Driscoll, Quinney earn spots in LV’s Invensys Classic

Victoria Sun

Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2001 | 9:11 a.m.

Las Vegas has been good to golfers James Driscoll and Jeff Quinney.

In 1998 Driscoll, playing for the University of Virginia, won the Golf Digest Collegiate Invitational at the Desert Inn. In March, Quinney won the Callaway Golf Las Vegas Intercollegiate at the Rio Secco.

Playing in the same group, each fired an 8-under-par 64 at the Invitational Invensys Shootout held at the TPC at Summerlin Monday, earning two of the eight coveted sponsor exemptions into the $4.5 million Invensys Classic and splitting the $5,000 first prize.

"It'll be great," Driscoll said of playing in the tournament being held Oct. 10-14. "I'd love to play in this tournament."

The shootout was the first of its kind at any PGA Tour event.

Tournament manager Charlie Baron said the Las Vegas Founders Club received about 80 letters from players requesting exemptions into the tournament so it decided to hold a shootout for two of the spots. The Founders Club extended an invitation to 40 players and 18, including former UNLV golfers Chris Berry, Charley Hoffman, Michael Kirk and Warren Schutte, showed up.

Driscoll raced out to a fast start by birdieing the first three holes and finished the day with nine birdies. He cooled off and bogeyed No. 5, but rebounded with birdies on eight and nine and the last four holes.

Quinney, the 2000 U.S. Amateur champion, was 1-over after the first two holes, but regrouped for nine birdies.