LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Aug. 14, 2017)–Jack Trent set a blistering pace in the first nine holes of the 2017 Cascata Amateur, posting four birdies in a row during one stretch, and cruised to an eight-stroke victory over second-place finisher Ed Fryatt. The tournament was held Aug. 12-13, 2017, at Cascata. Trent, a Palo Verde High School graduate, showed his game is hitting on all cylinders as he gets set to tee it up as a member of the UNLV Rebels this fall. — By Bill Bowman.
Trent is coming off a senior season in high school that saw him finish second in the individual portion of the Nevada state tournament while leading his Palo Verde squad to the team crown. The previous two years he won the state title.
At Cascata, Trent led by four strokes after a first-day 66 that included eight birdies and two bogeys. He followed that up with a two-under-par 70 and the eight-stroke victory.
“When you have a big lead, it is comforting but you have to keep going and keep playing the course,” he said. “There is pressure with a big lead, but I just wanted to keep focused on what was in front of me.”
His weekend included hitting 16 of 18 greens in each round.
“I hit the ball really solid both days,” he said. “I kept it in front of me and hit a few wedge shots close. I played the par 5s really well and eagled one of them. And my putting was pretty good.”
He’s excited about the direction his game is heading.
“I’m playing good and wins like this give my confidence a boost,” he said.
Championship Division
Jack Trent, 70-66—136
Ed Fryatt, 77-67—144
Grant McKay, 75-73—148
Net Division
Larry Hanson trailed by eight strokes after the first round in the Net Division but a second-round 68 helped him beat Mark Cox by five strokes. Cox had a first-round 68, but Hanson’s second-round rally overcame the deficit.
“I was feeling bummed out after the first round,” Hanson said. “I had seven three putts. So (Saturday) night I got a few balls and putted on my new wood floor. My wife asked what I was doing and I told her this was the only way I could duplicate the greens. They were that fast. (Sunday) I took about a third of the speed off the putts and had zero three-putts. I also hit 13 out of 14 fairways and those two things were the difference.”
Larry Hanson, 76-68—144
Mark Cox, 68-81—149
Nate Ross, 82-69—151
Senior Division
Peter Dunlap opened the Senior Division with a 71 and expanded his four-shot lead after day one the second day, winning by seven strokes over Ed Thiele.
“It was kind of weird,” Dunlap said of his two rounds. “I felt amazing on Saturday. I was well-rested, had no cocktails and the conditions were benign…the stars were aligned. In fact, I probably should have shot 68. (Sunday), it was gustier, the pins were tougher and I watched my buddy perform (Saturday) night at the Smith Center and had a few cocktails. Plus there’s the Sunday pressure. I had one triple (bogey) and a double (bogey) but luckily had three birdies and held them off.”
Peter Dunlap, 71-78—149
Ed Thiele, 75-81—156
Chris Whatley, 79-79—158
Senior Division-Net
Chris Solari’s second-day 76 rallied him to the Senior Division-Net title. He was a stroke behind after the first day, and beat Joe Rada by four strokes the second day to claim the title.
“Everybody struggled at times today,” Solari said. “I made a couple of nice putts and there was a six or seven hole stretch where everyone else was struggling and I played it two-under.”
It was Solari’s first win in the SNGA. But, he hasn’t played very often and there’s a good reason. “I work 3:30 (p.m.) to 11:30 (p.m.) and get home around midnight,” he said. “So usually I can’t play in these things…especially with early tee times (this event had an 8 a.m. shotgun each day). But I really wanted to play Cascata and support the SNGA and figured this was a good event to play. But, it certainly has been a very long couple of days.”
Chris Solari, 71-76—147
Joe Rada, 70-80—150
Darwin Williams, 71-81—152
Silver Division
Frank Abbott kept his Cascata streak alive. This time it was a nine-stroke victory over Keith Redmann. Abbott had a 74-74-148 total while Redmann came in at 80-77—157.
And the reason for the win? “It’s Cascata,” Abbott said. “I’m eight-for-eight playing at Cascata. I’ve won four SNGA Senior Championships (every December) and four Cascata Amateurs.”
In fact, those are the only rounds Abbott has played at Cascata. “It’s just a great course,” he said. “The greens are really good, but they are quick. Speed is the issue.”
Frank Abbott, 74-74—148
Keith Redmann, 80-77—157
Scott Farrand, 80-78—158
Silver Division-Net
Stephen Sitar opened the Silver Division-Net play with a 65 and went on to a three-stroke win over Bill Marion. Sitar had rounds of 65-76—141 while Marion rallied with a 75-69—144.
“I putted really well and my short game was really on,” Sitar said. “I had a pretty good day both days, but I had three blowup holes today where my drive headed into places it couldn’t be found. But even with a couple of bad drives, I played well. I chipped in for birdie and had two sand saves.”
The first day he played consistent golf and said that was the key.
“Let’s put it this way,” he said. “On this kind of course if I’m pulling the same ball out of the 18th hole that I started the day with, I had a pretty good day.”
Stephen Sitar, 65-76—141
Bill Marion, 75-69—144
Richard Joseph, 73-75—148
