MESQUITE, Nev. – The 17th annual Mesquite Amateur tournament wrapped up Friday, crowning its champions after five days of competition.
According to a news release announcing the winners, the overall champion was Daniel Monico of Saugus, Massachusetts, who shot a championship round of 80 on Friday with a total course handicap of 20. In the women’s tournament, Gigi Higgins, from Cape Coral, Florida, shot a 75 with a course handicap of 2, making her the Mesquite Amateur’s first three-time defending low gross score champion. Higgins was also the overall champion at the 2017 Mesquite Amateur.
“This is my fifth year playing in the Mesquite Amateur and I keep coming back to develop friendships and meet new people from all walks of life,” Monico said afterward. “I would highly recommend playing in this tournament, there’s nothing better than desert golf.”
The tournament, which ran from Monday through Friday, was a 54-hole event that featured a full field of nearly 650 golfers who played on six scenic, award-winning courses in Mesquite, Nevada, and St. George, Utah, including CasaBlanca Golf Club, Palms Golf Club, Falcon Ridge Golf Club, Palmer Course at Oasis Golf Club, Conestoga Golf Club and Coral Canyon Golf Club.
The top 10 players in each of the 20 flights were awarded their choice of a Taylor Made or Callaway gift card, with the total prize pool worth $57,000.
“Winning this three years in a row feels so special and it’s incredible to win this trophy once again,” Higgins said. “This is my seventh Mesquite Amateur and I can’t wait to come back next year for my eighth.”
After play finished on Monday, the annual Bruce King Memorial Scholarship was presented to a Virgin Valley High School senior. This year’s recipient, Deisi Guzman, was awarded the $7,000 scholarship on May 27 during the nightly recap presentation inside the CasaBlanca Events Center.
The scholarship is awarded in memory of Bruce King, who participated in the first 10 years of the Mesquite Amateur before he died in 2012. Each year, the Mesquite Amateur donates $2,000 toward the scholarship fund.
“With another year of the Mesquite Amateur in the books, we are proud to see the community come together once again, and we were fortunate to have 55 local volunteers come out and support this special event,” said Christian Adderson, tournament director for Mesquite Gaming. “Between meeting new participants from across the country, providing a local student with a college scholarship and five days of great golf, this event is one of the most rewarding of the year.”
For final round results and tournament totals, please visit golfgenius.com.
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Daniel Monico, overall winner of the 17th annual Mesquite Amateur golf tournament, Mesquite, Nev., May 31, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Mesquite Gaming, St. George News Official logo of the 17th annual Mesquite Amateur golf tournament, Mesquite, Nev., May 27-31, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Mesquite Gaming, St. George News Deisi Guzman, a Virgin Valley High School senior, receives ceremonial check representing a $7,000 Bruce King Memorial Scholarship award, Mesquite. Nev., May 27, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Mesquite Gaming, St. George News Gigi Higgins, winner of the 17th annual Mesquite Amateur golf tournament, is congratulated by Christian Adderson, tournament director for Mesquite Gaming, Mesquite, Nev., May 31, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Mesquite Gaming, St. George News Daniel Monico, winner of the 17th annual Mesquite Amateur golf tournament, is congratulated by Christian Adderson, tournament director for Mesquite Gaming, Mesquite, Nev., May 31, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Mesquite Gaming, St. George News Gigi Higgins and Daniel Monico, winners of the 17th annual Mesquite Amateur golf tournament, Mesquite, Nev., May 31, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Mesquite Gaming, St. George News Gigi Higgins and Daniel Monico, winners of the 17th annual Mesquite Amateur golf tournament, Mesquite, Nev., May 31, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Mesquite Gaming, St. George News
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