Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Pros, celebrities team up for Gamez charity event

Brian Hilderbrand's golf notebook appears Wednesday. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. Reach him at 259-4089 or [email protected].

Local golf fans won't have to wait for the Las Vegas Invitational in October to see John Daly crack one of his trademark 300-plus yard drives.

Daly, along with several other PGA Tour regulars, will be in Las Vegas next weekend to take part in the seventh annual Robert Gamez Charity Classic.

Besides Daly, PGA Tour members Fuzzy Zoeller, Craig Barlow of Henderson, Jay Don Blake and Ted Tryba are among the professionals scheduled to compete in this year's charity event. Gamez and another local professional, former UNLV All-American Edward Fryatt, also are slated to play.

Among the celebrities who have committed are actors Stephen Baldwin, Josh Taylor, Burton Gilliam and Susan Anton as well as former Major League Baseball players Marty Barrett, John Kruk and Hall of Famer Don Sutton.

This year's Charity Classic will expand to a 36-hole format, with 18 holes being played Sunday, Feb. 21 at the Tournament Players Club at The Canyons and Monday, Feb. 22 at the TPC at Summerlin.

Gamez, a native Las Vegan and a 1986 graduate of Clark High School, has raised more than $250,000 for local charities as a result of his Charity Classic golf tournament and Robert Gamez Foundation.

"One of the greatest things about being a professional athlete is the opportunity to help others who are less fortunate," Gamez said. "My personal philosophy is that, no matter what you have or what you have done, you haven't accomplished anything until you have made a difference in the lives of others.

"This event and the Robert Gamez Foundation are a direct result of that philosophy."

Admittance into the Robert Gamez Charity Classic is free for spectators, and a limited number of playing spots still are available for $2,000 per player.

Play is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on Sunday at The TPC at The Canyons and 9:30 a.m. Monday at the TPC at Summerlin.

The annual Robert Gamez Charity Classic dinner and auction will be held Sunday, Feb. 21, at 6 p.m. at the MGM Grand Conference Center. Individual tickets for the auction are $100.

Call the Robert Gamez Foundation at 256-5183 for information on the Charity Classic or the dinner/auction.

* SENIOR COMMITMENTS: Gil Morgan and Dana Quigley have committed to play in the 14th annual Las Vegas Senior Classic, to be held May 13-16 at the TPC at Summerlin and the TPC at The Canyons.

The early LVSC field now boasts nine of the top 12 money winners from the 1998 season.

* RILEY UPDATE: Former four-time UNLV All-American Chris Riley will make his hometown debut as a PGA Tour pro in this week's Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines Golf Club in San Diego.

Riley, who grew up in San Diego and now lives in Henderson, actually has played in the event before; Riley qualified for the Buick Invitational as an amateur in 1995.

So far in his rookie season, Riley has made the cut in all three tournaments in which he has played. He has earned $103,720 and ranks 38th on the official money list.

* ULTIMATE WEB SITE: Golfweek magazine is launching the ultimate web site for fans who can't get enough coverage of collegiate golf.

Golfweek.com features recruiting news, team and individual rankings, tournament schedules and results and team rosters and player profiles.

The site will be free of charge from its debut on Feb. 15 until April 30. After then, the cost to access the site will be $39.95 a year.

* CHIP SHOTS: The Imperial Palace race and sports book is offering match-ups for this weekend's Buick Invitational. Among the featured wagering propositions are former UNLV player Skip Kendall (plus 105) vs. Craig Stadler (minus 125); John Daly (plus 105) vs. Jeff Sluman (minus 125); and Davis Love III (plus 105) vs. Tiger Woods (minus 125). ... John Marzolf has been named golf course superintendent for The Revere at Anthem, the first of four daily-fee courses at Del Webb's Sun City Anthem development in Henderson.

* UPCOMING EVENTS: The PGA Tour continues with its West Coast swing this week as it heads to San Diego for the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines Golf Club. San Diego native Scott Simpson won last year's event, which was shortened to 54 holes due to rain. The USA cable network will televise Thursday and Friday while CBS will provide coverage on the weekend. ...

The Senior PGA Tour is in Sarasota, Fla., for the second full-field event of the season, the American Express Invitational at the TPC at Prestancia. Larry Nelson is the defending champion. ESPN will televise Friday through Sunday. ...

The LPGA Tour is in Glendale, Calif., for the Valley of the Stars Championship at Oakmont Country Club. Dale Eggeling won last year's tournament, which was shortened to 36 holes because of rain. The Golf Channel will televise Friday through Sunday.

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