Columnist Peter Benton: Sanchez PGA pro of year

Peter Benton

Thursday, Jan. 29, 1998 | 7:37 a.m.

PETER BENTON is a local golfer. His column appears Wednesdays.

BOTH THE Southern Nevada Golf Association and the Las Vegas Chapter, Southwest Section of the PGA, held their annual award banquets last week. Both entities chose Shane Sanchez as their PGA Professional of the Year.

Sanchez, head pro at the Highland Falls course in Sun City, Summerlin, was honored for his outstanding contributions to golf in our area.

The SNGA dinner, which was held in the spacious Black Mountain Golf Course clubhouse saw Butch Avant honored as Net Player of the Year, Mike Diehl as the Senior Player of the Year and Lee Winston as Player of the Year.

Jim Cashman Jr., Ernie Haupt and Pat Walker, three gentlemen who have given so much to golf over the years, were elected into the SNGA Golf Hall of Fame. They join former inductees Charlie Teel, Stuart Reid, Clyde Cobb and Jerry Belt on the Wall of Fame at the Legacy Golf Club.

The beautiful new clubhouse at Desert Willow Golf Club (also in Henderson) was the site for the PGA dinner. Association president Joe Lescenski had great pleasure in presenting Chris Thomas (Stallion Mountain) with the Player of the Year Award and Bill Farkas (Las Vegas Country Club) with the Senior Player of the Year Award.

Also honored was Jane Schlosser of the Southern Nevada Junior Golf Association, who received the Person of the Year Award for the second time, for her untiring efforts on behalf of our junior association.

At the recent PGA Awards Dinner, held in conjunction with the Mercedes Championship, Tiger Woods was voted 1997 Player of the Year. Stewart Cink was honored as Rookie of the Year, Bill Glasson the Comeback Player of the Year and Nick Price won the year's scoring average.

On the Senior PGA Tour, Arnold Palmer was the recipient of the Tour's Lifetime Achievement Award. Hale Irwin was named Player of the Year, Gil Morgan Rookie of the Year and George Archer Comeback Player of the Year. Both the scoring average and money title went to Irwin.