The Duel in the Desert has become a tradition unlike any other on the US Am Tour. The annual tournament, held over Super Bowl week at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort, is a must-play for hundreds of golfers from around the country. The tournament has become so popular that it is expanding to two weekends in 2023. The three championship Pete Dye courses at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort and the destination of Las Vegas are key reasons for the success. –By Brian Hurlburt, founder, LasVegasGolfInsider.com
The US Am Tour’s Duel in the Desert celebrates 20 years in Las Vegas in 2023 and is nearing a decade at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort. The event is a complete sell out each year and utilizes all three Paiute courses.
The anticipation and popularity of the event finally reached a tipping point. In 2023, an additional weekend is being added. The second event has sold out two of the three Dye courses the following week. The Duel in the Desert 1 is scheduled for Feb. 8-10 and Duel in the Desert 2 is Feb. 15-17.
“We had so many people on a waiting list that we had to expand to two weeks,” says Rick Adamek, US Am Tour co-owner. “We were lucky enough to contract with the folks at Paiute about eight years ago. It is not easy to secure all three courses and buy them out, but we were fortunate that we were able to develop that relationship and work with them. It’s been great ever since. The conditions of the golf courses and the views at Paiute from the clubhouse are phenomenal. Our players love the place.”
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In 2022, Adamek and his team held the US Am Tour National Championship at the Paiute for the first time and it was also a huge success. His management team and players not only appreciate the physical characteristics of the resort, but also the personal touch that is provided.
“If I said it once, I have said it a million times, that I’ve been operating golf tournaments for over 20 years and we operate 600 events a year all around the country, and I’ve never seen a better outside staff than the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort,” Adamek says. “They absolutely knock it out of the park as far as setting up, getting everything ready, and positioning everything They, I think they get in there at two or three in the morning and get ready for our team. We have a wonderful partnership.”
Not surprisingly, the draw of Las Vegas is also a main reason for the Duel in the Desert’s popularity. The official hotel resort partner in 2023 is The Mirage. Adamek says a long-term partnership with the Mirage, which was recently purchased by Hard Rock International, is in the works..
“It’s good to have a partner with that kind of name, there’s no doubt about that,” Adamek says. “And Las Vegas speaks for itself. It is the adult playground of the world. People visit for whatever reason they choose and find a million things to do. For us and our golfers, it works out great because we set up the golf and they just show up and play and then can go about their business at night.”
The Duel in the Deserts are sold out but all information about other 2023 tournaments around the country and 2024 information will be available at USAmTour.com.
The Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort is an official course partner of LasVegasGolfInsider.com.
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