Parrish, Hogle, Fink, Rocco, Martin, McClure Win SNGA Crowns at Reflection Bay
Jackson Parrish (Championship), Glenn Hogle (Senior) and Steve Fink (Silver) won gross division titles in the 2021 Reflection Bay Amateur Championship held June 12-13, 2021 at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Reflection Bay. Renee Rocco (Net), Terry Martin (Senior) and Robert McClure (Silver) were the net division champions. –by Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff.
Championship
Jackson Parrish added another SNGA victory to his resume–his second in two starts–as he prepares to head off to college to play at Colorado School of Mines.
Parrish, a recent grad of Coral Academy of Science, fired rounds of 65-65—130 and coasted to a five-shot victory.
And if this is a test of where his golf game is, he aced it…literally. Parrish had a hole-in-one to go along with 15 birdies over the two days.
“It went better than I expected it to, that’s for sure,” he said. “I still missed a couple of short shots and a couple of putts but it’s nice to walk away with a win.”
He said he knew it was one of those dream weekends on his 12th hole on Sunday, the par-3 third hole.
“I was playing pretty solid,” he said. “I was three-under on the front and then parred No. 1 and birdied the second. Then I had the hole-in-one. It just topped off the weekend.”
It was his second-ever hole-in-one but first in tournament play.
Despite the impressive weekend play, he doesn’t want to get complacent.
“Just because you have success one week doesn’t mean it will be there the next,” he said. “You have to keep putting in the work. Events like this are great because it tests your game. The fields here are very strong. I feel fortunate to have won.”
Championship
Jackson Parrish, 65-65—130
Michael Sarro, 66-69—135
Max Cooper, 64-71—135
Net
Renee Rocco is back in the SNGA winner’s circle two years after her first victory.
Rocco, who is the SNJGA golf operations manager, won the Net Division title by five strokes.
“The 71 (in the first round) ties my best round ever,” she said. “I shot a 71 at Primm but that’s a par-71 course. This is a par-72 course so this is the first time I’ve ever shot under par. It was exciting to play well.”
She said she didn’t see this kind of performance coming for her at all.
“I have been in the biggest slump,” she said. “I’m playing in the Women’s Southern Nevada Amateur next week and it’s also at Reflection Bay so I thought I could use this as two practice rounds.”
And in her view, she needed the practice.
“I was at the point or where I was thinking I’m not having fun on the golf course,” she said.
But she still managed to keep her sense of humor about her less-than-impressive recent play.
“The last round I played I lost like five balls in the water and thought…this isn’t good,” she said with a laugh. “I can’t believe I paid money to shoot a 92.”
But now she hopes she’s back in form.
“I know I’m a decent player,” she said. “These two days I didn’t miss many fairways or greens and just played solid. It was certainly different than in my recent rounds. I’m really happy about that.”
Net
Renee Rocco, 63-71—134
Samuel Frey, 70-69—139
Robert Golden, 71-70—141
Senior
For Glenn Hogle, winning SNGA events is becoming a trend. He won for the third time in four events, posting a two-shot victory.
Hogle recorded 11 birdies and an eagle over the two days. His roller-coaster weekend also included seven bogeys.
Overall, he said his two-day effort had more positives than negatives.
“I had a lot of birdie and eagle production,” he said. “But, we’re amateurs…and we’re going to make some stupid mistakes and I made some that kept me from going really low.”
He added the Sunday finale was a classic matchup.
“It was a good duel with Gary (Carpendale),” Hogle said. “I was three-under on the front and he was two-under. On the back he wedged in for an eagle on 14 and it was a fantastic shot. Meanwhile I made par so it was a two-stroke swing. When we got to 17 we were tied. He hit probably his worst shot of the day into the water but he hit a nice chip and made a 12-footer for bogey. I had a two-putt par from 60 feet so I had a one-shot lead. Then I birdied 18 while he parred and that was the difference.”
Senior
Glenn Hogle, 68-69—137
Gary Carpendale, 70-69—139
Rick Sepp, 71-72—143
Senior Net
Terry Martin won an SNGA title for the first time in two years, roaring out of the gate in the first round and holding on for the victory.
“I played a very good first round,” Martin said. “I kept it out of trouble and putted very well.”
He said the weather played a huge factor.
“I just got back in town from a tournament in Oregon where it was 45 degrees and raining,” he said. “I play a lot better in warm weather and it showed this weekend.”
He had a first-round 70 which brightened his spirits.
“Any time shoot under par I’m very happy,” he said. “I know I can play with some of these guys and being paired with them makes me try a little harder. Plus I putted a lot better this week. I’ve been working on it and it showed in the results.”
He added his game is solid…but it’s all relative.
“I’m close to where I want to be,” he said. “But at the same time I don’t take the game quite as serious as I once did.”
Senior Net
Terry Martin, 65-73—138
Robert Schlipp, 71-71—142
Jack Kalmanson, 72-71—143
Silver
For the second straight tournament, Steve Fink found himself in a playoff. This time he came away with the victory, winning on the first playoff hole over Cyrus Whitney, getting him back in the winner’s circle.
Fink had won six straight tournaments before losing to Frank Ellenberg in the Boulder City event to snap his 2021 perfect streak.
“I was just lucky I won today,” he said. “Cyrus played great. We had a nice roller coaster round. It was a lot of fun.”
On the first playoff hole, Fink rolled a 35-foot birdie putt up to tap-in range for the win.
“It’s not easy to win out here,” Fink said. “I’m just happy any time I can win.”
He gave credit to Reflection Bay teaching pro Craig Barlow.
“I had a telephone talk with him on Tuesday,” he said. “I played in a Senior Open qualifier and didn’t play very well. He gave me new perspective to work on and I applied it the best I could.”
He added there isn’t any special formula for the success he’s had this season.
“There’s no magic for me,” he said. “It’s just hard work and focus and Craig really helped me with that this week.”
Silver
Steve Fink, 71-69—140
Cyrus Whitney, 70-70—140
David Kim, 74-77—151
Silver Net
Robert McClure found the SNGA winner’s circle for the first time, holding on for a one-stroke victory.
McClure, who recently moved to Las Vegas from Riverside, CA, opened with a net 65 the first round but struggled in the finale with a net 74 the second day.
He won for the first time in his third SNGA start.
“The conditions were a little tougher for us today,” he said. “We played in the afternoon when it was 109 or so and, after all, we are old guys.”
He said his overall play was solid.
“I hit a lot of good shots,” he said. “But I did miss a six-inch putt that hit the stick and stayed out. But I made about a six-footer for par on 18 and that saved it for me.”
He added he’s looking forward to future events.
“The competition is better that I thought it would be and I really like all of the people I’ve met,” he said.
Silver Net
Robert McClure, 65-74-139
George Yocum, 73-67—140
Bryan Link, 71-69—140
