Quartet claim titles at SNGA’s season opener at DragonRidge

Craig Erickson, Renee Rocco, Rick Sepp and David Curley got their 2025 golf seasons off to a perfect start.

All four took home titles Monday at the Southern Nevada Golf Associaion’s season-opening Tournament of Champions at DragonRidge Country Club.

Erickson birdied his first three holes and had a wild scorecard that included seven birdies, four bogeys, one double bogey and just six pars on his way to a 1-under 71. He captured the men’s championship title, besting Grant McKay by two shots.

“I was hitting it really well,” Erickson said. “I got a couple of breaks early where shots wound up rolling down near the pin and I had three short putts to start the day.”

Rocco won the women’s title with a 6-over 78 to hold off Ronda Henderson by a stroke. She triumphed despite making triple-bogey on the par-4 seventh, her 13th hole of the day, thanks in part to playing the four par-5s in 2 under.

“I came out with the mindset to just play good golf and I did that for 17 holes,” Rocco said. “But after the bad hole, I came back and played pretty well. Luckily it held up.”

Sepp won the Senior crown, making six birdies on his way to a 2-under 70 and a four-stroke margin over Dave Lewis and Todd Roberts. Curley earned the Silver title with an even-par 72, a score matched by runner-up Terry Martin. Curley prevailed in a scorecard playoff.

Sepp and Curley also won their net divisions, along with Bryan Carlon (Championship) and Ashley Vaughn (Women).

HOF nominations sought

The Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame is seeking nominations for its Class of 2025, which will be announced and inducted in the fall.

Nominations can be made until March 15 for individuals or groups that have contributed to the game in Southern Nevada as a player, coach, volunteer, contributor or in some other significant manner. Nominees must have maintained a residency in Southern Nevada for a minimum of five years.

To make a nomination, fill out the form and submit any supporting documentation at www.lasvegasgolfhof.com.

Zhang is MIA

Don’t expect to see Las Vegas’ Rose Zhang on the LPGA Tour anytime in the near future. Although she played in the season-opening Tournament of Champions two weeks ago, she doesn’t expect to play again until the last week of March. The absence includes last week, when she did not defend her title at the Founders Cup in Bradenton, Florida.

Zhang is still in school and carrying a heavy load of classes for the winter quarter at Stanford. Although she’s a two-time winner on tour, Zhang was wrapping up her sophomore year of college when she turned pro in the summer of 2023. And despite being one of the world’s top players, she intends to continue her education by attending winter classes every year until she has enough credits to graduate with a communications degree, most likely in 2027.

Her timetable means she should be in the field at the T-Mobile Match Play at Shadow Creek the first week of April.

U.S. Open qualifiers

CasaBlanca Golf Club will once again be the site of a local qualifier for the U.S. Open, with players teeing it up in Mesquite on May 1. A second Nevada qualifier will be held May 12 at Somersett Golf and Country Club in Reno. They are among 110 sites across the country.

A handful of players will advance from each site to final qualifying at 10 locations in early June where about half the field will be determined for the U.S. Open. The national championship is set for June 12-15 at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania.

Greg Robertson can be reached at grobertson@reviewjournal.com.