Columnist Peter Benton: Naming the lefty winners not as easy as you think

Peter Benton

Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2003 | 9:20 a.m.

Peter Benton's golf column appears Wednesday.

So you're an avid golfer, fully cognizant of all the rules, and are so confident of your golfing knowledge, you will just about wager on anything pertaining to golf, right?

Well, tell me this, how many and who are the left-handed winners on the PGA Tour?

Before reading any further, think about it, as this, after all, is something of a mental exercise.

If you came up with seven players you are correct, and if you didn't, here they are with their respective number of victories along with any other significant titles they may have won:

Bob Charles (6), including the 1963 British Open and the 1968 Canadian Open. He also won 23 times on the Senior Champions Tour, won the Senior British Open twice, plus 34 other titles world-wide.

Sam Adams (1), the 1973 Quad Cities.

Ernie Gonzalez (1), now a Las Vegas resident. He won the 1986 Pensacola Open and was one of the two qualifiers (via a sizzling 65) into our upcoming Las Vegas Invitational.

Phil Mickelson (21), no major championships but among his victories are the NEC World Series of Golf in 1966 and the 2000 Tour Championship.

Russ Cochran (1), 1991 Centel Western Open. (Lost his PGA Tour card and now plays on the Nationwide Tour.)

Mike Weir (6), one of the hottest players on Tour with his victories being the 1999 Air Canada Championship, 2000 WGC American Express Championship, 2001 The Tour Championship, and this year he's won the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, Nissan Open and the Masters.

Steve Flesch (1), in the beginning of May of this year, Flesch add his name to the leftie brigade winners via his victory in the HP Classic of New Orleans.

Lewis worked as a professional under Bill Farkas at the Las Vegas Country Club many years ago. His work ethic, personality and demeanor, along with his golf game, endeared him to many. Although it's a cliche, this win could not have happened to a nicer person.

(Lewis won the 1999 John Deere Classic and was a four-time Player of the Year in the South Texas Section of the PGA after leaving Las Vegas.)

In the Skippy Pasutti (Directors) Flight, Doe Emes (Spanish Trail), took low gross honors with Kay Medrano (Anthem), taking low net. These two ladies were also the overall victors in the Senior Championship.

Jeanne Hudgins (Black Mountain), won low gross in the Senior's Flight (ages 50-59) and Dianne Jett (Las Vegas Country Club), garnered low net honors.

In the Seniors (60-69,) Irene Frank (Sun City Summerlin,) was low gross victor, while Barbara Kelly (Badlands), took home the low net title. Northern Nevada's Berta Kirchner prevailed in the 70 and over flight.