and the putter was a big part of the day.”

He said his success came about because of a simple thought process.

“About a month ago I wasn’t playing that good,” he said. “I was really trying to hit the ball rather than swing the club. I thought, ‘well, this isn’t working,’ so I told myself to just take a nice full swing and forget about hitting the ball. Ever since I’ve done that, I’ve started playing well.”

He was also excited about his score.

“I shot 77 gross and that’s two strokes under my age (79),” he said. “It was just a good day.”

Net

John Pappas, 66

Melvin McBean, 68

Carl Arnold, 69