Columnist Victoria Sun: Las Vegas’ Gamez content trying to work his way back onto Tour

Victoria Sun

Wednesday, Dec. 1, 1999 | 9:56 a.m.

Victoria Sun is a Las Vegas Sun sports writer. Reach her at 259-4078 or victoria@vegas.com

Golf used to be fun for Las Vegas resident Robert Gamez.

He would hit the course for a full day's work eager to enjoy himself and to entertain others.

Sometime last year, however, Gamez lost sight of the fact that the game is just that -- a game -- and turned every tournament into a life-or-death situation.

The results showed the enormous amount of pressure he put on himself.

In 19 PGA Tour events, Gamez's best finish was a tie for 39th at the Greater Milwaukee Open.

He missed the cut in eight of the events and missed three of five cuts on the Nike Tour, now the BUY.COM Tour.

The final blow that summed up his season happened about a month ago during the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament.

Gamez made it to the second stage of Q-School before a second-round 79 did him in.

Gamez started off strong on the back nine and felt good until some bad luck caused him to triple-bogey the 16th hole at La Purisma Golf Course in Lompoc, Calif., which sealed his fate.

"I really felt good when I got to the second stage," Gamez said. "After it was over, when I was driving home, I was a little depressed.

"But then thought I love the game too much to give it up and I love helping people. With golf, I have been able to donate over $200,000 to charity. I don't think I could do anything else."

Because he didn't get his PGA Tour card, Gamez is busy working on his game -- and his attitude -- while his agent tries to procure as many sponsor exemptions as possible.

Gamez said he wants to concentrate on playing on the BUY.COM Tour next season and work his way back to the PGA Tour.

"I'm gonna try to have a little more fun," Gamez said. "You know what? I made last year harder than it actually was because I wouldn't enjoy the fact that I had another tournament coming up, but treated every one like my last.

"But a few weeks ago, I played down in Mexico City and I had fun playing golf again. That's basically the attitude I want to have. I tried to have that attitude this year, but it just didn't work out.

"I'm really looking forward to next year. I really am."

It would be nice if other athletes made their own attitude adjustments and realized that being paid to play a sport is a privilege, not a right.

* TEE IT UP FOR KIDS: The fifth annual Fletcher Jones Lexus Southern Nevada Inner City Youth Golf Association Celebrity Golf Classic to benefit the SNICYGA will be held Dec. 15 at the Las Vegas National Golf Club. The SNICYGA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting golf for inner-city youth and giving kids a chance to learn the game. Although you never know who might show up for a celebrity event in Las Vegas, here are some confirmed celebrities for the Classic: Mike and Greg Maddux and golfers Robert Gamez, Craig Barlow, Bob May, Chris Riley, Jay Don Blake and Susie Berning. For more information call 614-1939.

* SPONSORSHIP RENEWED: Nissan North America, Inc. announced last week that it has extended its sponsorship of the Nissan Open PGA Tour event through 2002. The Nissan Open, held at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., is the oldest civic-sponsored event on the PGA Tour. Defending champion Ernie Els will be playing for a record total purse of $3.1 million Feb. 14-20 at the Riviera. The increased purse is part of a PGA Tour record of about $135 million in prize money for 2000.