Columnist Peter Benton: Pros tee off in Smith Brothers

Peter Benton

Thursday, June 28, 2001 | 11:39 a.m.

Peter Benton's golf column appears Wednesday.

A large field of area professionals teed it up last week in the Las Vegas Chapter of the Southwest Section of the PGA's Smith Brothers Championship.

Played over the par-72 Rhodes Ranch Golf Course, Shadow Creek's Monte Montgomery, 66-68--134, won by two strokes over fellow Shadow Creek pro Wes Weston, 66-70--136.

Jay Davis, Southern Highlands, edged Las Vegas Country Club's John Creaney for third place after shooting 66-72--138 to Creaney's 68-71--139.

Sharing fifth spot with 140s were unattached Eric Clark and Chad Kaiser of the TPC Canyons. Next at 141 was Carl Seelman, LVCC.

Calvada's Jim Kirwan won the Senior Division with 147 followed by Spanish Trail's Jerry Roberts who came in with 149.

Entry for this four-person scramble is $150 per player, which includes a 6:30 a.m. Continental breakfast, lunch, tee gifts, hole in one awards and raffle chances.

The event has a 7:30 a.m. shotgun start on Friday, July 27, at the challenging Dragon Ridge Country Club. The field will be limited to 144 players, so early application is advised.

Full entry information is available by calling 878-0387.

Format for the event was that after the best ball of all tee shots was selected, team members hit from that position. The procedure was repeated on each hole until the ball was holed.

Kurt Birchler, Laurie Durant, Wayne and Pat Corona placed second in the gross segment with a 60. Sharing third with 61s were Cliff and Larren Buckley, Bob McNamara and Bob Manz; Pete Segel, Carol Hansen, Larry Paluzzi and Lance Wallin; Bruce Ashworth, Guy Hudson, Lynn Weidman and Bob Brinkmeyer; and Gary Ashworth, Howard Goodwin, John Bowers and Coe Power.

Sharing second low net with 57s were the following foursomes: Mike Montolvo, Rhonda Mushkin, Paul Howell and Russ Schroeder; Dayton Blaine, Ken Land and Nancy and Tom Yarbrough; Woody Hensley, Pedie Goodwin, Jeff Harmon and Lloyd Boothby.

Norman and Stewart, along with other 2001 World Golf Hall of Fame honorees, will be inducted Sunday, Nov. 11, during ceremonies at World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Fla.

Earlier this year, Germany's Bernhard Langer was elected through the International Ballot and Donna Caponi was elected to the LPGA Hall of Fame through the LPGA Veterans Category. (The LPGA Hall of Fame is part of the World Golf Hall of Fame).