Columnist Peter Benton: Edmiston captures Southwest Section win

Peter Benton

Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2003 | 9:41 a.m.

Peter Benton's golf column appears Wednesday.

Local professionals the Las Vegas Chapter, Southwest Section of the PGA, teed it up last week at the Las Vegas Country Club for their final tournament of the year, an 18-hole individual stroke play event, along with a 3-man team tournament (with the format being one best-ball on the odd holes and two best-balls on the even holes).

Jason Edmiston (TPC Summerlin), Patrick Duty (Tuscany) and Dave Barnhart of Angel Park tied for the lead with 1-under 71s.

In the ensuing sudden-death playoff for top individual honors, Edmiston prevailed, parring the first hole against bogies by his adversaries.

Mike Buss (Badlands) placed fourth with 73, and sharing fifth with their 74s were Wes Weston (South Shore) and Mike Messner (TPC Canyons).

In the Senior Division, Buss won with his 73, followed by Mike Davis, Stallion Mountain, and unattached Mike Harper who came in with 75s.

Top honors in the team event went to Barnhart and Messner plus a blind draw partner with a score of 101. Duty, Mike Sidlinger (Callaway Golf Club) and Dave Wyenard (Red Rock) placed second with 104, with the following three teams sharing third spot at 107: Tom Storey (Life Member), Doug Castellori (Red Rock) and Carl Seelman (LVCC); Chad Kaiser (TPC Canyons), Harper and John Creaney (LVCC), along with Edmiston, Nick Spiegel (Durango Hills) and Eron Deming (The Falls).

Leading the Player of the Year Point Standings is Travis Long (South Shore), who has a massive lead, having accumulated 665 points over the year. Rounding out the top 10 placings are Mike Buss, 377.5; Tom Storey, 375.5; Chad Kaiser, 365.5; Dale Akridge, (Lake Las Vegas) 365; Jim Hadley (unattached) 295; Mike Messner, 259; Gary Knapp (Reflection Bay) 255; Patrick Duty, 233, and Kim Dolan (Sienna) 217.

Mike Buss leads the Senior Division standings with 795 points, and he in turn is followed by Storey, 697.5; Tom Carlson (Craig Ranch) 600; Jim Kirwan (Chapter President) 520, and Jerry Roberts (Walters Golf) 507.5.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish readers a happy holiday season, along with good health and good golfing for 2004.