Associated Press
Wednesday, August 23

RENO, Nev. -- Sergio Garcia, Bob May and Franklin Langham are among the favorites teeing off Thursday at the PGA's Reno-Tahoe Open without the likes of Tiger Woods and the world's other top golfers standing between them and a share of the $3 million purse.

Fall hurts Watts' caddie

Andy Fuller, the caddie for Brian Watts, was hospitalized in fair condition Wednesday after falling off a golf cart during the pro-am event in the Reno-Tahoe Open. Fuller was transported to Washoe Medical Center in Reno by helicopter and was expected to remain overnight, said Jim Kline, tournament director. He fell from the cart onto his back, but no other details were immediately available. Watts went to the hospital with Fuller and still intended to play in the tournament, spokesman Josh Luke said. Hospital officials reported Fuller was in fair condition and Kline said they had received word that he is "doing fine." Kevin Sutherland withdrew from the tournament Wednesday to be with his pregnant wife in California, and David Frost withdrew without giving an official reason. They are being replaced in the field of 156 by alternates Jim McGovern and Larry Rinker.

The tournament at Montreux Golf and Country Club in the shadow of the Sierra Nevada is pitted opposite the World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational at Akron, Ohio, where the elite players compete through the weekend.

"We don't have Tiger, we don't have David Duval, we don't have Ernie Els," said Peter Jacobsen, whose Portland, Ore.-based company manages the Reno-Tahoe Open. "But what we do have is the future. We had Notah Begay win the tournament last year and now he's on the Presidents Cup team."

The field includes four of the youngest players bidding to follow in the footsteps of Woods and Garcia:

Former UNLV star Adam Scott, 20, of Australia; 1999 U.S. Amateur champion David Gossett, 21; 2000 NCAA Champion Charles Howell, 21, of Oklahoma State and his teammate, Edward Loar.

Garcia, who will face off against Woods in a televised exhibition Monday night at Palm Desert, Calif., has been made the 10-1 favorite to win the Reno-Tahoe Open by the sports book at the Reno Hilton.

The 20-year-old told reporters Wednesday he wasn't aware of that.

"I'm probably too young to bet," Garcia said. He's right. Minimum age is 21 in Nevada.

Under the old qualifying rules, Garcia and Jean Van de Velde would have been playing in Ohio this week by way of their spots on last year's Ryder Cup teams. But the European Tour changed the formula, rewarding players who've spent more time on their tour.

"I don't think it's fair, but they did it," Garcia said Wednesday.

The NEC's loss has been Reno's gain, Jacobsen said.

"We have a stronger field this year partly because of that change bringing Sergio and Jean Van de Velde to us," he said.

Garcia, whose best finish this year was third at the Buick Classic, said he suffered from dehydration and a high fever at the PGA last week.

"I've been playing pretty well these last couple of days, and I'm looking forward to go out there and hopefully shoot four good rounds," he said. "I think I have a chance of winning."

The 7,552-yard, par-72 course designed by Jack Nicklaus is the second longest on PGA Tour. But the high altitude of the course on the edge of the mountains near Lake Tahoe causes the ball to travel from 7 percent to 10 percent farther.

The conventional thinking is that high-ball hitters benefit more than are low-ball hitters.

May, who lives in Las Vegas, said he's more of a low-ball hitter and likes his chances.

"I like my chances every week I tee it up, because I'll give it everything I've got, no matter if it's a major or just a normal tour event," he said.

May said there's no secret to his current success.

"My game is well-rounded. I'm chipping good, putting good and driving it good. As long as you keep those things going in a good direction, it makes the game a little easier," he said.

Garcia said he's done well at high altitude.

"It's tough because once in a while you're going to hit one over the green and you're going to go like, `How me?' " he said. "But I've got a pretty good feeling and if you like the course like I do on this one, you feel a little bit more comfortable and you always play a little bit better."