Golden State Tour events set for Chardonnay and Silverado this week
It’s a big week for amateur and professional golf, as two Golden State Tour events, the Purefect Shootout at Chardonnay and the Napa Open, will take place in Napa County. Both are mini-tour events.
There are 48 players entered in the Purefect Shootout at Chardonnay. It’s a two-day, 36-hole event, Monday and Tuesday, at Chardonnay Golf Club & Vineyards in American Canyon. The event, hosted by Zack Sims and Brandon Duncan of Purefect Golf, a Napa company, has a $9,000 purse.
There is a sold-out field of 87 players for the Napa Open, which will be played Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa. Now in its third year and hosted by Andy Miller, the Napa Open has a $47,500 purse.
“These guys that play in all of these Golden State Tour events are really good players and on any given day can compete with the top-level guys,” said Sims, a Napa resident, who will play in both events during the week. “The talent is definitely there.
“This is something that you can mark on your calendar for the week and then just really focus on playing some good golf. This is a great spot. The Napa Open has been good the past two years. We’re happy to get a little two-day tournament in prior to the Napa Open and kind of get some momentum going into that.”
Starting times for Monday’s first round of the Purefect Shootout at Chardonnay begin at 8 a.m., with the final group going out at 10:30 a.m.
Chardonnay will be set up as a par-72, 6,948-yard layout from the Sovereign tees. Sims, who turned pro in 2018, will play in the first group of the day and will be joined by Kyle Wall and Tim Long, both amateur players who are from Napa.
“We’re going to put the pins in some tough positions,” said Sims, a Napa High School graduate, who played his college golf for Holy Names University of Oakland.
The field also includes Aaron Beverly of Fairfield and Michael Butler of Napa. They are members of the golf department staff at Silverado. Beverly is a two-time Big Sky Conference Player of the Year and earlier this year was selected to Sacramento State’s All-Decade Team (2010–2020) for men’s golf.
There is no charge for spectators to watch.
“It would be cool if some locals came out and watched and looked at some of the pros golfing and looked at some pins that they might not see very often out there,” said Sims, who plays and teaches out of Silverado.
Sims was chosen to the 2018 Division II PING All-West Regional team by the Golf Coaches Association of America. He was selected as the Holy Names Male Student-Athlete of the Year and was first-team All-Pacific West Conference.
Purefect Golf is a big supporter of junior golf. The company will be sponsoring three juniors to play in the Purefect Shootout. Katie Robinson, Nick Young and Nolan Harris will play together in the last group on Monday only.
Purefect Golf products include hats, visors, beanies, head covers, scorecard holders, ball markers and towels. It also produces videos focusing on golf tips.
“To us, it’s always been clear that quality shows on (and off) the course. Our passion is bringing that distinction to our customers through quality golf apparel and instruction,” Purefect Golf reports on its Facebook page, www.facebook.com/pg/purefectgolf/about/
“We want to target all the guys that play in the Golden State events. That’s who we want to target with our brand. We hope that they can spread the word and do their part, which we know they will,” said Sims.
The Napa Open will be played Wednesday on the North Course, Thursday on the South Course, and Friday on the North Course.
The North will be set up as a par-72, 6,793-yard layout.
The South will be set up as a par-72, 6,612-yard layout.
The field features Sahith Theegala of Chino Hills, CA, who tied for 14th place at the PGA Tour’s Safeway Open in September at Silverado while playing on an unrestricted sponsor invitation. Theegala had rounds of 71, 68, 64 and 70 for a 15-under-par 273 total. It was Theegala’s seventh start in a PGA Tour event.
“He’s a really good player,” said Miller.
Theegala played at Pepperdine University and was the recipient of the Fred Haskins Award, Ben Hogan Award and Jack Nicklaus Award.
Also in the field is Miller, a member of the BYU Hall of Fame and a four-time NCAA All-American. Miller, Silverado’s design director, is a Justin-Siena graduate and played on the PGA Tour.
Corey Pereira of Cameron Park, CA, who won the inaugural Napa Open, is entered.
Pereira earned $6,000 after winning the first Napa Open in January 2019. The former University of Washington player shot 14-under 202 and won by a seven-shot margin, posting rounds of 66 (North), 68 (South) and 68 (North).
Sims and Devon Raymond from the golf staff at Silverado are also entered.
“It’s cool to get some of these up and coming players,” said Miller, who also played on the Nationwide Tour. “These guys are good. It will be a good field.”
Play will start each day at 9 a.m.
“I’m hoping to make it a tradition, for this to be a great event, that builds and gets better and better,” said Miller. “This is our third year. The word has gotten out. It’s building and it’s done better each year.”
The first-place prize is expected to be over $10,000.
It’s open to spectators.
Jack Ireland of Mission Viejo, CA won the second Napa Open, played in November of 2019. The former UCLA player beat Alex Lee of Sacramento on the first hole of a sudden death playoff.
Ireland had rounds of 75 (North), 67 (South) and 71 (North). He received $7,500.
The Golden State Tour, founded in 1982, “is the longest running professional ‘Mini Tour’ in the country,” according to its website, www.bluegolf.com/pro/programs/gstour/about.html.
“The Golden State Golf Tour has consistently provided professional golfers with a competitive, year round tournament schedule in California and other areas of the West Coast,” the website said.
