Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame to induct 5 in Class of 2023
Warren Schutte, the first NCAA individual champion in UNLV history, is among the men who will enter the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame at induction ceremonies in October.
Schutte is joined in the Class of 2023 by Chuck Bombard, Tim Cashman, Jim Hart and Todd Roberts, giving the Hall a wide range of inductees who have made a significant impact on golf in Southern Nevada.
“The five new members run the spectrum of teaching professional and volunteer, to PGA of America club professional, to former UNLV star, to top amateur, to philanthropist,” the Hall of Fame Committee said in announcing this year’s members.
They will be inducted in a ceremony Oct. 7 on the eve of the Shriners Children’s Open, as is tradition for the organization.
Schutte won the NCAA title in 1991, becoming the first Rebel to accomplish the feat, something matched in 2004 by Ryan Moore. He was among the first Rebels to play for legendary coach Dwaine Knight, with the victory earning him a spot in the 1992 Masters. The South Africa native played 15 times on the PGA Tour, but he made his mark after college as a teaching pro, something he continues to do in Litchfield Park, Arizona.
Bombard is a longtime PGA of America professional who served as general manager at TPC Las Vegas from 1996 to 2001 and TPC Summerlin from 2001 to 2010. While at those courses, he helped operated PGA Tour and Champions Tour events.
Cashman has made his impact on Las Vegas golf with his leadership and philanthropy through the Las Vegas Founders Club, which has operated PGA Tour, Champions and UNLV golf tournaments. He will follow in the footsteps of his father, James, a 1998 inductee into the Hall of Fame.
Hart is being honored for his work with the Southern Nevada Inner-City Youth Golf Association, The First Tee and Hart Academy of Golf. Some of his students have gone on to college careers and as LPGA and PGA teaching professionals.
Roberts is still going strong as a player in Southern Nevada Golf Association events. He has won three Nevada State Senior Amateur titles and multiple player of the year awards, and works off the course on golf causes.
Ticket information for the induction ceremony will be announced at a later date.
Nevada State Junior Am
As she heads off to Harvard in the fall, Lauren Wong can bring with her the most prestigious trophy in Nevada junior golf.
Wong, a recent West Career Tech graduate and four-year captain of the Palo Verde girls golf team, won the Nevada State Junior Amateur title by six shots at Dayton Valley Golf Course outside Carson City. She finished at 9-over 153 to pull away from Rya Montoya in the 15-18 age bracket.
In the girls 13-14 division, Ella Rawson ran away with the title. The incoming freshman at Reno’s Bishop Manogue High School finished at 22-over 166, good for a 14-shot win over Allison Mortimeyer.
On the boys side, Bishop Gorman’s RJ Arone successfully defended his 15-18 title, shooting 7-under 137 over two days for an eight-stroke victory over Harrison Hashimoto. Any thoughts his competitors had of challenging Arone were eliminated by his final-round 67.
In the boys 13-14 division, Jaxson Stites, an incoming freshman from Reno, posted a 2-over 146 for a five-stroke win over Luke Swanson.
Rebels add to roster
UNLV is adding to its men’s golf program with Wyatt Plattner leaving Cincinnati to join the Rebels in the fall.
Plattner had three top-30 finishes during his freshman year with the Bearcats, helping them reach the NCAA regionals. Originally from Sarasota, Florida, his best finish was a tie for seventh at the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate. He had a 73.3 scoring average last season.
Greg Robertson covers golf for the Review-Journal. He can be reached at grobertson@reviewjournal.com.