GOLF ROUNDUP : Gamez (12 Under) Makes Himself at Home

Robert Gamez, a hometown favorite playing before a gallery of family, friends and neighbors, took a one-shot lead Thursday in the golf tournament he wants most to win.

“If I had only one more PGA tournament to win, I’d want it to be this one,” Gamez said after an eight-under-par 64 in the second round of the 90-hole Las Vegas Invitational.

“I hope,” Gamez quickly added, “that I have more than one more to win, but if I didn’t, I’d want it to be here, at home.”

Local knowledge has helped him compile a 36-hole total of 132, 12 under par with three rounds to go in the five-day event that is spread over three desert resort courses.

Despite some problems with late-day bumpy greens, Gamez held a one-stroke advantage over Peter Persons, John Adams and Tom Lehman.

The PGA Grand Slam of Golf, scheduled to be played at the Kauai Lagoons Resort next month, has been moved to PGA West in La Quinta because of extensive damage done to the original site by Hurricane Iniki.

The 36-hole event, which features the winners of golf’s four major tournaments, will be held on Nov. 10-11.

One year after a humbling loss to Bill Andrade, Ian Woosnam returned to World Match Play action with a resounding 8 and 6 victory over Japan’s Norio Suzuki at Virginia Water, England.

Jeff Sluman also made it to the second round with a 4 and 3 victory over Vijay Singh of Fiji. He will play defending champion Seve Ballesteros, who has won the event five times.