Tiger vs. Phil, charity classic highlight Natalie Gulbis’ calendar

By Brian Hurlburt Special to the Review-Journal

6 years ago

Golfer Natalie Gulbis watches as a girl swings a golf club during White House Sports and Fitness Day on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Professional golfer and Henderson resident Natalie Gulbis, left, signs autographs for Fendi Davis, middle, and Darlene Funes as she opens a new Boys and Girls Club at the Apache Pines Apartment Complex in Las Vegas on April 9, 2013. (Jason Bean/Las Vegas Review-Journal) JASON BEAN Professional golfer and Henderson resident Natalie Gulbis, left, signs autographs for Fendi Davis, middle, and Darlene Funes as she opens a new Boys and Girls Club at the Apache Pines Apartment Complex in Las Vegas on April 9, 2013. (Jason Bean/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Doing good deeds and observing and commentating on the upcoming match between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are part of a very busy November for LPGA Tour player Natalie Gulbis.

Gulbis hosts her annual golf classic to benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada on Monday at Spanish Trail and Nov. 23 she will be part of the broadcast team for the Tiger vs. Phil pay-per-view spectacle at Shadow Creek.

“I am not sure who is going to win and am a huge fan of both Tiger and Phil,” Gulbis said. “I am really looking forward to watching it unfold. I think it’s great and will bring a lot of eyeballs to golf at a time when maybe there wouldn’t be.

“I mean it’s Tiger vs. Phil; who wouldn’t want to watch that? I hope their microphones are turned up so we can hear everything they say.”

Gulbis has a Boys and Girls Club named for her on West Tropicana and raises money for the organization. She routinely drops by without media attention to take the kids on outings or just hang out.

Gulbis said it is rewarding to see some of the older kids, now young adults, return to volunteer because of the positive impact it made on them.

“The pamphlet for Boys and Girls Clubs will give you 500 reasons why the experience is important to kids, but the reasons I am compelled to mention are how it helps build confidence and the kids start to believe in themselves,” Gulbis said. “It does so much for an area to have a club, especially as the kids get older with what choices they make after school.

”A club gives them a safe place to go. I don’t see them on cell phones when they are there. They are playing sports, interacting with other kids and having fun.”

Local champs roll call

— At the Legacy member-guest, Mark and Dave Klimek won while Chip Miller and John Lee were runner-up.

— At the Las Vegas Country Club women’s member-guest, the champions were Judy Taggart and Rae Ann Kicker (net) and Diane Booth and Laura Smith (gross).

— At Las Vegas Golf Club, Dennis Moore won the net division of the Southern Nevada Golf Association Las Vegas City Amateur and Brett Sodetz won the championship division. Other winners: Brigham Gibbs (senior), Dario Gonzales (Silver), Michael Kerr (senior net) and Tom Richardson (silver net) .

— At Anthem, Regina Quintero (gross) and Gabriele Buonacorsi (net) won the overall titles of the Nevada State Women’s Senior Amateur. Other winners were Christy Atencio (silver), Debbie Love (silver net), Karen Herness (gold), Monica Fairbanks (gold net), Sharon Bunker (platinum) and Fay Geddes (platinum net).

Weekly deal

Starting Veteran’s Day and through November, Rio Secco and Cascata are offering 25% off golf fees to active and retired military with proper ID. Also, five dollars per round played between November 12-30 will be donated locally to Veterans Village and nationally to PGA Hope.

Stars on, off course

Backstreet Boys member Brian Littrell attended the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open first round.

The golf notebook appears Wednesdays. Freelance writer Brian Hurlburt is a two-time author who has covered golf in Las Vegas for more than two decades. He can be reached at bhurlburt5@gmail.com or @LVGolfInsider.