Rugby stars ready to scrumble at Las Vegas Country Club
Las Vegas is a rugby town this week, as thousands of players and fans from across the globe arrive for the annual USA Sevens Rugby event at Sam Boyd Stadium.
Part of the festivities is the unique scrumble charity golf tournament benefiting the U.S. Rugby Foundation and other causes, scheduled for Friday at Las Vegas Country Club.
The scrumble name comes from the merging of the rugby term scrum and golf term scramble. Several rugby stars are scheduled to play golf, including Gavin Hastings, a former Scottish player whom Rugby World recognized as one of the best fullbacks in history.
Hastings is an avid golfer and has played since he was a kid growing up Edinburgh. He’s a single-digit handicap, and golf has filled the competitive void left from his days on the rugby pitch.
“I’m guessing the scrumble won’t be the most serious of games,” Hastings said via Facetime before flying to the United States. “It will be good fun, and that’s what I love about golf, the chance to banter with mates and to be out in the fresh air.”
Hastings is a member of St. Andrews, the home of golf, and has played with too many icons to remember. Among them are Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods, Monte Montgomery and Luke Donald.
“It’s an amazing honor and privilege to walk in the famous St. Andrews clubhouse each time,” Hastings said. “I’ve been very fortunate to play with some of the greatest golfers on the planet and to experience so many amazing things on the golf course, and I owe most of it to rugby.
“Golf is one of the greatest games because the handicap system allows you to have a proper game with anyone and also play in the actual theater where the most historic tournaments are played. It’s not possible to play football on the actual field of the Super Bowl or the pitch of a rugby world cup. But golfers can play the same fairways as the legends.”
Hastings has played in the European PGA Tour’s Dunhill Links Championship, an event similar to the PGA Tour’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am at which celebrities are paired with a pro.
“For an amateur golfer and sportsman, that’s pretty much the ultimate experience,” Hastings said. “It was always good fun, and I enjoyed the challenge of trying to play well in front of the gallery and in a situation that was out of my comfort zone.”
Hastings knows plenty about pressure since he was responsible for goal kicks throughout his career and appreciates how trying to execute on the golf course is similar to making a kick.
“At the end of the day, you have to execute what you’ve practiced,” he said. “It’s all about how you cope with pressure, and I’ve experienced the highs and lows. Nobody can successfully cope with pressure every time.”
MAY I HAVE A MULLIGAN?
I knew when I created the list of tour pros with strong ties to Las Vegas that I would leave someone off. Little did I know former British Masters champion Bob May would be the one.
May, 48, is coming off back surgery and plans to attempt to qualify for the PGA Tour Champions when he turns 50 and Monday qualify for certain PGA Tour events until then. He also continues to give lessons, with information at BobMayGolfAcademy.com.
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Locals can play Wildhorse for as low as $25 with prime time rates no more than $50.
STARS ON, OFF COURSE
Playing in his first tournament for UNLV, freshman Derek Castillo recorded a hole-in-one on the first shot of his final round at the National Invitation Tournament in Arizona. The Rebels return to action at Southern Highlands for their home tournament Monday through Wednesday. Admission is free.
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.
CALENDAR
Thursday: Masters Series of Putting local qualifier, Desert Pines
Friday: USA Rugby Sevens Charity Golf Scrumble, Las Vegas Country Club
Friday: Masters Series of Putting local qualifier, Siena
Saturday: Masters Series of Putting regional qualifier, Red Rock Country Club
Saturday, Sunday: Recruit Look Junior Las Vegas Championship, Las Vegas Golf Club
Sunday: Masters Series of Putting final qualifier, Bear’s Best
Monday, Tuesday: Nevada State Women’s Partner, Anthem Country Club
Monday-Wednesday: Bucknell Battle, Boulder Creek
Monday-Wednesday: UNLV men’s golf at Southern Highlands Collegiate, Southern Highlands
March 10, 11: UNLV men’s golf at Jackrabbit Invitational, Siena
March 10-12: UNLV women’s golf at Mountain View Invitational, Tucson, Ariz.
March 11, 12: SNGA Summerlin Amateur, Golf Summerlin
March 18, 19: UNLV men’s golf at the Thunderbird, Tempe, Ariz.
March 22: Women’s SNGA Mountain Falls Fun Day, Mountain Falls
March 25: Golf Channel Spring Classic, Highland Falls
March 25, 26: Recruit Look Junior North Las Vegas, Aliante
March 26, 27: Golf to a Cure Golf Classic, DragonRidge
March 29: SNGA Tour, Wildhorse
April 1, 2: SNGA Sunrise Throwback, Club at Sunrise
April 4: UNLV RAF Scholarship Golf Classic, Southern Highlands
April 5: Women’s SNGA, Desert Willow
April 11, 12: Recruit Look Boulder City Junior Championship, Boulder City Golf Club
April 15: Golf Channel March on Concord, Revere
April 19: UNLV Football Foundation Tournament, Spanish Trail
April 19: Women’s SNGA Black Mountain Invitational, Black Mountain
April 19-22: Derek Jeter Invitational, Shadow Creek
April 28: SNGA Tour, Desert Willow
May 6, 7: Southern Nevada Junior Golf Nye Classic, Mountain Falls
May 19: U.S. Golf Classic Qualifier, Royal Links
May 20, 21: IMG Junior World Qualifier, Wildhorse
May 20: A Level Playing Field charity tournament, Bear’s Best
June 13: HELP of Southern Nevada Golfer’s Roundup, Cascata
PRO SCHEDULES
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF PGA TOURS
What: World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship
Where: Mexico City, Club de Golf Chapultepec (7,330 yards, par 71).
When: Thursday, Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 9 a.m.-noon (Golf Channel), noon-3 p.m. (NBC); Sunday, 10-11 a.m. (Golf Channel), 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (NBC).
Purse: $9.75 million. First prize: $1,660,000.
Defending champion: Adam Scott.
Last WGC: Hideki Matsuyama won the HSBC Champions.
Next WGC: WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, March 22-26.
LPGA TOUR
What: HSBC Women’s Champions
Where: Singapore, Sentosa Golf Club (Tanjong Course, 6,683 yards, par 72).
When: Thursday, Friday, 9 p.m.-midnight to 2:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 7:30-11:30 p.m. (Golf Channel).
Purse: $1.5 million. First prize: $225,000.
Defending champion: Ha Na Jang.
Last week: Amy Yang won the Honda LPGA Thailand.
Next tournament: Bank of Hope Founders Cup, March 16-19.
PGA TOUR
Last week: Rickie Fowler won the Honda Classic.
Next week: Valspar Championship.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Last tournament: Fred Couples won the Chubb Classic.
Next tournament: Tucson Conquistadors Classic, March 17-19.
