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 September 6, 2007--Frank Acker (pictured) and Brady Exber are longtime friends, and also arguably the two best amateur golfers in Las Vegas over the last couple decades. Exber has more Southern Nevada Golf Association Player of the Year trophies than he can hold in one hand, and Acker has two of his own. And in 2007, both are in familiar spots as Exber is leading the SNGA points list of the Championship division--by a large margin over Joe Sawaia--while Acker is leading the Senior gross division over Steve Paulsen. The net division is led by Jimmy Bradley over Paudie O' Connor, while th senior net is led by John Sostman over Burke Cahill. The SNGA is the USGA arm in Southern Nevada, and play events throughout the year at Las Vegas golf courses.
The Ruth's Chris Classic is to be played September 8-9 at Mojave Resort Golf Club in Laughlin. Acker is a recent champion of the Nevada State Senior Amateur played at Las Vegas golf course Siena Golf Club, while Exber recently played and made the cut at the US Senior Open. Indepth Las Vegas golf courses information ... now. Acker is a legend when it comes to amateur golf in Southern Nevada. Acker has won many tournaments, and was the Southern Nevada Golf Association Player of the Year in 1989, 1990 and 1995. And this year he is closing in on his first Southern Nevada Golf Association Senior Player of the Year honor. He currently has a wide lead over second place golfer Steve Paulsen with only a few events left. Acker won the Nevada State Senior Amateur gross division, an event that had a lot of drama and intrigue. Acker shot a 1-under par over the two days to narrowly edge Bob Martin, who finished just one stroke back. Joe Bordonaro and Steve Paulsen finished third and fourth. The event was shortened to only two days after rain washed away the middle round. Acker opened up with the round of the tournament, a 6-under par 66 that included seven birdies and one bogey, but after taking the day off on Saturday due to the weather, he came back with a 5-over par 77 that brought the field back to him. He opened with a 40 on the front nine but settled in a bit to salvage a 37 on the inward nine. He had zero birdies in the final round. At one point, Martin took the lead away from Acker after a solid opening-nine 33, but Martin double-bogeyed 10 and struggled to a 41 on the back nine. Acker was coming off another solid performance and win at the SNGA Championship played at Boulder Creek Golf Club. He fired a 7-under par total to win. Jimmy Bradley won the net division with a two-day total of 139, 5-under par. He defeated Richard Walsh by two strokes while Jim Watters and Bob Martin (yes the same Bob Martin who played in the championship division) finished tied for third. Through August 22, Bradley was in the third place in the season-ling race for the Senior Net Player of the Year. He trails John Sostman and Burke Cahill.
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