Forget that advertising slogan, because so far as Patrick Welch is concerned, what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas. Not a chance. He was taking that recent victory with him, because it provided not only his biggest thrill in golf, but enormous confidence that he hopes to parlay into more success.
“When I had just (a slim) lead, I didn’t give anything away,” said Welch, a senior at the University of Oklahoma. “I hit all 18 greens and played solid.”
With rounds of 66-69-67 for 14-under 202, Welch on March 1 nailed down a victory in the Southern Highlands Collegiate at Southern Highlands CC in Las Vegas. To call it his “biggest thrill in golf” is saying something, because Welch — the pride of Rhode Island — already had some significant success on his resume.
Having lived with his family in Providence from 2010-20 – and being someone who will always feel connected to New England – Welch played golf and baseball at Classical High School there and he was embraced as a “Rhode Islander” after a string of victories that put him on the map: The Rhode Island State Junior Championship in 2013; the 14-15 age division title at the National Drive, Chip, and Putt Championship at Augusta National in 2014; the New England Junior Amateur in 2015.