LAS VEGAS (November 10, 2025) – The Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame officially teed off a new era with its 2025 Night of Induction at the state-of-the-art HyperX Arena inside Luxor Hotel & Casino, marking the debut of the new Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Pavilion.
The annual celebration – long known as the “Best Night in Vegas Golf” – honored the 2025 class of inductees, including Thom Blinkinsop, Golf Fore Kids and the Wursten Brothers, Joe Sawaia and Deborah Vidal, while Jerry Roberts received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades-long contributions to the sport.
“This year’s event raised over $50,000 for junior golf programs in southern Nevada and marked a defining moment for the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame,” said Rob McCoy, president of the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame. “For more than 25 years, our mission has been to celebrate the people and stories that make golf in Southern Nevada so special. Bringing that tradition into a new era and introducing the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Pavilion reflects our growth and the strength of this community – and hosting it at HyperX Arena gave us a world-class stage to match that vision.”
The 30,000-square-foot HyperX Arena at Luxor Hotel & Casino provided a stunning setting for the event. Featuring a multilevel modular design, elevated stage, 50-foot LED screen and the signature HyperX Hype Tunnel, the venue delivered an immersive visual experience fitting for Las Vegas’ premier golf celebration.
The 2025 inductees joined a distinguished list of honorees with strong Las Vegas golf connections, including Butch Harmon, Ryan Moore, Charley Hoffman, Chris Riley, Stephanie Louden, Dwaine Knight, and the 1998 National Championship UNLV Golf Team, among others.
A Look Into the 2025 Inductees:
Thom Blinkinsop: Thom Blinkinsop is a 25-year PGA of America Professional and a former United States Marine who saw combat duty in Desert Storm and Desert Shield. He was named 2012 Southern Nevada Chapter PGA Professional of the Year and has served on the board of directors for 12 years. He also is a past PGA Southwest Section Merchandiser of the Year. He also serves as a leader on the Nevada Golf Alliance, which helps preserve the game of golf in Nevada. He is currently the treasurer of the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame, and also supports the YMCA, the UNLV PGA, and other worthy causes. He recently celebrated 22 years at Red Rock Country Club, where he is Regional General Manager including overseeing Siena and Arroyo golf courses.
Golf For Kids and Wursten Brothers: In Mesquite, Nevada, 77 miles North of Las Vegas and within the Las Vegas Golf Region, two brothers, Rob and Brian Wursten, plus an entire community, celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Golf Fore Kids event in 2024. What makes the event extra special is 500+ golfers from the community gather to make a difference. The event has surpassed $1 million in total raised to benefit local children, becoming an amazing community event run by volunteers. Brian is currently the Director of Golf for Mesquite Entertainment while Rob is the General Manager of Falcon Ridge Golf Club.
Joe Sawaia: Sawaia led Coronado High School to six men’s and seven women’s Nevada State High School Golf Championships in addition to many individual and region titles. He also helped 30+ young golfers earn Division I college scholarships. Also, Coronado alumni have played the PGA Tour and are eyeing the LPGA Tour. His two sons, Ben and Brett, both played for the UNLV Men’s Golf team. In addition, Sawaia, a former UNLV baseball player, has been a top Nevada amateur golfer, winning the 2008 and 2010 Nevada State Mid-Am titles and was the 2010 Southern Nevada Golf Association Player of the Year. He also qualified and made the match play of the 2024 U.S. Senior Amateur and in July qualified for 2025 U.S. Senior Amateur to be played in August.
Deborah Vidal: Known as Deborah McHaffie for part of her LPGA Tour career, Deborah Vidal had one of the most unique and inspiring careers in professional golf history. Remarkably, Vidal didn’t take up the game until the age of 23, but in just a few short years she became an LPGA Tour star. She played on the LPGA Tour for 11 years, reaching career-high world ranking of No. 43 before injuries unfortunately brought her professional career to an early end. Internationally, Vidal made a significant impact in Japan, receiving exclusive invitations to play in eight tournaments per year on the JLPGA Tour and finished runner up in the prestigious JLPGA Championship in her debut.
Upon taking up the game and as a member of the iconic Las Vegas Country Club, Vidal won several club championships and her amateur career soared with victories at the 1982 and 1983 Women’s Nevada State Amateur. She also won the prestigious Mexican Amateur Championship in 1983, and in 1984, she finished runner-up in three of the most notable amateur events: the Western Amateur, Broadmoor Invitational, and Trans-National Championship.
Jerry Roberts: Jerry Roberts is a inductee from 2006 and the recipient of the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award. Roberts is a PGA of America Lifetime Member and one of the most well-known and iconic golf professionals in Las Vegas history. Most notably, he helped bring Spanish Trail Golf and Country Club to prominence and served as the head professional from day one and for more than two decades. He remains a Pro Emeritus at Spanish Trail. He also served as the president of the Southern Nevada Chapter, PGA of America, and was the 2006 Chapter Senior Player of the Year and the 2004 Lifetime Achievement honoree among other honors. He Is also a noted golf instructor whose students have won state titles and many other prestigious championships. He also has donated time and money to key golf organizations.
