Columnist Dean Juipe: Fantastic weekend for Las Vegans

Dean Juipe

Monday, Aug. 21, 2000 | 10:14 a.m.

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at juipe@lasvegassun.com or 259-4084.

The weekend opened with at least three Las Vegans poised and in position to make sports history.

Augie Sanchez, fighting featherweight world champion Prince Naseem Hamed in Connecticut, had a shot at handing his flamboyant opponent his first professional loss.

Tasha Schwikert, at a mere 15 years old, was participating in the U.S. Olympic Gymnastic Trials in Boston.

And Edward Fryatt was among the early leaders in the clubhouse at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville and finished the opening round of the PGA Championship with a 69.

But Sanchez lost by fourth-round knockout in a vicious fight; Schwikert failed to qualify for the Olympic team yet gained the type of experience that will help her when she tries again in 2004; and Fryatt ballooned to a second-round 79 and missed the cut.

All, however, was not lost. Although initially overlooked, two other Las Vegans stepped forward and did themselves proud in what may have been Las Vegas' finest-ever collection of individual sports achievements within a relatively brief span.

Sunday, Paul Tracy came from well off the pace to win the CART Motorola 220 at Elkhart Lake, Wis., putting a feather in his cap and advancing his career. And Bob May put on a fantastic exhibition of gutsy golf in taking Tiger Woods three extra holes before the latter escaped with the PGA Championship as a startled national television looked on.

May's performance was fascinating and couldn't possibly be overstated. If he had won, a parade would have been in order.

As it is, congratulations are essential.

May started the day a shot behind Woods and paired with the intimidating champion. Yet he grabbed the lead and matched Woods birdie for birdie down the stretch, settling for a tie after the tournament's 72nd hole only because Woods had a slippery five footer fall in to force overtime.

The drama was beyond belief. Imagine holding your own against Woods during a practice round, let alone in a major tournament that comes complete with a $900,000 payday.

The stakes were even greater from May's perspective in that he had never won a PGA Tour event and was expected to do a quick fade when the afternoon began. Instead, he shot a third consecutive 66 and endeared himself to a legion of golf fans who may not have found him recognizable just a week ago.

He has had a great summer of golf, finishing second at the St. Jude's Classic in Memphis, 23rd at the U.S. Open and 11th at the British Open. He has made the cut in 13 of 17 PGA Tour events.

Those who know Bob know how richly he deserves this type of success. He's an easygoing fellow who has worked hard at the sport and has had his moments of professional despair.

He was bumped off an earlier run on the tour and he had to take his game overseas, first to Asia and then to Europe. He finished 11th on the 1999 European Order of Merit, winning the British Masters along the way.

Now this, this wonderful showing at Valhalla.

I'm telling you, if he had won there would have been a parade and it would have extended beyond his Summerlin neighborhood.

Dear Mayor: Maybe there should be one anyhow.