The annual Legends Reno-Tahoe Open, with one of its strongest fields in history, officially gets under way today with a noon pro-am and practice rounds.
Former Nevada golfer Charlie Wi and Brandt Snedeker recently said they would play. The duo joins well-known golfers like Billy Mayfair, Paul Azinger, Kevin Na, Rocco Mediate, Chris DiMarco, Scott McCarron and Charley Hoffman plus former champs Vaughn Taylor, Will MacKenzie, Kirk Triplett.
Na is 20th on the money list, while Hoffman is 28th.
The top 10 finishers from the Buick Open, who were not eligible before, are now eligible. Also, there are a couple of exemptions that tournament director Michael Stearns has yet to hand out. Any exemption must go to active tour players.
Tuesday is First Tee Day, which is hosted by Montreux Cares. On Wednesday is a pro-am plus the Montreux Wives' poker party at 11:30 a.m.
The 72-hole tournament gets under way at 7 a.m. Thursday. The Golf Channel will televise all four rounds of the tournament.
Ticket prices range from $17.50 for a daily ticket to $275 for a Champions Club ticket. A season ticket costs $60. For more information on the tournament, call 322-3900 or e-mail questions to info@legendsrenotahoeopen.com.
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Leroy's Race and Sports Book will have two football contests to go with its popular College and Pro Football challenges.
The two new contests are Three 'n Out contests, one that starts at the beginning of the season and one that starts Oct. 25. To enter the full season contest, you must register by 6 p.m. on Sept. 12 at any manned Leroy's location. The mid-season deadline is 6 p.m. on Oct. 24.
The premise of Three 'n Out is easy. Pick one pro game - side or total - each week. Keep hitting your picks and you could win all entry fees. Three losses and you are eliminated.
"If any player bombs the first three weeks of the full-season contest, we will comp them their entry fee in the mid-season contest," said tournament director John Salerno in a press release.
The College Challenge costs $250 and runs from Sept. 5 to Nov. 21. Each week participants must post seven games against the spread.
In the Pro Challenge, players can select five sides or totals each week. The 17-week season runs from Sept. 13 to Jan. 3. Each contest pays the top 40 places.
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As expected, I received a letter to the editor from the City of Sparks over my tirade about selling alcohol during youth events and banning coolers in the softball complex. One thing I should have mentioned before is that teams pay $450 to play in the tournament and out-of-town teams stay 2-3 nights in area hotels during the tournament, and frequent local eateries, so they are putting money into local economy. I don't blame the teams for trying to save money by bringing in food and water.