Nine locals will compete in tournament

Victoria Sun

Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2001 | 10:28 a.m.

Were it not for the Founders Club of Las Vegas, former UNLV golfer Jeremy Anderson doesn't think he would have made it through the PGA Tour's Qualifying School last fall.

The Founders Club granted Anderson a coveted sponsors exemption into the Invensys Classic, where the three-time All-American and three-time Academic All-American made his professional debut.

Anderson said that the experience he gained playing here was invaluable.

"It was certainly a wonderful experience for me, it being my first PGA Tour event and getting to do it in a town that's been so wonderful to me," Anderson said. "My family came from Florida.

"I played very well, even though I didn't make the cut. Unfortunately, I couldn't make a five-footer to save my life. It was something to build on going into tour school. I'm very thankful to the Las Vegas Founders Club for giving me that spot."

Anderson is one of nine players with local ties playing in the $4.5 million Invensys Classic that starts Wednesday. The others are residents Ed Fryatt, Robert Gamez, Bob May, John Rieger and Chris Riley, former Rebels Skip Kendall and Scott Lander and Bishop Gorman High School graduate Tommy Armour III. Riley and Fryatt are former UNLV All-Americans.

Of the locals, Riley is having the best year on tour.

After a rough start where he missed three of four cuts, Riley has finished in the top 10 twice and had eight finishes in the top 25. His biggest paycheck came in August at the International Presented by Qwest where he finished second for $432,000. At press time, he ranked 52nd on the money list.

Riley has played the Invensys Classic three times without much success, missing the cut both last year and in 1996 as a collegian. But based on his recent performance, things may be different this time.

Anderson, meanwhile, will be looking to improve on his best tour finish, a tie for 26th at the Shell Houston Open.

At the Buick Open in August, Anderson was forced to withdraw after incurring a freak neck injury from sleeping in the wrong position. The next week, he fired an opening round 69 at the Reno-Tahoe Open, but pulled out after he played three holes the second day because his neck flared up again.

"I knew it was seconds away from blowing up which was disappointing," Anderson said.

If Anderson has a disappointing finish here, he may have to attend Q-School again.

At press time, Anderson was ranked 205th on the PGA Tour's money list with $65,864. Only players in the top 125 at the end of the year get to keep their tour cards for the following season.

"I really truly believe in my mind that something special is going to happen these next couple of tournaments and I'm not going to have to go back to Q-School," Anderson said. "But if I do, I have the confidence in knowing that I've done it before and I can do it again.

"In that sense, I'm not that worried about going back."

Among the locals, Gamez and Riegger will also need to finish the year strong.

At press time, Gamez was 168th on the money list with $193,525 and Riegger was 136th with $311,877.