Columnist Dean Juipe: Neck injury sidelines May

Dean Juipe

Tuesday, July 28, 1998 | 11:28 a.m.

Despite waking up on the wrong side of the bed, Las Vegas resident Bob May had a profitable stay at the British Open and is playing well on the European Tour this year.

But his immediate concern is a sprained neck, the result of a sleeping mishap the night after collecting a check for $9,800 for shooting 70, 73, 85, 75 at Royal Birkdale.

"I was sleeping and I turned my head and heard a wicked pop," said May, back at his Summerlin home for three weeks of R&R. "It was my neck and my left shoulder blade and I was in instant pain."

He avoided golf for a week, waiting until Monday to hit some balls.

"I thought my game was coming to form before this neck injury," May said. "I was doing real well, not that I couldn't do better."

May, 29, has won $130,000 on the tour this year, with a seventh-place finish at the Italian Open his best outing. He'll return to Europe in two weeks and play the final six tournaments of the season.

He hopes to receive a special exemption to play in October's Las Vegas Invitational, and he may also take a stab at the PGA Tour's Qualifying School this fall in an effort to regain his playing privileges in the United States.

May played the PGA Tour in 1994 but lost his card after earning $31,079 and finishing No. 209 on that year's money list.

"I'm not sure about Q-School," he said. "I might stay in Europe another year and build my self-confidence. Regardless, I know I'll be playing a major tour next year whether it's in the U.S. or in Europe."

He was delighted to make the cut at the British Open and, aside from his third round, was satisfied with his play. He also took some pleasure in seeing former Oklahoma State University colleague Brian Watts -- who plays in Japan, the result of failing to keep his PGA Tour card in 1991 -- come in a surprising second.

"It just goes to show there are other good players besides those on the PGA Tour," May said. "I enjoyed seeing Brian do so well and it was good for golf in general."

If the major league baseball season were to end today, it would be the first time since 1962 that the RBI leader had a higher total than the player with the most strikeouts. Juan Gonzalez of the Texas Rangers leads the majors with 116 RBI, while Cleveland's Jim Thome tops the strikeout list with 111. In '62, Tommy Davis of the Los Angeles Dodgers drove in 153 runs while Harmon Killebrew of the Minnesota Twins was the strikeout leader with 142. ... Missing in action: Benito Santiago. Once a great looking catcher with the Las Vegas Stars and later a major league All-Star, Santiago has not played a single game this season for the Toronto Blue Jays. He's out with a bad right knee. ... This week's Mark McGwire note: He'll receive $1 for every ticket his St. Louis Cardinals sell after 2.8 million fans have passed through the gates at Busch Stadium. ... Baseball has made a concerted effort to reduce the time of its games, as National League game times are down 11 minutes from last year and American League times are down eight minutes on the average. The reason is obvious when watching a game on TV: When the telecast comes back from a commercial break, the umpire already has the hitter in the box awaiting the pitch. ... The Mirage is considering building an arena for various events, including sports, that would seat 12,000 to 15,000.

The best golfing value in the area right now is at Pahrump's Calvada, where the greens fee is $15 after noon and there's hardly anyone on the course. ... The NCAA is considering legislation that would allow football teams to play 12 games per season, up from the current restriction of 11. The move would take effect in the 2002 season. ... The Arizona Cardinals have not had a winning season since 1984, the longest such streak in the NFL. They were 4-12 last year. ... George Foreman and Larry Holmes are signed to fight next Jan. 23, although the site remains uncertain. Don't count on it coming to Las Vegas, however, as the promoter -- a man named Roger Levitt -- does not have a license here, plus the casinos usually won't support an event that is scheduled a week before the Super Bowl. ... A pro track league, with visible prize money (not under the table), is being developed in Europe. The Golden League, as it is known, is preparing for a six-meet season. ... Donovan Bailey holds the world record in the 100 meters with a 9.84 time and at the Goodwill Games he said "I know I can run faster than the record" when asked about the sport's ever-decreasing times. ... A record eight high-school football players died in 1997.

TV broadcaster Dan Dierdorf after IBF flyweight champion Mark Johnson showboated his way to victory in a one-sided and unappealing fight televised by ABC on Sunday: "I guess network exposure isn't what it used to be." ... The everyday player with the lowest batting average right now in the major leagues is a guy who played in the All-Star Game a year ago, Los Angeles' Charles Johnson. He's hitting .208, down 42 points from a year ago when he helped the Florida Marlins to the world championship. ... Here are the single-season major league records for home runs by position: first base, Hank Greenberg, 58, Detroit, 1938, and McGwire, Oakland and St. Louis, 1997; second base, Davey Johnson, 43, Atlanta, 1972; third base, Mike Schmidt, 48, Philadelphia, 1980; shortstop, Ernie Banks, 47, Chicago, 1958; left field, Ralph Kiner, 54, Pittsburgh, 1949; center field, Hack Wilson, 56, Chicago, 1930, and Ken Griffey Jr., Seattle, 1997; right field, Roger Maris, 61, New York, 1961; catcher, Todd Hundley, 41, New York, 1996; and pitcher, Wes Ferrell, 9, Cleveland, 1931.