LAS VEGAS, Nev. (June 7, 2017)–The Southern Nevada Golf Association held on to win the 2017 Oliver Cup over Northern Nevada Golf Association, 13-11. The Ryder Cup style event was held June 5-6 at Las Vegas National Golf Club. The SNGA squad raced out to a 7½-4½ point lead during the 36-hole two-man team portion on the first day and then held off the NNGA squad which won the singles portion on the second day, 6½-5½. — By Bill Bowman.
The Oliver Cup started in 2008 with a 12-12 tie. The SNGA won the following year 17-7. NNGA won their lone title in 2011, winning 12½-11½. The SNGA won the Cup back in 2013, 15½-8½ and retained the Cup after a 12-12 tie in 2015. The event honors the memory of longtime SNGA and Nevada State Golf Association volunteer Lou Oliver.
In the morning matches of the 2017 event, the SNGA squad won 4-2 in a two-person best-ball format. SNGA also came away with the win in the afternoon’s event, winning 3½-2½ in the modified alternate shot format.
That set the stage for the singles finale on Tuesday that saw the SNGA team hold onto the Cup.
Frank Abbott and John Kelley led the SNGA squad, each going 3-0.
“I played pretty very well both days and really good (Tuesday) morning,” Abbott said. Kelley teamed with Al Kueker to go 2-0 in the team format on the first day. “We really ham-and-egged it well,” Abbott said.
Abbott added the event is one that may be a competition on the course, but it also brings two associations together. “This was just a great event,” he said. “I played in a few of these in Northern California and it is always great to be able to play against new people and have a great time. The Northern guys were just terrific.”
Kelley said he and his partner, Tom Richardson, also had a solid team performance. “Everything went well,” Kelly said. “There’s certainly more pressure on players during the singles, but we played very well the first day as a team.”
Click here for complete Oliver Cup scoring recap.
The SNGA team was:
Frank Abbott, James Hill, Randy Burton, Tom Richardson, Al Kueker, Darrel Lutey, Bryan Link, John Kelley, Chris Whatley, Peter Dunlap, Luis Morais and Brad Davis.
The NNGA team was:
Guy Deunsing, Dan Hedges, Dana Whaley, Bruce Jackson, Gregory Whitt, Dick Whenzel, Marc Menezes, Mike Vadnais, Kirk Schwoyer, Rick Green, Gary Chong and Damon Rogers.