David Llewellyn, a Mesquite resident and Southern Nevada Golf Association champion, finished at 6-under par and in a tie for 43rd at the 2024 Nevada Open in Mesquite, Nevada. He also earned the prestigious title of low amateur and said post-round he does not fear going up against a deep field of 200+ professionals. –By Brian Hurlburt, LasVegasGolfInsider.com
“It’s honestly not as scary as people think it is,” Llewellyn said. “I had a couple tournaments this year with pros, and honestly, I think I can compete with them. I think it’s just all about confidence. I believe I can do it, so it’s nothing too major.”
He was also proud to help show off the talent of the SNGA and the Southern Nevada region.
“It’s always good to represent Southern Nevada,” Llewellyn said. “We’re kind of an under underappreciated region of the golf world. To outscore a lot of those guys really shows we have talent and great players.”
Winning the overall title and a first-place check of $31,350 was Scottsdale professional Michael Feagles. Once again the CasaBlanca Resort, Casino, Golf and Spa proved a tremendous host.
Longtime tournament director and SNGA supporter Christian Adderson put on a great show in his final year as the tournament director. He has been a key cog in evolving the Nevada Open into a major of the mini tours. He will now focus more on his role as assistant general manager of the CasaBlanca Resort and Virgin River.
“This year carries on the tradition of the Nevada Open and we had 200 players in the field this year,” Adderson said. “We had a stacked field with talent and the leaderboard was amazing. We had over 12 players in double digits going into the final round and all within two shots of each other. As usual, the cream rises to the top. To see what the Nevada Open is today after so many years means a tremendous amount. Mesquite is known worldwide as a golf destination and it’s only fitting that we have one of the most respected state opens in the country. I am very proud of what we built here. It takes a lot of people to get that done and that is the cool part about it all.”
