Reno golfer wins Nevada State Amateur, headed to US Amateur

There was a huge carrot dangling in front of Trent Virden and the rest of the field at last week’s Nevada State Amateur, one that made the Reno golfer head south for the week.

Virden, by virtue of winning the biggest amateur event in Nevada, earned an exemption into next week’s U.S. Amateur at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

“I’m really getting excited for it,” he said of the national championship. “Once I found out there was an exemption available, it made me make this (Nevada State Amateur) a priority.”

Virden was the most consistent golfer at Anthem Country Club in Henderson, shooting three rounds under par to finish at 7-under 209 for a three-stroke victory over Ian Fritz, a former Coronado High standout and a senior at the University of the Pacific.

“I putted well all week, and I didn’t get myself into a ton of trouble,” Virden said of his keys to success.

Virden hung around the top of the leaderboard all week while a number of players rose and dropped around him. Each of his challengers had one difficult day among their three rounds, but Virden stayed steady with rounds of 69, 71 and 69.

“Don’t give up strokes, that’s the mindset I’ve taken into tournaments,” he said.

It’s a philosophy that worked at Anthem. Over 54 holes, he made just six bogeys and one double bogey, more than offset by 15 birdies.

Virden had visions of playing on the PGA Tour growing up in Reno, but he failed to make the golf team at UNR. As his game improved, and with the blessing of his father, Virden left school, turned pro and played mini-tours for almost seven years.

But when marriage and a child came along, he knew it was time to give up the dream, get a real job in the home loan business and regain his amateur status.

Now 33, Virden found himself battling mostly college players at the Nevada State Amateur, something he used as motivation.

“I have a little chip on my shoulder,” he says of never playing college golf.

Among those challenging for the title were Fritz (Pacific), former Bishop Gorman player Avery Lazarski (St. Mary’s), Gabriel Smith (Sacramento State) and Brett Sawaia (UNLV), the former Coronado standout attempting to join his brother Ben in winning a state championship.

Their talent was not lost on Virden, but he had no trepidation about going head to head against them.

“I know I can compete with them,” he said.

Now he heads to San Francisco next week, where 312 players will tee it up at the U.S. Amateur.

“It’s the most exciting thing I’ve done in my career,” he said.

Chip shots

— Three recent UNLV graduates have been named 2024-25 NCAA Division I All-America Scholars, the Golf Coaches Association of America announced last week, marking the eighth time in the past nine years that multiple Rebels have earned the award. Caden Fioroni (Sociology) and Ben Sawaia (Urban Studies) are three-time honorees, while Trevor Lewis (Computer Science) made the list for the second straight year.

— With limited status on the PGA Tour, Las Vegan Taylor Montgomery took a step down to the Korn Ferry Tour last week and came close to a victory. He tied for second at 16-under 264 at the Utah Championship, two shots behind Julian Suri. Montgomery had led after each of the first three rounds after opening with a 62 on Thursday.

Contact Greg Robertson at grobertson@reviewjournal.com.