526 tee off at second largest amateur tourney

Five hundred and twenty-six players teed off this week at Coyote Springs and seven courses in Mesquite in the 13th annual Mesquite Amateur.

Both men and women competed in the three-day, 54-hole, handicapped amateur golf tournament, the second largest amateur tournament in the U.S., said Christian Adderson, tournament director and Mesquite Gaming corporate sales manager.

In this year’s tournament, there were 14 foreign competitors as well as players from 37 states.

“A production of this scale, one that brings so many people to Mesquite would be impossible without the help of volunteers who act as ambassadors both for the city of Mesquite as well as for the tournament,” Adderson said. “They are basically my right hand during the tournament. We couldn’t do it without their help and support.”

Some golfers flock to Mesquite to enjoy some competitive golfing, while some enjoy the nice vacation the competition provides.

“It’s a great time for a vacation,” said Charlie Wilson of Penrose, Colorado. “They take care of the lunches, dinners; the weather’s great; the courses are great. There’s nothing here not to like.”

It was also Wilson’s second year playing in the event, and he plans to keep coming back for the hospitality.

Jim Wilson of Montgomery, Texas, was the overall winner of the tournament, after defeating Bob LaPlante of Maple Valley, Washington in a playoff hole at the CasaBlanca Golf Club. They both recorded a 79 with a low net of 65 in the championship round on Friday.

Along with a trophy, Jim Wilson also received a free entry into next year’s tournament.

Players in the tournament are divided into flights by age as well as handicap that gives the opportunity to compete with golfers their own age and with like ability, Adderson said.

After three days of tournament play, the top 10 in each flight won gift cards ranging from $75-$650 from Callaway and TaylorMade golf, two of the tournament’s sponsors. The top four in each flight continued on to the championship round.

“Thirty percent of the field gets a payout,” Adderson said.

“I had a wonderful time here,” Jim Wilson said. “The weather was absolutely wonderful and it was a great pleasure playing in the tourney.”

Jack Seiberlich of Gold Canyon, Arizona, was the low gross winner of the tournament in his first year of playing in the event.

“The time here was fantastic,” Seiberlich said. “My buddy talked about the event and the courses in Mesquite and I figured I’d give it a shot.”

With a 4-handicap, he recorded a 75 with a low net of 71 in the championship round.

In his seventh year of competing in the competition, Richard Valentino of Toronto, Canada, said the tournament is well-run and it’s fun meeting a lot of fellow golfers. He also said out of all the courses in Mesquite, he likes the Conestoga Golf Course best.

“I don’t like the hills, so I like their layout of the course,” he said. “The course has a lot of character. It’s not simple, and you get the reward for a good shot.”

The tournament also had some locals in it, including Kirk Hulbert.

“The tournament is always exciting, but this year was really exciting because I was in the top four of scores,” Hulbert said. “The experience has helped me over the years, and I look forward to it next year.”

Adderson said one of the things he is most proud of is the addition of the Bruce King Memorial Scholarship fund designed by tournament golfers and used to benefit youth in Mesquite.

The scholarship is named in honor of one of the original participants in the Mesquite Amateur Bruce King, goes toward college expenses for a graduating senior from Virgin Valley High School, Adderson said.

“He loved Mesquite,” said George Salcedo, scholarship administrator. “He doesn’t come just for the tournament; he would come three to five different times a year because he loved it.”

King battled cancer for 10 years and died in November 2012, Salcedo said.

He said the scholarship was founded in King’s honor by Salcedo and each year’s recipient is decided on by a board of golfers who all became friends through the Mesquite Am.

The board also hosts a tournament during the Mesquite Am called Doing It in the Desert tournament in which 245 golfers competed.

The golf tournament is just a small part of the way the money is raised to fund the scholarship. A portion of each players’ cost goes directly to the fund, Salcedo said.

This year’s scholarship had 13 applicants and was awarded to Virgin Valley High School graduating senior Leslie Pacheco, who was awarded a $3,000 scholarship and will be awarded an additional $500 each year she is in school.

Salcedo said that choosing a winner was very difficult but Pacheco’s combination of good grades, volunteerism and extra curricular activities helped the board to know she was a great choice.

“Everything went fantastic,” Adderson said. “We’ve gotten great feedback from the golfers, and our volunteers did an excellent job helping us.”

For more information about the Mesquite Amateur, visit www.mesquiteamateur.com.

Follow Brandon on Facebook, BmullensDVT, and Twitter, @BmullensDVT. Call him at 702-346-7495

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