Ridings hits 61*

Adam Candee

Monday, Oct. 11, 2004 | 9:52 a.m.

a course record and earned him a 2005 exemption)

He tied the course record at TPC at Summerlin with the best final round this year on the PGA tour, tying the best ever Sunday score in the Michelin Championship. But when the afternoon ended, Tag still wasn't it.

Roaring up from 9-under at the beginning of Sunday's final round, Tag Ridings fired 11 birdies that included a pair of difficult chip-ins and no bogeys for a round of 61 that nearly gave him a shot at his first PGA tour title, but still earned a large enough payday to secure his 2005 full exemption.

Ridings birdied seven holes on the back nine, including the last four, to come home in 29. He sweated it out all the way until the final putt, when Andre Stolz calmly drilled a 3-foot par to avoid a four-way playoff and win his own maiden tour title.

Playing this year on a major medical extension because of back and shoulder injuries suffered early in his first year on tour in 2003, Ridings needed to win just about $275,000 in the final month of the season to avoid a trip to qualifying school. His second-place paycheck of almost $300,000 will cover that with change to spare.

Beyond the check, the significance of his round did not really hit Ridings until he holed a short downhill birdie putt at No. 9 to close his outstanding day.

"I didn't know there was that much to it," Ridings said. "I knew I was doing pretty good, but I thought the leaders were a little further ahead."

After recently switching putters to try a new shaft, Ridings went back to his original putter three weeks ago with positive results. He finished tied for 13th at the 84 Lumber Classic in his last event before Las Vegas and needed just 22 putts Sunday.

Ridings tied Davis Love III's course record of 61, also tying with Love for the best-ever final round in the Michelin Championship. The last final round of 61 anywhere on tour came at the Colonial in 2003, when Justin Leonard shot it.

A Clark High graduate and longtime Las Vegas resident, Gamez now makes his home is Florida but has not lost his touch in the valley. Gamez fired a 1-under 71 Sunday at Summerlin for his fourth straight round under par and a tie for 37th at 13-under worth $16,800. The final round went quietly for Gamez, with a pair of birdies and a bogey.

One stroke behind Gamez was Henderson resident Craig Barlow, who closed with a 3-under 69. Barlow finished tied for 45th at 12-under, good for $11,211, after a mercurial day that included his second eagle of the weekend at No. 16.

Dean Wilson finished tied for 52nd at 11-under, while former UNLV standout Skip Kendall ballooned to 77 on Sunday to close tied for 67th at 6-under.

Among locals who missed the Saturday cut: UNLV alumni Ed Fryatt (4-under) and Chris Riley (3-under); and Mike Ruiz (2-under).

"All positives out of this week," Pride said.

Pride, 35, suffered from acute pancreatitis and gallstones in February 2002, forcing the removal of his gall bladder and requiring him to be fed through a tube for more than two months after a near-death experience. At the same time, he began to care for his ailing father, Dick, afflicted with Parkinson's and Pick's Disease.

Pride came back to finish 127th on the 2003 money list to earn a partial exemption and has suffered through an awful 2004. He stayed in contention this week until the 18th hole, when his tee shot slid out of the rough into a horrid lie in the desert area left of the fairway.

At 20-under and needing a birdie to pull even with Stolz, Pride chipped back into the fairway and had to scramble for a bogey and a 3-under 69 that cost him some serious money.

His 5th-place tie at 19-under earned Pride a $152,000 paycheck to move him to 178th on the money list. Had he stayed in a four-way tie for second, Pride would have made $264,000.

Asked if the paycheck that nearly doubled his previous 2004 winnings dulled the disappointment of the day, Pride quipped, "You mean I get to keep my house? Cool!"