Pro-am format prompted LVI date change

After serving as the final full-field PGA Tour event of season in 1997, the 16th edition of the Las Vegas Invitational moves to the second week of October this year -- a date the tournament likely will maintain for the immediate future.

The reason for the date change, according to LVI tournament manager Charlie Baron, was to give the professionals a break from a pro-am format heading into the season-ending Tour Championship.

Beginning this year, the LVI will be the 43rd of 45 official events on the PGA Tour schedule, followed by the Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic and the Tour Championship.

"The Tour didn't want to be playing a pro-am format going into the Tour Championship," Baron said. "They wanted a buffer between our tournament and the Tour Championship and now that the Disney has changed their format, they will serve as that buffer."

The Tour has released its 1999 schedule at the 17th annual LVI also is scheduled for Oct. 14-18.

The Las Vegas Invitational is one of only two tournaments on the PGA Tour that plays a 90-hole format; the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic is the other. Amateurs play with the professional four of the five days here.

Boost for Mayfair

Billy Mayfair's runner-up performance in last year's LVI served as a confidence booster for the 32-year-old product of Arizona State.

During a season in which he battled both illness and a loss of confidence, Mayfair finished his season here with a tie for second with David Edwards.

So far this season, Mayfair has earned two victories, winning the Nissan Los Angeles Open in February and the Buick Open in August.

No repeat winners

When Bill Glasson won the 1997 Las Vegas Invitational, he became the 15th different winner in 15 tournaments. This event has never had a two-time winner.

A good start

Each of the 15 champions of the LVI has enjoyed more than just one week of success in Las Vegas.

In fact, the 15 winners have a combined 127 PGA Tour victories, including nine major championship titles.

Fehr's mark

Rick Fehr tied an all-time PGA Tour record during the opening 36 holes of the 1996 Las Vegas Invitational.

Fehr opened with a 64 at the Las Vegas Hilton Country Club (now the Las Vegas National Golf Club and no longer used in the three-course rotation). He came back with a 62 at the TPC at Summerlin for a 17-under-par 126 total, tying the low 36-hole record.

Beck's 59

Few will forget Chip beck shooting a 13-under-par 59 during the third round of the 1991 Las Vegas Invitational.

On Oct. 11, 1991, Beck recorded 13 birdies at Sunrise Golf Club and joined Al Geiberger as the only players to shoot sub-60 rounds in a PGA Tour event.

Geiberger established the PGA Tour's 18-hole scoring record during the second round of the 1977 Memphis Classic at Colonial Country Club.

Cutting it short

The Las Vegas Invitational has had two rounds lost to weather during the event's first 11 years.

In 1987, rain forced the cancellation of Wednesday's first round and the tournament was shortened to 72 holes.

In 1988, 55 mph winds whipped all three courses and forced the cancellation of Thursday's second round and the event again was shortened to 72 holes.

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