Birdies Flying at Toana Vista Golf Club

Author: N

It has been a great August and September for PGA Golf Professional Dustin Volk. Volk just cemented his hold on the Utah Section PGA’s Player of the year title by winning the 2011 Utah Section PNC and Section Championship. The long time Davis Park Golf Course Assistant Professional’s exciting golf journey began back in August. During the Utah Open Volk learned that he was selected as the new Head Golf Professional at Valley View Golf Course in Layton, Utah. Even with this exciting news he was still able to hold on to the top Section spot in the Utah Open Event.

Although Volk has banked a prior Utah Section PGA Assistants Championship title this was his first Section Champ title. He accomplished his win in fine style shooting a first round 65 (-7 under par) and following it up with a second round 67 (-5) under par. Not only was Volk’s 12 under par total a new two-day tournament record for the tough Toana Vista Golf Course but he had to out-birdie some other great section players.

Current Utah Assistant’s Champion Chris Moody made a run at Volk on the second day but his front-nine 32 and eighteen-hole total of 67 was still short of Volk’s totals. Former PGA Professional National Champion Steve Schneiter was in the hunt until a couple of second day bad holes dropped him from contention. James Blair III blistered the course with a second round score of 63. Although this score wasn’t enough to catch the regular division leaders his two day total of 137 gave him the Utah Section PGA Senior Championship title.

Central Valley GC Professional, Robert Rudd captured the Super-Senior purse by shooting a two day total of 145. A majority of the competitors commented that the Toana Vista greens although in perfect condition were as fast and challenging as they could ever remember. They were left shaking their heads as the lead groups put on their “birdie-barrage” show. Full field scores and pay-out results are available on the Utah Section PGA Website (utahpga.com).

This is the tenth anniversary for the Toana Vista Golf Club in West Wendover, Nevada to host the Utah Section Championship. The local sponsors: Rainbow Hotel & Casino; Peppermill Hotel & Casino; and Montego Bay Hotel & Casino along with retiring Toana Vista Golf Club PGA Professional Reid Goodliffe and staff made this the most memorable event of a decade of events through their preparation and service. Representatives from the Local Sponsors, PGA Supporting Sponsors, and tournament participants were honored by the Utah Section at an “honors banquet” hosted at the Rainbow Hotel Convention Center after the tournaments first round. They included Titleist/Foot-Joy golf companies; Calloway Golf; Nike Golf; TaylorMade/Addidas; and the PGA/PGA Tour. Our National Presenting sponsors: Club Car, Mercedes-Benz; and OMEGA were also acknowledged at the banquet.

2011 PGA Utah Championship Final Round Skins Game

New to this year’s Section Championship was a skins game for the final round of play. $1000 dollars was awarded in two divisions: Regular and Senior. In the Regular division only 2 skins were to be had…Tommy Chipman holed out on hole #11 from 131 yards for an eagle-2 which earning him $350. Shawn Edwards made a birdie with a tough hole-placement on #18-hole corralling the other $350 skin. In the Senior Division, 4 skins were split between 2 players.Both Claude Rodgers and Ron Branca earned two, $150 skins.

Section Skins Summary

By Aaron Goodman