LAS VEGAS (June 28, 2026)–Matt Mitchell (Championship), Rick Sepp (Senior) and Gary Carpendale (Silver) won gross titles in the 2026 Reflection Bay Amateur. Kyle Luddington (Net), Brian Freymueller (Senior) and Anthony Becker (Silver) won net titles in the Nevada Golf Southern Region tournament held June 27-28, 2026, at Reflection Bay Golf Club.–by Bill Bowman
Championship
Matt Mitchell made it two straight Nevada Golf tournament victories and four for the season in winning the Championship Division.
Mitchell, who played baseball at UNLV and is now in the gaming industry in Las Vegas, said he used the two days to prep for the upcoming Nevada State Amateur set for July 7-9, 2026, at TPC Summerlin.
“With the state am coming up, these kinds of tournaments let me work on different chip shots, iron shots in the wind and other shots you just can’t replicate on the driving range or the chipping area,” he said.
Mitchell added that his first day was solid…even with the wind.
“I played really well the first day with the wind,” he said. “Early in the tournament I had the chance to try a few shots to see what works under pressure. Today, with the lead, I had to try and lock it down and play my game. I wanted to hit shots I knew would work.”
He said his putting still needs some attention going forward.
“I’m hitting it pretty good but I just putted terrible,” he said. “I had five or six lipouts and just made absolutely nothing. It would have been nice if a couple of them had gone in.”
He said the state am will test putting skills.
“I want to get prepared for TPC Summerlin,” he said. “They have really fast greens so I’ve got to get ready for that.”
Championship
Matt Mitchell, 67-73—140
Grant McKay, 72-69—141
Kyle Leydon, 71-74—145
Net
Kyle Luddington birdied three of his final four holes (one natural and two net) in winning his first Nevada Golf crown.
“My putting today was great,” Luddington said. “I had just 26 putts which is really good for me. I’m usually not a great putter but these greens were true. If you hit it on the right line, they rolled perfectly.”
These were the first two rounds he played at Reflection Bay and he said the course was impressive.
“This was an outstanding two days on a great golf course,” he said. “I love tournament golf because the courses are usually great and the staffs that put on the event are great.”
Luddington said his finishing stretch of birdies was an unexpected run.
“On 15 I hit it left and had to punch out,” he said. “I hit a nice shot from 150 yards to get up and down. Then on 17 I made a 15-footer for birdie that was a tough downhill putt.”
Luddington added tournament golf turns up his focus.
“Playing golf with your buddies is fun,” he said. “But tournament competition is much better. It brings out the best in you and tests your nerves.”
Net
Kyle Luddington, 74-70—144
Jay Ship, 73-73—146
Gary McCollum, 78-70—148
Senior
Rick Sepp overcame a triple bogey start on his first hole of the tournament en route to a one-stroke victory in the Senior Division.
It was Sepp’s first win of 2026 after posting four wins in 2025–two individual titles and two team crowns.
“It was a tough start,” Sepp said with a laugh. “I triple-bogeyed the first and then three-putted the third for a bogey. I was four-over after three holes. Not a good start.”
But he recovered and wound up with a two-over-par day.
“I played great golf the rest of the round,” he said. “I made a few putts and that really helped me get things straightened out.”
The second day saw another tough start.
“I three-putted the first hole for a bogey,” Sepp said. “I managed to shoot even-par on the first nine and then birdied No. 1 (his 10th hole). I figured I had a pretty good lead but then I had a rough stretch. I bogeyed the fourth and fifth holes, then hit it OB on the sixth and made double and then bogeyed the seventh.”
It was then he checked out the leaderboard.
“I thought I’ve still got a chance to win this,” he said.
Sepp, Greg Hudson and Greg Pyszko were tied for the lead on the 18th tee box. In the end, Sepp lagged a 15-foot birdie putt up to a foot and tapped in for a par. Hudson and Pyszko missed long par putts giving Sepp the win.
“It wasn’t pretty but I held on for the win,” he said. “I felt like we were in a playoff right there on that last hole and par was good enough to win.”
Senior
Rick Sepp, 74-76—150
Ryan Caress, 80-71—151
Greg Hudson, 78-73—151
Senior Net
For the second time this month, Brian Freymueller won a scorecard playoff for a Senior Net title.
Earlier this month he won a scorecard playoff to win the Senior Net title in the 2026 Las Vegas Senior City Amateur.
“This is a thrill,” Freymueller said. “When I got in, I was one behind and thought, well, at least I’ll get second. Then Greg (Pyszko) bogeyed 18 just like I did and I won in the scorecard playoff so I’m thrilled.”
He said his two days were like night and day.
“Yesterday was tough,” he said. “There was so much wind that club selection was just a pure guess. I did manage to keep the ball in play and didn’t have any penalty strokes so I kept myself in there.”
Then came an impressive second round.
“Today I was hitting the ball solid and made some par putts from eight, 10 and 15 feet,” he said. “I also made some nice birdie putts as well so my putter definitely kept me in it.”
Freymueller said a pair of victories this month has his confidence soaring.
“It’s been a great month,” he said. “I’ve been playing some solid golf lately. Late last year I was struggling to break 90 so it’s nice to have found some things in my game that have helped me get back on track.”
Senior Net
x-Brian Freymueller, 76-71—147
Greg Pyszko, 75-72—147
Freddie Sarno, 79-73—152
x-Won in scorecard playoff
Silver
Gary Carpendale birdied two of his final three holes to hold off a hard-charging Mark Foley for a one-stroke victory.
It was Carpendale’s first individual win since late in the 2024 season.
“I had help from the other players,” Carpendale said with a laugh. “About the only one who played well was the second-place finisher (Mark Foley) but he started pretty far back.”
Carpendale said he certainly didn’t expect to win.
“I’ve been fighting vertigo for a year-and-a-half,” he said. “My game hasn’t been good at all. I haven’t played in a ton of tournaments so it’s tough to compete.”
He added the vertigo is definitely a challenge.
“It just wrecks your game,” he said. “I’ve gone from a +3 to a 3 (handicap) so I’m six shots worse per round. That makes it tough to compete with these guys. And I have trouble practicing because the heat makes the vertigo worse.”
Carpendale said his final three holes of the tournament were the difference.
“I thought I had to birdie-out to win,” he said. “I went 3-3-3 so that was a good finish.”
He said the two days, with the vertigo stealing the spotlight, were a battle.
“I was just trying to survive,” he said. “I didn’t do anything real well. Those last three holes saved me.”
Silver
Gary Carpendale, 75-74—149
Mark Foley, 80-70—150
Steve McPherson, 75-76—151
Silver Net
Anthony Becker overcame a slow start in the final round to win the Silver Net title by one stroke.
It was Becker’s first win in 2026 after posting three victories in 2025.
Becker was two-over-par through his first six holes before finishing the final 12 holes in three-under-par (two natural birdies, two net birdies and one bogey) to hold on for the win.
“(Saturday) it was all about survival,” Becker said. “The wind made it a very tough challenge.”
He added the second day saw the conditions–and his game–turn around.
“It was a lot easier condition-wise out here today,” he said. “And I had a good day with the putter. My putter kept me in it. I’m also finally driving the ball straight again which is always a good thing.”
Becker added he’s appreciative every time he tees it up in Nevada Golf events.
“I’m so thankful for these Nevada Golf tournaments,” he said. “They get us out on some of the most beautiful courses around.”
Becker said he’s glad to see his game on the rise.
“Today I shot an 82 and I think that’s my lowest score in about a year,” he said. “I’m pretty excited about getting close to that 79 number. That would make me very happy. It’s been about four years since I’ve seen that number.”
Silver Net
Anthony Becker, 77-71—148
Barry Boudreaux, 81-68—149
Ron Clabaugh, 80-69—149
