LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Sept. 22, 2017)–There’s a first time for everything and that includes victories in SNGA Tour events. Just ask Greg Whittemore and Marc Stevenson. Whittemore (championship) and Stevenson (net) battled windy, cool conditions to post their first victories, winning their respective divisions during the 2017 SNGA Tour stop at Coyote Springs on Sept. 22, 2017. — By Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff.
Coyote Springs is a Jack Nicklaus Signature course located an hour north of Las Vegas. The par-72 course reaches 7,471 yards from the tips and features water on 11 of the holes along with more than 100 bunkers.
Championship
Whittemore said his first victory came despite the elements. He wound up with a nine-over-par 81 and said the round was quite a battle.
“I was able to fight the wind pretty well,” he said. “The morning started off cold and windy. Then the wind died down in the middle holes and came back up for the remainder of the holes. Everyone was just scrambling. You were just trying not to blow up.”
Despite the wind, Whittemore said his driving was the key.
“I did well off the tee,” he said. “I kept it in play. I didn’t putt well…they had some pins in very tough positions. The wind didn’t affect the putts but it certainly made standing over the putts a little tough.”
Championship
Greg Whittemore, 81
John Bobroski, 83
Jason Cordon, 84
Net
Marc Stevenson carded a 76 to win the Net Division by five strokes. He said the round was definitely a challenge…and right from the start.
“We started on No. 14, a tough hole on the back nine,” he said of the shotgun start. “That start and the wind in the early going made it challenging. But, after six or seven holes it warmed up a little.”
He added that battling the wind was the toughest part of the round.
“I hit the driver well and with the wind that was difficult,” he said. “I hit 12 or 13 fairways and kept it in play. On that course, you definitely have to do that.”
Even being on the greens was a challenge.
“It seems like every putt out there had some sort of movement to it,” he said.
Net
Marc Stevenson, 76
Michael Godfrey, 81
Rod Walters, 83
Senior Division-Gross
For Sam Myers, it was an uphill battle from the start to post a win.
“I was three-over after the first two holes and was able to finish just two over for the rest of the day,” he said.
The result was a five-over-par 77 and nine-stroke victory.
”I three-putted the first green and then the second hole was a reachable par-5 and I hit it in the water and made double,” he said. “It was just one of those days. I limited my mistakes. I just didn’t score well. You always want to play well, but winning takes care of a lot of things.”
Senior Division-Gross
Sam Myers, 77
Marc Bingham, 86
Walter Sabati, 101
Senior Division-Net
Bill Paredes picked up a victory in the Senior Division-Net, beating Tim Quinn by four strokes. Don Blanton wound up third, another stroke back.
Senior Division-Net
Bill Paredes, 77
Tim Quinn, 81
Don Blanton, 82
Silver Division-Gross
John Kelley’s consistency paid dividends with a two-stroke victory in the Silver Division-Gross.
“I just played real solid,” he said. “It was a good round of golf. I think I hit every fairway. Fairways and greens are the key, right? It was just a stress-free round of golf.”
It didn’t start out that way.
“I three-putted the first two greens but got it straightened out after that,” he said. “It went very well after that.”
It was Kelley’s first win in the gross division after several net titles.
“It’s a lot more satisfying to beat all the regular players in the gross division,” he said.
Silver Division-Gross
John Kelley, 73
Frank Abbott, 75
William Irace, 86
Silver Division-Net
Al Kueker won the Silver Division-Net crown in a scorecard playoff over Bruce Swanson. Both players had two-over-par 74s.
Silver Division-Net
Al Kueker, 74
Bruce Swanson, 74
Richard Joseph, 75
