Local tour pros look to build on success in coming year

By BRIAN HURLBURT SPECIAL TO THE LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

7 years ago

Inbee Park of South Korea, hugs her caddie after she won the gold medal during the final round of the women’s golf event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016. (Chris Carlson/AP)

Kevin Na, left, and Ryan Moore stand at the 10th hole before teeing off during the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin on Friday, Nov. 4, 2016. Bradley is 10 under par through Friday. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @jeffscheid

United States’ Jimmy Walker and United States’ Ryan Moore pour champagne on United States’ Patrick Reed during the closing ceremony of the Ryder Cup golf tournament Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016, at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. (David J. Phillip/AP)

Las Vegas native Scott Piercy tees off on 18th hole the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open golf tournament on the at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016. (Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

With the calendar winding down on 2016, it’s safe to say it was a good year for tour professionals with strong ties to Las Vegas. Here’s a sampling of the accomplishments:

• Inbee Park, who played at Bishop Gorman High and is a member at TPC Summerlin, won an Olympic gold medal while representing her native South Korea.

• Former UNLV golfer and Las Vegas resident Ryan Moore won the clinching match in the Ryder Cup, giving the United States the victory. Moore also narrowly lost to eventual champ Rory McIlroy in an epic four-hole playoff at the Tour Championship the week before the Ryder Cup.

• Las Vegas native Scott Piercy finished runner-up at the U.S. Open and also the Bridgestone Invitational, a World Golf Championship tournament.

Now it’s time for a sneak peek at what lies ahead in 2017 for the many pros with deep roots in Southern Nevada.

Next year, residents Alex Cejka, Kevin Na, Aaron Wise and Piercy will play on the PGA Tour. Wise won the 2016 NCAA title while playing at Oregon, then moved to Las Vegas. He is exempt on the Web.com Tour, but also should play in several PGA Tour events.

Craig Barlow also might appear in certain PGA Tour events, but is not playing a full schedule.

Former UNLV golfers and residents who are scheduled to play the PGA Tour full time are Moore and Charley Hoffman.

Other Rebels with exempt status but who don’t live in Las Vegas include Andres Gonzales, Chad Campbell and Adam Scott, while resident and former Rebel Bill Lunde has partial status on the PGA Tour and Web.com Tour.

Former Rebels Derek Ernst, AJ McInerney and Kurt Kitayama are exempt on the Web.com Tour. McInerney is also a native Las Vegan and former state champion at Coronado High.

On the women’s side, former UNLV players Dana Finkelstein and Therese O’ Hara have full status on the LPGA Tour, marking the first time two former Lady Rebels will play full time during the same season.

Las Vegas residents Danielle Kang, Natalie Gulbis and Park also will play on the LPGA Tour. Green Valley High graduate Jennifer Hahn, who graduated from Vanderbilt this year, has exempt status on the LPGA Symetra Tour.

There also will be strong Las Vegas representation on the PGA Tour Champions, including residents Tommy Armour III and John Riegger, plus former Rebel Skip Kendall. Armour grew up in Las Vegas and moved back this year. Also, Legacy teaching professional and resident Jeff Gallagher will try to qualify for certain tournaments.

Other notables on the national golf scene are Golf Channel TV personalities Jerry Foltz and Bailey Mosier, who both grew up in Las Vegas.

BOMBARD WINS AWARD

Chuck Bombard, Royal Links Golf Club general manager and PGA of America professional, has been recognized by the Southwest Section, PGA as merchandiser of the year, public category.

According to Greg Leicht, president of the section, the award is presented to one professional annually.

DEALS OF THE WEEK

The winter months mean most courses offer highly reduced green fees.

HELSETH, LONG WIN

The team of PGA of America pros Troy Helseth and Travis Long combined for a 10-under 62 to win the second annual Grant Clough Invitational at Chimera Golf Club. David Barnhart and David Uyehara were second at 65.

STARS ON, OFF COURSE

Monte Montgomery, Shadow Creek director of golf and former UNLV player, teamed with his son and current Rebels golfer, Taylor, to tie for first at the Tame the Wolf event at Wolf Creek in Mesquite. They shot 14-under 58 in the scramble format to tie Casey Fowles and PGA Tour Champions player Jay Don Blake.

The golf notebook appears Thursdays. Freelance writer Brian Hurlburt is a two-time author who has covered golf in Las Vegas for more than two decades. He can be reached at bhurlburt5@gmail.com or @LVGolfInsider.