Invensys Classic: Back pain slows May

Thursday, Oct. 10, 2002 | 10:12 a.m.

To the casual observer, Bob May still has the same sweet swing and confident putting stroke that earned him more than $1.5 million and a runner-up finish to Tiger Woods in the PGA Championship two years ago.

In reality, the 34-year-old Las Vegas resident isn't nearly the golfer he was just 26 months ago when he waged that classic battle with Woods at Valhalla Golf Club.

It might not have been evident while watching him shoot a 1-under-par 70 at the TPC at the Canyons in Wednesday's opening round of the Invensys Classic, but May continues to be plagued by a bad back that forced him to take a two-month hiatus from the PGA Tour last season.

"This year it's even worse," May said of the two bulging discs in his back. "I just had a (nerve) block done in my back a week and a half ago and got the pain out of my left leg and now it's in my right leg ... so I'm even in worse shape than I had been.

"As long as I'm moving, I'm fine; standing still just absolutely kills me."

May, who is 141st on the money list and in danger of losing his Tour card for next year, had been free of pain in the week leading up to the Invensys Classic and figured his hometown tournament would be a good chance for him to move up on the money list and retain his exempt status for 2003. Then, on Monday, the pain returned in his leg.

"I should maybe have quit 12 weeks ago and tried to get a medical (exemption)," May said. "But I kept on hitting it all right and I kept on trying to play through it and now I've got some pain in my legs so (continuing to play) was a bad decision."

May kept moving long enough Wednesday to keep it under par at the Canyons, but that was little consolation for the Summerlin resident who often plays the course when he is home.

"One under is terrible," May said. "The golf course was just sitting out there -- you couldn't find an easier day than today. Actually, I'm playing well. I hit it well and I'm putting all right, I'm just not rolling them in; I'm just hitting the lips all the time. That was the case today and that's been the case all year."

May, who started his round on hole No. 10, played the back nine even and had his only stumble of the day on the par-4 first hole, where he three-putted for bogey. May got back to even par with a birdie on the par-4 third hole and then rolled in a birdie putt on the par-4 fifth hole to get it back in the red.

"I expect to shoot lower than that as many times as I've been around this (course)," he said. "I played all right ... I just didn't make a whole bunch of putts. If I would have putted well, it could have been a good day. But I'm rolling it good, so at least I'm giving myself a chance. If I was hitting bad putts, I would be really frustrated but I'm hitting good putts, they're just not going in right now."

Although he didn't take advantage of the perfect playing conditions, May wasn't about to hit the panic button after one round in the 90-hole tournament.

"Coming in, I think I had a good chance," May said. "I need to play good to keep my card, I know that, and my main focus is to try to play some good, solid golf and not worry about anything else right now.

"It's not the start I wanted but I still think I do have a good chance. I've still got TPC (at Summerlin) and Southern Highlands left to play and if I can get some putts to fall, I think I can get myself right back into it."