Las Vegas, Nevada (April 11, 2011)–In 2009, former UNLV golf All-American Chad Campbell lost in a playoff at The Masters to Angel Cabrera. In 2011, another former Rebel, Adam Scott, was also battling Cabrera and about a dozen others for the chance to don the green jacket. Scott played valiantly, carding a Sunday 67, but finished in a tie for second with fellow Aussie Jason Day, two shots behind Charl Schwartzel who birdied the final four holes to win.–By Brian Hurlburt.
"I played well today and that's all I could ask for," Scott told the media following his round. "Obviously I can't control Charl, and when you birdie the last four holes at the Masters and you're around the lead, that usually wins. Nothing I can do about it. I hung in there as long as I could and kind of had a look at it on the last but not my best effort; but still, I've got to be pretty proud with the way I played over the weekend." Scott went 10-under par on Saturday and Sunday, looking extremely confident with the long putter he now uses on the greens. More Las Vegas PGA pros information.
Scott is just one more PGA Tour golfer who has strong ties to Las Vegas golf courses. Scott played for about a year at UNLV under head coach Dwaine Knight before turning professional. Besides Scott and Campbell, other former Rebels playing on the PGA Tour include Skip Kendall, Chris Riley, Charley Hoffman, Bill Lunde and Ryan Moore. While they have combined for several PGA Tour wins, the group is still looking for its first collective major victory. There were also other golfers who live in Las Vegas playing in the Masters. Many play and practice at TPC Las Vegas, a PGA Tour-owned resort Las Vegas golf course. Official TPC Las Vegas website.
"For me, personally, there's only positives to take out of this," said Scott, who has seven official PGA tour wins and 10 internationally. "I mean, it's a great week, far better than I've done here in the past. So you know, very positive with where my game's at, everything's at and exciting to be in the mix at a major. Something that I haven't been able to talk to you guys about much at all. There's only positives for me to take. I don't think there's anything negative about it. And as far as the putting goes, you know, it was just so solid all week. You know, I expect to make those putts. That's how I feel out there and it feels like I was putting at my best."
Hoffman finished in a tie for 27th. Hoffman lives in Las Vegas. Fellow resident Alex Cejka finished in tie for 35th with Moore, who recently purchased a home in the Las Vegas area after having moved away a few years ago. Nick Watney, who lives in Henderson, a Vegas suburb, finished 46th. Watney works with Butch Harmon at the Butch Harmon School of Golf which is located at Las Vegas' Rio Secco Golf Club. Another resident, Kevin Na, missed the city as did Johnny Vegas, an 'adopted' Las Vegas golfer for obvious reasons. Quotes courtesy of ASAPSports.com.