Hawk, Carpendale, Claveria, Estrada, Ward and Day Win Southern Nevada Am Titles
Andrew Hawk (Championship), Gary Carpendale (Senior) and Anthony Claveria (Silver) won gross titles at the 2023 Southern Nevada Amateur Championship. Arturo Estrada (Net), Keith Ward (Senior) and Bill Day (Silver) captured net titles in the tournament held July 8-9, 2023, at the Sun Mountain course at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort. –by Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider – video is a Total Design Studios Production.
Championship
Andrew Hawk saved his best for last as he birdied the final three holes during the second round to rally for a one-stroke win in the Championship Division.
Hawk, a Foothill High School graduate and now a member of the Utah Valley University golf team, said the three-hole rally even impressed him.
“I definitely wasn’t expecting that finish,” Hawk said. “I thought I would probably have to eagle 16 and make pars over the last two holes to even have a chance at a playoff.”
As it turns out, his three-hole stretch led to a title he will never forget.
“I had about a 20-footer for eagle on 16 but missed that and tapped in for birdie,” he said. “On 17 I almost lipped out a hole-in-one and had about a foot for birdie. That was nice and easy.”
Then came the even-more-dramatic 18th.
“I almost hit it in the water off the tee,” he said with a laugh. “I hit my approach to about 40 feet just off the green and then somehow made the putt.”
He said he didn’t think he would get into that position.
“I thought I was out of it after going bogey, double bogey on 13 and 14,” he said. “I just wanted to try to come up with a couple of good shots to maybe get a top-five finish.”
He said there’s no doubt which shot over the two days were the key to the win.
“It would definitely be the tee shot on the par-3 17th,” he said. “With everything on the line and to hit it that close was great. I thought it had set me up for the chance at a playoff because there’s no way I thought I was going to birdie the 18th.”
Championship
Andrew Hawk, 69-72-141
Jackson Parrish, 74-68—142
Kevin McEvoy, 70-72—142
Net
Arturo Estrada went net-birdie, net-eagle as he made the turn during the final round as he held on to win the Net title by one stroke.
For the two days, Estrada had a net eagle, four net birdies and two natural birdies.
Net
Arturo Estrada, 72-73—145
David Inman, 74-72—146
Craig Garner, 72-75—147
Senior
Gary Carpendale birdied seven holes the first day–including three holes in a row–and cruised to the title in the Senior Division, winning by five strokes.
It was Carpendale’s fifth victory of 2023, his first in the Senior Division with his other four coming in the Silver Division. Carpendale is multi-year SNGA player of the year in the Silver and Senior divisions.
“It was tough today,” Carpendale said. “It’s not an easy golf course and when the wind is blowing like it was today and with greens that were hard and fast, it’s a challenge.”
Carpendale said his goal, with a big lead after the first day, was simple: “Today was course management,” he said. “I was actually happy with both days. Obviously, I played better yesterday in the nice conditions. Today I hit good shots when I had to. I hit some key drives and hit fairways when I had to.”
Those shots really came into play in Day 2.
“I was trying to play as safe as I could,” he said. “If you start hitting it a little crooked on days like this, bad things can happen to you in a hurry. I challenged a few shots but mostly I was just trying to be careful and make someone else shoot 68 in those conditions.”
Senior
Gary Carpendale, 68-76—144
Kelly Knievel, 75-74—149
Steve Fink, 79-75—154
Senior Net
Keith Ward had back-to-back 74s as he picked up his first SNGA victory.
Ward had six birdies (five natural and one net) over the two days and said the key to his victory was easy to pinpoint.
“With the heat and wind, it really forced me to focus a lot harder,” he said. “I had been struggling with my game and I had two good days of ball-striking. But it wore me out…I’m exhausted right now.”
Ward said part of that focus was beating the weather.
“I really think my knockdown short irons into the wind made a huge difference,” he said. “The guys I played with struggled a little but I hit a lot of knockdowns where I could two-putt for par or one-putt for birdie.”
Ward, who lives in California, is retired from the Air Force. He said he spent more than his share of time at Nellis Air Force Base.
“I’m very familiar with the courses here from my active duty days,” he said. “And with SoCal only 3½-to-4 hours away, I’m probably going to play in a few more events. This is only the fourth event I’ve played in and one was years and years ago.”
Senior Net
Keith Ward, 74-74—148
Dave Golder, 77-78—155
Freddie Sarno, 76-79—155
Silver
Anthony Claveria fired a one-under-par opening round 71, with three birdies and two bogeys, en route to a four-shot victory in the Silver Division.
It was Claveria’s first SNGA title.
Claveria said the first round 71 was a dream…while the second round was a struggle as he came in with an 80.
Claveria moved to Vegas a year and a half ago and was playing in just his second SNGA event.
“I gutted it out today with the weather,” he said. “There was a lot of wind and it was hot as well. I didn’t play great but I will take it. I couldn’t get a feel on the front side this morning but luckily I finished pretty strong.”
He said the first day was definitely a great way to open the tournament.
“Yesterday I made a ton of putts,” he said. “Today…not so much. But, that’s golf and I’m just happy that I built enough of a lead to come out on top.”
Silver
Anthony Claveria, 71-80—151
Bryan Link, 78-77—155
Steve Cribari, 80-76—156
Silver Net
Bill Day played a four-hole stretch in four-under-par during the first round as he held on for a one-stroke victory in the Silver Net for his first individual SNGA victory.
For the two days, Day had a natural eagle, two natural birdies and four net birdies.
“It was a very solid two days of golf,” Day said. “I was hitting the driver real well for the most part and that always helps with approach shots. I’ve been practicing my chipping around the greens and it showed. I chipped it close a lot this weekend.”
Still, it was a battle for him until the very last putt.
“I double bogeyed the last two holes,” he said. “I put myself in bad spots. I was trying for birdies and wound up with doubles.”
But in the end, he will take the positives out of the weekend.
“The whole tournament was building my confidence,” he said. “I was hitting the shots I wanted to hit and when that happens the confidence goes up. Now I know I can do it again.”
Silver Net
William Day, 74-73—147
Jimmy Bradley, 71-77—148
George Yocum, 77-72—149
