LV City Amateur Report: Sodetz Wins Birdie Fest, Moore Net Champ
Sixteen-year-old Brett Sodetz carded 16 birdies over two days to win the Championship Division of the 2018 Las Vegas City Amateur, a historic event and SNGA Major, in a weekend that was a birdie-fest from start to finish. Dennis Moore came away with the Net Division title in the event which was held Oct. 27-28, 2018, at Las Vegas Golf Club. –By Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff.
Championship
Brett Sodetz, a junior playing golf at Coronado High School, closed out his SNGA victory in style, coming home in seven-under-par 29 over his final nine holes. He won by a stroke over Hazen Newman.
Sodetz had seven birdies in that nine-hole stretch including the first five holes and the final two holes.
“I’m speechless,” he said. “It was super-fun. I’m just glad it worked out and that my putter was kind of hot.”
Kind of?
“Yeah, I was putting really well,” he said with a laugh. “When I made the five birdies in a row (over his final nine holes) I was hitting shots 10-to-15 feet from the pin…nothing really special. But I literally made every putt I looked at.”
Ed Fryatt, who finished third, opened the tournament with a 9-under-par 63 of his own and held a three-stroke lead after the first day. Fryatt also had a scorching 7-under-par 29 (seven birdies) over his final nine holes the first day.
But Sodetz, who finished the first day three shots back, closed out his title run on Sunday with his own birdie barrage.
“I knew it was going to take a really low number to win,” he said. “I was hitting my clubs really well and I had a lot of confidence. And the confidence just kept getting better.”
Sodetz is no stranger to low scoring.
“I shot 63 a few years ago in another tournament,” he said. “But I won’t forget this one. It’s pretty special. I just tried to stick to my game and it worked out.”
Sodetz hasn’t made a college choice yet. Chances are, after this victory, his opportunities are about to greatly increase.
Championship
Brett Sodetz, 66-63—129
Hazen Newman, 66-64—130
Ed Fryatt, 63-68—131
Net
Dennis Moore picked the perfect time to get back in the winner’s circle in SNGA tournament play, putting together rounds of 68-67—135 to win the Net Division.
Moore’s last SNGA win was back in 2012. He’s been battling an injured elbow for the last few months and decided this was the week to resume tournament action.
“I just started getting back into playing and this tournament came up and I decided to try and play,” he said. “It was a great way to come back.”
His start didn’t bode well for success.
“I had a rough start both days,” he said. “We started on (hole) 10 and I played 10, 11 and 12 two-over-par the first day and four-over-par the second day so it definitely wasn’t the start I wanted.”
Then came the turnaround…both days.
“I wound up eagling 13 both days and that got the ball rolling,” he said. “It was the same result both days…the same drive, the same iron and the same result on the green. I just needed one hole to get it going.”
He ended the event with four net eagles over the two days, two each on the par-5 13th and then he added one more each day on the par-5 second hole.
“It feels great to compete again,” he said. “I love the competition. I try to tell my friends that there’s nothing like this type of competition. There’s no picking it up…there’s no gimmies…every shot counts.”
Net
Dennis Moore, 68-67—135
Hendra Wijaya, 68-69—137
Daniel Rinaldi, 70-69—139
