Columnist Peter Benton: Buss makes clean sweep at chapter’s pro-am

Peter Benton

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 | 9:23 a.m.

Peter Benton's golf column appears Wednesday.

The Las Vegas Chapter, Southwest Section of the PGA Pro-Am, which was at Sun City Summerlin's Palm Valley course last week, was, to all intents and purposes, a benefit for Mike Buss, a professional at the Las Vegas National Golf Club.

You see, Buss, with a fine 5-under-par 67 not only won individual low pro honors, but also finished first in the team event, which was a one low net, one low gross ball of foursome.

Unattached Dave Barnhart and Kim Dolan (Craig Ranch) placed second individually with 70s, followed by Dana Love (Craig Ranch) at 71, while Jerry Roberts (Walters Golf) and Tom Carlson (Craig Ranch) shared fifth spot with 73s.

With a team score of 124, Buss and amateurs Mike Ryan and Ken Mumm narrowly won the team segment of play over Jason Edmiston (TPC Summerlin) and partners Jack Burge, Duane Ward and Dave Peterson, who came in with 125. Third, at 128, was Barnhart's foursome of Gary Sargent, Dennie Yates and Chuck Hubert.

The irrepressible and ageless Ray Beallo and his 72 won low gross for the amateurs, while Bill Schee's incredible 62, took low net honors.

Limited to the first 100 entries received, this 36-hole stroke play event has a $125 entrance fee which includes green fees, cart, the prize fund plus an awards luncheon.

This tournament is open to women at least 50 years of age as of May 25, 2004, with a verifiable handicap issued by the SNGA. Although there is no handicap index limit, the maximum handicap strokes will be 36.

Players will be flighted by age, but first place low gross and first place net may come from any flight. The prize fund will pay at least one-third of the field and entries must be received by May 3.

For further information, please call Dianne Jett at 255-2286.

The inductees, who will be announced later this spring, feature 37 from the PGA and Champions Tours plus International ballots.

Lee Janzen, a two-time U.S. Open Champion, and 1997 PGA Championship winner and two-time Players Championship victor Davis Love III are appearing on the ballot for the first time.

The 2004 honorees will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame on Nov. 15 of this year.

Janzen and Love join 19 other majors championship winners of the 25 eligible golfers under consideration for the PGA Tour ballot. Nick Price was the only PGA Tour player elected on last year's ballot.

Twelve golfers who have compiled a minimum of 50 points based on both victories and team achievements are on the International ballot.

2004 PGA Tour/Champions Tour candidates are: Miller Barber, Bob Charles, Fred Couples, Steve Elkington, Doug Ford, Hubert Green, Scott Hoch, Don January, Lee Janzen, Tom Kite, Tony Lema, Davis Love III, Harold "Jug" McSpaden, Larry Nelson, Mark O'Meara, Henry Picard, Denny Shute, Vijay Singh, Macdonald Smith, Dave Stockton, Curtis Strange, Ken Venturi, Lanny Wadkins, Craig Wood and Fuzzy Zoeller.

The International candidates are as follows: Peter Alliss, Isao Aoki, Max Faulkner, Sandy Lyle, Graham Marsh, Colin Montgomery, Kel Nagle, Christy O'Connor Sr., Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki, Ayako Okamoto, Norman Von Nida, and Ian Woosman.