SNGA Tour Report: Horodesky, Lutey, Kim, Blanton, Smith, Sabati Win at LVGC

Greg Horodesky (Championship), Darrell Lutey (Senior) and David Kim (Silver) won gross championships in the SNGA Tour’s stop at the Las Vegas Golf Club on Oct. 19, 2018. Net winners were Shawn Smith (Net), Donald Blanton (Senior) and Walter Sabati (Silver).— By Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff

Championship

Greg Horodesky is back on the golf scene and back in the winner’s circle with a one-stroke victory in the Championship division.

Horodesky parlayed two birdies and 16 pars into his first win since the Nevada State Amateur in 2013.

“I’ve had family obligations so I haven’t been able to play nearly as much golf,” he said. “I’ve started working on my game again and it paid off.”

His game didn’t show much rust–except on the greens.

“I hit it really well today,” he said. “I just didn’t make anything.”

He said his finish was definitely a key.

“I finished on the 9th and 10th holes,” he said. “I hit it to about five feet on No. 9 (a par 5) but the eagle putt hit an old divot and bounced offline. I did make the birdie. Then on 10 I rammed a birdie putt about eight feet past. I somehow made it coming back. I really didn’t want to finish with a bogey. That would have stuck with me all day.”

Championship

Greg Horodesky, 70

Eric Bauman, 71

Ed Fryatt, 71

Net

Shawn Smith won for the third time in 2018, beating Hendra Wijaya by a stroke for the Net title.

For Smith, it was a solid day.

“It was just the second time I’ve ever broken 80,” he said. “So I’m real happy with that.”

He said the round started off well…and just kept going.

“I didn’t have a chance to warm up so I couldn’t hit it that hard for the first three holes,” said Smith who had shoulder surgery just over a year ago. “I was swinging soft and it worked out. I just kept it up. I guess less is more when it comes to golf.”

He added his tee shots and putting definitely helped his round.

“I was pretty solid off the tee and that makes for a decent day,” he said. “And my pace on the greens was good. It left me with a lot of tap-in pars and pars are good for me.”

Net

Shawn Smith, 68

Hendra Wijaya, 69

Joseph Stubitz, 70

Senior-Gross

Darrell Lutey’s comeback is complete.

Lutey’s been out of golf action following surgeries on his elbow and big toe and came back to win the Senior Gross title in a scorecard playoff over John Turk.

“I’ve been playing again for about two months,” he said. “I’m starting to get it back.”

His round began perfectly…or so he thought.

“We started on 18 and it was a little cold,” he said. “I hit a perfect drive. I had 160 yards in and pured a 7-iron. But it came up and in the bunker. I thought I hit a good shot but I left it in the bunker and it came back in my foot print. I got that one out and two putts later I wind up with a double bogey and I didn’t hit a bad shot.”

The rest of his round was comprised of 16 pars and one birdie.

“I got up and down five times so I chipped really well,” he said.

Senior-Gross

Darrell Lutey, 73

John Turk, 73

Todd Roberts, 76

Senior-Net

Don Blanton also won in a scorecard playoff, his fourth individual victory of 2018.

“I won in spite of myself,” he said. “I hit my driver well and didn’t have any penalty strokes. But the par 3s ate my lunch. I had a par, a bogey, a double and a triple. And I missed many, many putts. I had 36 putts. I just had a terrible day on the greens.”

Despite the putting woes, he looked on the bright side.

“I played steady and kept it in play,” he said. “It was a great day to play with a great bunch of guys.”

Senior-Net

Donald Blanton, 73

Gordon Schiring, 73

Brian McShane, 75

Silver-Gross

For David Kim, it was win No. 3 in 2018 on the SNGA Tour.

“I was pretty lucky,” he said. “For some reason my putting was so easy for me today.”

He added winning is addictive.

“It never gets old when you play well and win,” he said. “I was in a good mood and everything was perfect for me today.”

Silver-Gross

David Kim, 73

Frank Abbott, 77

John Garrett, 80

Silver-Net

Walter Sabati scrambled his way to his third win of the year on the SNGA Tour–literally.

“I wasn’t reaching the greens in regulation but my wedge play was solid,” he said. “I couldn’t believe I hit a lot of shots that close.”

He added his play off the tee is also improved.

“I just bought a new driver and I’m hitting it well and that’s really helped my play,” he said.

Silver-Net

Walter Sabati, 69

Loren Little, 72

Mark Hansen, 74