May looking for home-course advantage in LVI

Friday, Oct. 16, 1998 | 10:59 a.m.

Bob May is hoping to parlay his familiarity with the three courses used in the Las Vegas Invitational into a successful weekend.

The Las Vegas resident just won't allow himself to think about winning the tournament. Not yet, anyway.

May, granted a sponsor's exemption into the LVI, shot a 7-under-par 65 Thursday at the TPC at Summerlin and was tied with four other golfers at 10-under 134 going into today's third round.

"You can't think about winning, it's only the second round of the tournament," May said. "It would be nice, it would be a dream come true -- especially to do it here in a place I consider home."

A five-year resident of Las Vegas who lives a half-mile from the TPC course, May has spent the past three years playing in Europe after losing his PGA Tour card following the 1994 season.

May began the day at 3 under par, four shots off the lead. He birdied his first three holes to move to 6 under, but took a bogey on the par-5 ninth hole.

After going par-birdie-bogey to start his back nine, May birdied four of the last five holes to finish at 10 under.

"The key to my round today was I putted good. When I birdied 13, 14, 15 and 16, that was kind of the turning point. It was a fun round, a lot of fun."

And his strategy for the rest of the tournament?

"You have to take one hole at a time and see what happens," May said.

Lunde turns it around

While May was tearing up the TPC at Summerlin, another of the LVI's sponsor's exemptions was making some noise of his own.

UNLV graduate Bill Lunde, who struggled to a 5-over-par 77 Wednesday at Summerlin, shot a 5-under 67 at the Desert Inn Golf Club to get back to even-par for the tournament.

Lunde actually got it to 1 under before taking a bogey on his final hole, the par-5 No. 9 at the D.I.

More locals

Basic High graduate Craig Barlow shot a 4-under 68 at the Las Vegas Country Club and went into today's third round at 5-under-par 139, six shots off the lead.

UNLV graduate Skip Kendall shot 70 for the second straight day and stood at 4 under. Kendall played the TPC at Summerlin on Thursday.

Tommy Armour III, a product of Bishop Gorman High, was only one shot off the lead entering the second round but shot a 4-over 76 at Summerlin and was tied for 86th place, nine shots off the lead, at 2-under 142.

Henderson resident Jeff Gallagher shot a 69 at Summerlin and was at 1 under after two rounds; Clark High product Robert Gamez stood at 1 over after a 71 at the Country Club; and Las Vegas resident Phil Tataurangi shot a 71 Thursday and was at 3-over 147.

Early exits

Two players withdrew from the tournament prior to Thursday's second round.

Glen Day, who opened with a 75, told PGA Tour officials he thought he suffered an allergic reaction after eating seafood Wednesday night and bowed out of the tournament.

Bradley Hughes, who shot a 74 Wednesday, twisted his ankle and also dropped out of the field.

Chip shots

Jim Carter recorded the 32nd hole in one on the PGA Tour this season when he aced the 156-yard 14th hole Thursday at the TPC at Summerlin. Two holes later, Carter became the 22nd player to record two eagles in one round when he eagled the 560-yard par-5 16th hole. Sandy Lyle also recorded two eagles Thursday at the Las Vegas Country Club. ...

Justin Leonard birdied five consecutive holes, and six of seven during one stretch, en route to a 6-under-par 67 at the Country Club. ...

The PGA Tour Radio Network will provide live play-by-play coverage of Saturday's fourth round and Sunday's final round. Local radio stations KENO 1460-AM and KBAD 920-AM will air the Network's coverage from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Saturday and from 2-4 p.m. Sunday.