Peter Benton: Legacy pro wins Southwest Section final

Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

THE LAS VEGAS Chapter, Southwest Section of the PGA recently held its final event of the 1996 season, the John Suveges/La Mode Grand Finale at Legacy Golf Club.

Winning the capacity field event with a 1-under-par 71 was Legacy pro Chris Aune, followed by Scott McDade (Paiute) at 72. Jerry Roberts (Spanish Trail), Dave Barnhart (Legacy) and Rusty Postlewait (Desert Rose) shared third spot with 73s.

In the team segment (a two low balls of foursome), Aune and McDade, along with Kit Dickinson (Las Vegas Hilton) and Brett Mulligan (Black Mountain) prevailed with an 11-under 133.

Postlewaite, teamed with Ken Wright (Canyon Gate), Dave Yerrick (Angel Park) and Matt Heifner (Legacy), placed second with 134.

Although he played just seven events on the 1996 Senior PGA Tour, Jack Nicklaus won twice, the GTE Suncoast Classic and The Tradition.

Nicklaus' Tradition win was his fourth, making him the first Senior Tour Player to win the same tournament four times.

The United States Golf Association is introducing a series of nine historical traveling exhibits that will be displayed at more than 20 sites throughout the country and Canada in 1997.

"The program has been designed to bring our extensive museum collection to the public," says Andrew Mutch, curator and historian of the USGA's museum and library known as Golf House in Far Hills, N.J. "We have so many interesting and historical items here that are out of reach for much of the country. Now we'll share our wonderful collection with audiences who might not ever get to visit our New Jersey headquarters."

Three of the displays made their debuts this month. One, an exhibit of antique golf games called "Golf's Games and Toys," is on display at the new Desert Pines Golf Club.

With items gleaned from extensive collections of toys, games and puzzles, this exhibit, which will run all year, showcases America's fun-loving fascination with the sport. It is well worth a visit.

Tiger Woods, recently honored by Sports Illustrated as its 1996 "Sportsman of the Year," is the fifth PGA Tour player to be so designated.

Woods follows in the footsteps of Arnold Palmer (1960), Ken Venturi (1964), Lee Trevino (1971) and Jack Nicklaus (1978).

The 20-year-old won his third consecutive U.S. Amateur title last August. After turning professional, he posted a pair of victories in eight starts, including the Las Vegas Invitational.

Picking up where he left off, Woods won the 1997 season opener, the Mercedes Championship (formerly the Tournament of Champions), in a sudden-death playoff over last year's Player of the Year, Tom Lehman.