LVI notes: Henderson’s Barlow creeps into top 125

Victoria Sun

Monday, Oct. 18, 1999 | 10:50 a.m.

For Henderson resident Craig Barlow, the $32,500 he earned for a share of 19th place at the $2.5 million Las Vegas Invitational will hopefully go a lot further than buying a new car or other luxury toy.

After opening the tournament with an 11-under-par 61 to take the lead, Barlow shot an even-par 72 in the final round on Sunday to finish with a five-day total 346.

More importantly, it bumped him up to 122nd on the PGA Tour's money list with $317,718.

Entering the tournament, Barlow was 130th on the money list.

The players who finish in the top 125 on the money list at the end of the year keep their PGA Tour cards for the next season.

Those who don't have to finish in the top 35 of the PGA Tour Qualifying tournament to get their cards back. Because the LVI is the second-to-last regular-season tour stop, it's a lot more nerve-wracking for some players.

"It gives you a push," Barlow said of the added pressure of trying to creep up the money list. "It's one thing you've gotta go get.

"The thing is you don't want to be too aggressive and make stupid shots, but then you don't want to be tentative and be protective out there.

"This is as close to Q-school pressure as I've ever had. I'm fighting for my job."

By all accounts, Barlow's LVI performance was a success.

Not only did he have making the top 125 in the back of his mind, but he had the pressure of performing well in front of his family and friends.

In addition, he had the expectations of performing well on courses that he grew up on.

Barlow said that the difference between winning a tournament and finishing in the top 25 is mostly mental. So he is going to start working with sports psychologist Rich Gordon of Salt Lake City.

"Today I struggled, but it could've been worse," Barlow said. "Obviously I would've liked to come into the tournament with my card already secured, but I'm proud of the way I hung in there today."

Next up for Barlow is the National Car Rental Golf Classic in Orlando, Fla., the final regular-season event of the year.

* MAY-BE NEXT YEAR: European PGA Tour player Bob May made the most of his sponsor's exemption into the LVI. The Summerlin resident was tied for the lead after the third round of the event and finished with a respectable five-day total of 344, tied with Brian Watts for 13th place.

May also pocketed $50,000.

"It was a fun week," May said. "I can't complain. I tried my hardest to play well, give the hometown crowd something to cheer about and make the people who put their heads on the chopping block to give me an exemption into the tournament look smart."

* AFTER SHOCK: U.S. Ryder Cup team member Justin Leonard won't soon forget his trip to Las Vegas. Leonard, who shot a 6-under-par 66 on Sunday to finish 15 strokes back of winner Jim Furyk, said it has been an interesting week.

Along with the "green tables with numbers, cards and dice on it," he saw on the Strip, he experienced his first earthquake. At 2:45 Saturday morning, a magnitude 7.0 quake hit the Mojave Desert in Southern California. Its effect was felt from Las Vegas to Phoenix.

"I saw my first building shake very violently," Leonard said. "I was asleep on the 16th floor."

A fan from Southern California then said to him, "It was just a baby one, no big deal," to which he replied, "Where were you when it hit?"

Was Leonard scared?

"A little," he admitted. "Once I figured what was going on, it was OK."

* STAR GAZING: Actor Daniel Baldwin was at the TPC to follow his friend, PGA Tour professional John Daly. Daly, who has been under scrutiny after erupting at several tournaments including this year's U.S. Open, recently admitted that he had been drinking and gambling again, though he had been sober for 30 months.

"I'm just here to support him," Baldwin said. "I've known John for a pretty long time, but when he's at a tournament, I don't really bother him."

Daly shot a 1-under-par 70 for a five-day total 350 to tie for 37th.

Baldwin is no novice to the golf course. The actor who played a detective on the NBC drama, "Homicide, Life on the Street," has played in a number of celebrity golf tournaments and said he has a 6-handicap.