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Our final instalment of the nearly men series pits Tiger Woods at the height of his dominance against Bob May, an unlikely contender for the 2000 USPGA Championship. Going into the 2000 PGA, defending champion Woods was looking to claim his third major of the season having already secured the US Open at Pebble Beach by a record breaking 15 shots, followed weeks later by taking the Open Championship at St Andrews by a mere 8. By contrast, prior to the new millennium, Mays only Major appearance had come at the 1998 Open Championship at Royal Birkdake.
Tiger would tee it up in the opening two rounds alongside that year’s other Major winner Vijay Singh and Jack Nicklaus, who would bid farewell on the course he built 14 years earlier. Paired with Nicklaus for the first time in his career, Woods ended day one joint top, at six under alongside Scott Dunlap. An unlikely name joined Woods & Dunlap on that first day leaderboard, 29 year old unknown Englishman Edward Fryatt entering the field as an alternate found himself in a share of 5th with a 3 under Par 69, behind Davis Love III, and Darren Clarke sat two back at four under. After an opening Round 72, Bob Mays PGA Championship came alive in round two, a six under Par 66, joint lowest round of the day, alongside Notay Begay III, placed Bob May in a Tie for 6th at 6 under par, five behind Woods, who followed his opening round 66 with a 67 and set up a one shot lead over Scott Dunlap.
Whilst Bob May and Tiger Woods professional careers couldn’t have been further apart, his amateur golfing journey wasn’t all dissimilar. Born in California, like Woods he was a College all American featuring in the 1984 Sports Illustrated “Faces in the Crowd” section at the age 16. A teenage golfing phenomenon May would play his College days at Oklahoma State and like Woods would represent the USA at the Walker cup and feature in the Los Angeles Open as a 16 year old Amateur seven years earlier than Woods in 1985. Having turned pro shortly after the Walker Cup, May spent his early years fighting it out on mini tours before finally landing his PGA Tour playing rights in 1994.
Making a total of 31 starts that year Bob May would go on to make only 7 cuts earning just $31,000 and losing his playing privileges. A tough introduction to the Pro ranks. After a rough maiden season on the PGA Tour, May decided to cross the pond and won his European Tour card at the 1995 Q School. May would feature on the European circuit for four seasons finishing 1999, 11th on the money list and earning himself £590,000. That run of form in Europe saw him make 20 cuts in 24 starts, 7 of those top 10’s and move himself into the fringes of the World’s Top 50. After a second successive 66 in round three, May found himself only one shot adrift of Woods, who after carding a third round two under par 70, sat as solo leader at -13 . Bob May would stand toe to toe with Tiger on that final day as the two men slugged it out over 21 brutal holes. May got off to dream start, a dropped shot at 2 by Tiger and birdies at 2 and 4 for May, quickly saw May take a 2 shot lead within the first five holes.
Both men would eventually leave the chasing pack behind, birdies at 10,11 and 12 for May, with Tiger picking up two of his own at 10 and 12. With four holes remaining Bob May still had the upper hand. Pars a piece at 15 and 16 left Tiger needing to make birdie at 17, he duly obliged. What lay ahead on the 18th hole would throw up some of the most memorable scenes in golf. Both players setting themselves up with eagle putts at the 542 yard Par 5. With the adrenalin pulsing, both men would race their putts by. Bob May would be first to have a go at the return, his 15ft double breaker birdie putt would be his first bridie of the week at the Par 5 18th. Tiger now faced an uncomfortable 5ft birdie putt coming back down the slope himself and duly dispatched, setting up a three hole play off in the early evening dusk of Kentucky.
As often feels the case in these battles, you sense the man who comes from behind in the closing stretch has that little extra energy and when that man also happens to be Tiger Woods, you could forgive Bob May if he stepped up to that three hole play off with more than just a little apprehension. Not so says May, and despite opening the playoff with a fantastic par saving up and down from heavy rough, it would be Tiger Woods who drew first blood, holing his now famous walk in, finger pointing, right to left, 25 foot putt to open with a birdie 3.
Tiger and May would each go on to Par the third and final playoff hole giving Tiger his third major of the new Millenium and what would turn out to be the critical component in the soon to come Tiger slam. Despite the heart break of losing out on earning the Wanamaker trophy, the new Millenium proved to be Bob Mays most successful playing year ever, recording 26 starts on the PGA tour, making 21 cuts, recording 10 top 25 finishes and earning over $1.5M in the process.
Valhalla proved to be the pinnacle of his golfing career, his 2nd place finish earned him the right to feature in all four majors the following year. Sadly his form of 2000 wasn’t replicated, May made 25 starts that year on the PGA tour making just 6 Top 25 finishes. Like many before him, Bob’s career became hampered by back injury and after falling outside the Top 125 in the world in 2002, injury would see him miss out on both the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Admirably he fought his way back to fitness and in 2006 returned to the PGA tour where he would finish runner up for a second time at the B.C Open, but once again injury reduced him to only 16 starts in 2007.
At the age of just 39 Bob Mays PGA Tour career was effectively at an end, he would spend much of the next three seasons fighting it out on what is now the Korn Ferry Tour playing his last event in 2012. Since turning 50 three years ago, May has attempted to make his way onto the Champions Tour, but as so far failed to secure full playing rights featuring in only 7 events since turning 50 in October 2018. For Bob May Valhalla would prove to be the ride of a life time, in an interview with Golf.com in 2020, May states he holds no regrets, pointing out that the way he held his own meant the publicity he has had is often greater that others who have won. Like many before who have come so close, being remembered for almost greatness, is better than being remembered for no greatness at all.
