Aug. 8, 2011
SAN DIEGO - Former San Diego State men's golfer Scott Piercy claimed his first-ever PGA event title Sunday, winning the Reno-Tahoe Open in Reno, Nev. Piercy edged runner-up Pat Perez by one stroke with a 72-hole total of 15-under 273 to earn the $540,000 first-place check at the 7,472-yard Montreaux Golf & Country Club.
Piercy began the tournament with opening rounds of 72-70 and then vaulted into first place with a course-record 11-under 61, highlighted by 10 birdies, including eight consecutive, and an eagle on the 18th hole. He finished the event with a 70, carding four-straight pars to end the day just one stroke better than Perez and two in front of fellow Americans Steve Flesch and Blake Adams.
Piercy played for the Aztecs from the fall of 1998 until the spring of 2000, capping his collegiate career with all-Mountain West Conference honors. He turned pro in 2001 and made his PGA Tour debut in 2003. In 2011, the Las Vegas, Nev., native now has a pair of top-10 finishes, including a sixth-place performance at the RBC Canadian Open in late July. He was also 18th at the Viking Classic and 26th at the HP Byron Nelson Championship and is currently 84th on the PGA Tour money list with just over $900,000. He has 18 career top-25 PGA performances with six of those in the top 10 and has won over $2.8 million in prize money.
With the victory in Reno, Piercy earned a spot in this week's PGA championship, slated for Aug. 8-14, at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Ga.