Columnist Peter Benton: Davis sits atop SNGA rankings

Peter Benton

Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2002 | 9:30 a.m.

Peter Benton's golf column appears Wednesday.

The Southern Nevada Golf Association is a voluntary non-profit organization founded to represent, promote and serve the best interests of golf in Nevada. This organization is the official representative of the U.S. Golf Association in Southern Nevada.

Each year the SNGA holds designated tournaments for its members with season-long championships.

In the Championship Division, Nevada State Amateur champion Brien Davis accumulated 417.5 points and is the favorite to win Player of the Year. Eddie Heinen followed with 387 and Brady Exber was third with 259.5.

Exber, who seems to have been around forever, won the Las Vegas City Amateur in 1986 and 2000, the Nevada State Amateur in 1991 and the Southern Nevada Amateur in 1995 and 2000. He was the SNGA's Championship Division winner in 1996,'98,'99, 2000 and 2001.

Rounding out the top 10 are: Frank Acker, 249.2 points; Joe Sawaia, 176.7; Alan Bluhm, 167; Doug Pool, 138.2; Jonathon Taruck, 109; Stan Marker, 102.7; and Steve Fink, 75.5.

Jim Licausi, who placed 13th last year with 89.6 points, won the Net Division title with 205.7. John Wright finished second with 184.4, followed by Tony Troilo, 177.6; Gary Hanson, 157; Terry Henslee, 153; Dave Haddock, 147; Eric Iveson, 127.8; Paudie O'Connor, 122.1; Butch Avant, 112.7, and Berry Isaacs, 111.1.

Jim Saub, Jr., with 295 points, repeated as champion in the Senior Division, edging David Gubler, second with 230.3 in limited events.

Brent Fenstermaker was third with 214.2. Rounding out the top 10 were: Mark Morrow, 211.2; Sev Leoffler, 142.3; Bill Swaggerty, 112; Harlan Braaten, 111.3; James Massey, 91.7; Jim Moran, 91; and Tom Yamashita, 78.

The majority of the SNGA events are assigned a value of 100 points for each 18 holes. First through 15th place receives a percentage of the points assigned for each tournament.

The Southern Nevada Golf Association's services are available to male golfers, regardless of age or ability.

Members are eligible to participate in SNGA sponsored events as well as state sponsored events, and establish a USGA/GHIN handicap that is recognized in every state and many countries outside the United States.

Golfers should join the SNGA through their local golf club to ensure the maintenance of an impartial, non-commercial governing body for amateur golf in Southern Nevada.

For further details regarding this association, please call 458-4653.