Page 26 - Las Vegas Golf & Leisure Fall 2018
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[  INDU S T R Y INSIGH T S                                         ]


                    NE W S  •  E V EN T S  •  BEH IND T HE SCENE S


                    The Golf Drive                                      Mesquite Amateur

                  A CHARITY UNLIKE ANY OTHER                        HISTORY IS MADE WITH BACK-TO-BACK
                                                                            LOW GROSS CHAMPION

                                       ach Fahmie is an assistant golf   ore than 600 amateur golfers made their way to Mesquite
                                       professional at The Summit        earlier  this  year to  participate  in one  of the  most
                                 ZClub as well as a graduate  Manticipated golf tournaments of the year, the Mesquite
                               of the UNLV PGM Program and a   Amateur. Mesquite Gaming, owner of the CasaBlanca Resort and
                               board member of PGA of America and   Virgin River Hotel, hosted the 16th annual Mesquite Amateur on May
                               the PGA Southern Nevada Chapter.   28 through June 1, and two players came away victorious. The overall
                               He recently added to this long list of   champion was Stan Richins out of Yuba City, California, and the low
                               accomplishments by jumping into the   gross  champion  was  Gigi  Higgins  from  Cape  Coral,  Florida.  Richins
                               world of charity. His goal: to support   was able to successfully fend off Patti Howard of New Carney, Texas,
                               Kendel Chrysler of Del Sol High School   in a sudden death, two-hole playoff round on Friday. Higgins made
                               and the school’s men’s and women’s golf   tournament history by being the first player to defend their title as back-
        teams. And so The Golf Drive was created.              to-back low gross champion.
          The Golf Drive is built upon the donation of physical golf items by    “Every year we get more players interested in coming out and
        anyone and everyone. Large bins have been placed throughout the Las   participating in the Mesquite Amateur,” says Christian Adderson,
        Vegas Valley, allowing golfers and the like to donate clubs and equipment   tournament director for Mesquite Gaming. “The comradery, both on
        to support Del Sol. The equipment collected will be distributed to the   and off the course, is really what makes this tournament so special,
        golf teams at Del Sol. Taking this idea even one step further, the players   and we are incredibly grateful to our more than 50 local volunteers and
        will then be able to bring their donated equipment for personal fitting   tournament sponsors.”
        at the new UNLV PGM Building (Dwaine Knight Center for Golf   The tournament is a five-day, 54-hole, net, stroke play tournament.
        Management). In addition, six PGM students, along with many PGA   Thirty-eight U.S. states were represented in this year’s tournament, and
        Professionals, will donate their time as instructors to the members of   there were 12 foreign competitors traveling from as far as Thailand. This
        Del Sol’s golf teams.                                  unique golf tournament is an essential destination in golfers’ travel plans
          “Providing these kids with proper equipment and instruction,”   every year because of the competition, pristine courses and after hour
        Fahmie says, “could pave the way to not only a long life of playing golf,   events, including Cigars Under the Stars, multiple player dinners with
        but also teach them many of the great skills the game has brought to   raffle giveaways and the Texas Hold’em championship.
        everyone’s life.”                                         Mesquite Gaming also gives back to the community during this
                                                               event each year and, on Wednesday, May 30, players took a moment
                                       ZACHARY FAHMIE, PGA     to pay tribute to one of their favorite players and watch as one Virgin
                                                 702-575-4056
                                           fahmiepga@gmail.com  Valley High School senior, Makenzie Leishman, was awarded with a
                                                               scholarship for $6,500. Since 2013, Mesquite Gaming and the Bruce
                                                               King Memorial Board have rewarded one senior with a scholarship in
                                                               memory of King, who participated in the first ten years of the Mesquite
                CasaBlanca II-Man                              Amateur before passing of cancer in 2012. For more information about
                                                               the Mesquite Amateur, visit
         PLAY 3 CHAMPIONSHIP COURSES OVER 3 DAYS!
                                                                                          www.CasablancaResort.com/golf
        WHAT: Two-Man Team golf tournament featuring scramble, best ball
        and alternate shot formats with a gross and net division.

        WHEN: November 9 thru 11, 2018

        PRICE: $350 per person

        SCHEDULE:
          Day 1: Scramble at Palms
          Day 2: Best Ball at Conestoga
          Day 3: Alternate Shot at CasaBlanca

                                   www.CasaBlancaResort.com/II-M



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