Primm Am Report: Bauman, Lutey, Parrish, Algeo, Schiring and Sitar Earn Titles
Winning a golf tournament shouldn’t be easy, but the Primm Valley Amateur took earning a victory to new levels. Brandon Bauman (Championship), Darrel Lutey (Senior) and Kevin Parrish (Silver) posted SNGA victories in the gross divisions at the wind-ravaged Primm Valley Amateur Championship held Feb. 9-10, 2019, at Primm Valley Golf Club. Net winners included: Jerry Algeo (Net), Gordon Schiring (Senior) and Stephen Sitar (Silver). –By Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff.
The event was played on both the Lakes and Desert courses.
Championship
Brandon Bauman beat the field and the weather to get back in the winner’s circle after a four-year layoff, posting a one-shot victory over Darren Johnson.
“I think I won the Summerlin Amateur about four years ago but that was the last SNGA event I played in,” he said.
His return to action tested his patience. “I just tried to hit it low and pray,” he said. “I was praying pretty hard out there.”
He said the key was staying in the moment. “You just had to take it hole by hole,” he said. “I didn’t want to get ahead of myself. I just let the round come to me.”
The windy, cold weather definitely had an impact on everyone. “It was just survival,” he said. “The elements told you how to hit the shot, not the other way around. But it was manageable if you were patient.”
Championship
Brandon Bauman, 70-74—144
Darren Johnson, 72-73—145
Kenny Ebalo, 73-74—147
Net
Jerry Algeo posted his first victory in SNGA action, rallying for a four-shot victory over Donald Blanton.
For Algeo, it was simple: “I didn’t get in any trouble,” he said. “I kept the ball in play and played pretty solid.”
Well, except on the greens. “My putting did hurt me,” he said. “I had 36 putts both days so that didn’t help.”
From tee to greens, Algeo said picking the right club was the key. “It was a three-club wind (Sunday),” he said. “(Saturday) it was just a two-club wind. I don’t hit it as far as I used to…I’ve probably lost 50 yards…so I was hitting a lot more club both days.”
While it was his first SNGA victory, he’s hoping it won’t be his last. “I’m not getting any younger,” he said. “I’m going to play as many of the events as I can. I think my best finish before this was a fifth at Cascata. I’ve never really been close before.”
Net
Jerry Algeo, 70-71—141
Donald Blanton, 68-77—145
Robert Taylor, 73-75—148
Senior
Darrel Lutey finished strong, playing the last three holes in two-under-par, to win the Senior title by a stroke.
There was a four-way tie for the lead heading into the final round before Lutey’s impressive finish. “I made birdies on 16 and 17,” he said. “Then we played 18 and it was just a mess. It was blowing like crazy and raining like crazy and I hit probably two of the best shots I’ve hit. I hit driver and had about 300 yards left into the green. It was playing about 530 yards and straight into the wind. I hit a 2-hybrid just short of the bunker and had about 60 yards in. I hit it to about 8 feet but had a downhill putt and just cozied it down and made par.”
He even impressed himself with his finish in the tough weather conditions. “It was great to end the round like that,” he said. “I was really proud of myself.”
Senior
Darrell Lutey, 74-76—150
Scott Gardner, 74-77—151
Todd Roberts, 74-80—154
Senior Net
Gordon Schiring, coming off a victory in the 2018 Clark County Senior Amateur, won the Senior Net by five strokes.
It was Schiring’s second SNGA title.
“We brought it home in the rain on the last hole,” Schiring said. “The wind was crazy strong but we survived.”
He said that despite the weather, he stayed confident. “I just tried to stay calm and survive,” he said. “I knew I was going to hit shots and not be rewarded and see balls blown off course. But I just tried to not make many mistakes. I kept my nose to the grindstone.”
Senior Net
Gordon Schiring, 71-74—145
David Golder, 75-75—150
James Corey, 74-76—150
Silver
Kevin Parrish, coming off three SNGA victories in 2018, beat Jeffrey English by four strokes in the Silver Division.
Silver
Kevin Parrish, 75-77—152
Jeffrey English, 76-80—156
Steve Wilson, 77-81—158
Silver Net
Stephen Sitar battled nerves–and the weather–to win for the first time in two years, beating James Massey in a scorecard playoff.
“I started off slow because I was nervous playing with these guys,” Sitar said. “I was actually surprised I won because I didn’t start off well.”
He added keeping the ball in play made his day. “I’m happy to say I finished with the same ball that I started with,” he said. “I always consider that a good sign.”
Another good sign was a birdie on the back nine. Playing the par-3 15th, he hit a 5-hybrid to 10 feet and knocked in the putt. “It was straight uphill and into the wind,” he said. “I’m kind of embarrassed to say I hit the 5 hybrid but it all worked out. It left me with a putt I could actually read.”
Silver Net
Stephen Sitar, 71-75—146
James Massey, 70-76—146
John Kelley, 74-73—147
