Peter Benton: DI pro takes first tournament

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

BEAUTIFUL WEATHER and course conditions greeted a large field of area professionals at the Painted Desert Golf Club last week for their season-opening tournament, the Land Title Pro-Pro.

Chase Whitaker (Desert Inn Country Club), charged out of the blocks and fired a scintillating 6-under-par 66 for a convincing win.

Shadow Creek's Wes Weston placed second with an even-par round of 72 while Brian Jenson, Dale Akridge (both of Lakes at South Shore) and Jon Morgan (Angel Park) shared third place with 73s.

Jerry Roberts of Spanish Trail was the senior winner with a 77, followed by Bill Farkas' (Las Vegas Country Club) 78.

In the two-man, best-ball event, Whitaker and Canyon Gate's Ken Wright came in with a 64 for a narrow victory.

The South Shore boys, Akridge and Jenson, garnered second, a stroke back at 65. They were followed by the pairings of Bruce McNee (Badlands) and Cliff Vanetti (Seven Hills) and Matt Robbins and Rusty Postlewaite of Desert Rose, who shared third place with 69s.

Because of the growth of golf in our area, new courses that have opened and others due to open in the near future, the ranks of the PGA local chapter have grown tremendously.

The consequence will naturally result in larger and far more competitive tournaments for our area professionals. With that in mind, upcoming tournament dates will be published for anyone wishing to see our local pros compete.

The PGA Tour Policy Board has ratified new slow play guidelines, which begin with fines for first warnings and produce increasingly severe penalties for accumulated bad times.

A player who exceeds his allotted time three times receives a penalty stroke. Four times brings a two-stroke penalty while a fifth infraction results in disqualification.

A player also is fined each time he exceeds his allotted time. The first six bad times bring a $1,000 fine; each subsequent infraction results in a $2,000 penalty.

Guidelines for the Nike Tour are identical, but with lesser monetary penalties of $250 and $500, respectively.

Robert (Bobby) Cole, executive vice president of the Las Vegas Founders Club, received the Southwest Person of the Year Award at the recent Southwest Section PGA awards banquet. Retiring president Dave Barnhart made the award.

Cole was cited for significant contribution to golf in our area, support of UNLV's golf scholarship program and collegiate events, and support of the local Junior Golf Association.

Founded in 1982, the club acts as the governing body for the Las Vegas Invitational and the Las Vegas Senior Classic. As a nonprofit group, all proceeds realized (more than $2 million to date) are distributed among local charitable organizations.