LAS VEGAS, NV (July 24, 2025)—Steve Sear (Senior) and Kevin Sullivan (Silver) won titles in the 2025 Nevada State Senior Amateur. The three-day tournament was held July 22-24, 2025, at Spanish Trail Country Club.—by Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider
Senior
Steve Sear, representing Northern Nevada, won the Senior Division, riding a hot start to a four-shot victory.
It was the second straight year Sear has won this title and fourth overall as he also won in 2015 and 2016.
Sear had a five-birdie, no-bogey first round 67 and never looked back. For the three-day event, Sear had 12 birdies to go along with 37 pars.
“This was a great three days,” Sear said. “It’s always great to win an event like a state tournament. The first day was one of the best ball-striking rounds I can remember. But I struggled with the putter and it didn’t get any better as the tournament went on.”
How bad was the putting?
“The first round I should have been on 59 watch,” he said with a laugh. “I only shot 67 but I was inside of 10 feet all day and just didn’t make any putts. It was a tough three days on the greens. I had three or four three-putts.”
Sear, who has a financial advisory business in Reno, said the three days helped him get ready for a tournament run.
“I’ve got more tournaments coming up and would like to play well in them,” he said. “But doing well won’t be possible unless the putter improves.”
Sear said the three days eventually came down to the final two holes.
“Greg (Hudson, representing the SNGA) made it a close call at the end,” Sear said. “With two holes left I was only two up. He tried to hit three-wood into the green on 17 but just fell short and went into the lake. That opened the door for me and I hit a wedge for my third shot to about four feet and made the putt for birdie and that two-shot swing was the end.”
Senior
Steve Sear, 67-70-72—209
Greg Hudson, 72-72-69—213
Joe Sawaia, 67-77-71—215
Silver
Kevin Sullivan overcame a shaky start in the final round to win the Silver Division, winning the crown in a three-person playoff.
Sullivan was five-over-par for his first three holes in the final round, going double bogey-par-triple bogey, before righting the ship and getting into the playoff.
Sullivan, from Arizona, beat Steve McPherson (California) and Gary Carpendale (Southern Nevada) to win the title.
After the rocky start, Sullivan played the final 15 holes in three-under-par with four birdies and a lone bogey.
“That was quite the day,” said Sullivan who retired five years ago after a 30-year run in the paper and packaging industry. “I got off to a horrific start with the double and the triple. I’ll admit I was nervous and it showed.”
He righted the ship with a couple of pars and then got it back on the right track.
“When I made the birdie on No. 7 that’s when I thought, well, the world isn’t going to end,” he said. “I knew I had to hang in there. I’ve played enough tournament golf to know that anything can happen. I was confident I could make birdies…I did it earlier…and it happened.”
His final 15-hole run was good enough to get him into the playoff where he won on the second hole.
“Steve (McPherson) and I parred the first playoff hole and Gary didn’t,” Sullivan said. “Then on the second hole I knocked my second shot on and Steve hit it in the water and that was the end of it.”
He said the title is something he will use to build confidence.
“This is by far my biggest accomplishment,” he said. “I was very fortunate. There were a lot of very good players in the tournament. It’s very gratifying.”
Silver
x-Kevin Sullivan, 69-70-74—213
Steve McPherson, 71-71-71—213
Gary Carpendale, 72-71-70—213
x-Won in three-person playoff
