PFG Golf Finance, a division of Information Leasing Corporation, announces that it changed its name effective Oct. 1. The new name, National City Golf Finance reflects the combination of the company's parent company's leasing groups -- Provident Financial Group (Provident) and National City Corporation (National City). The merger of Provident and National City closed on July 1 of this year.

Amateur playing spots in the Sports Celebrity Golf Classic are still available according to chairperson Martha Khlopin. The tournament is Thursday, Oct. 14 at the Windward Oahu Luana Hills Golf Club.

Laurel Creek Country Club in Mt. Laurel, N.J., is the latest course to receive a HoleView Environmental Yardage Book, signifying it as a prestigious Audubon International certified cooperative sanctuary course.

Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company in Hershey, Pa., announces a comprehensive renovation project for Hershey Golf Club that will include a new clubhouse, swimming pool, year-round pavilion and enhanced tennis facility. The project is scheduled to begin this fall and is due for completion by April 2006. Estimated cost is approximately $18 million.

Sorry, the weather on the East Coast is too beautiful right now to be sitting inside in front of a computer, so Casual Friday will be brief. In fact, an old English professor once said that brevity is best.

So ...

· Casual Friday read the report of Tiger Woods' wedding on Tuesday and chuckled at the thought of an Associated Press reporter sitting on a hillside in hope of finding out information or checking out who the guest list included.

CF might be in the minority, but if someone has to sit on a hillside, then it's not worth the trouble of knowing. Seriously, does it make a bit of difference that Oprah was in attendance?

· Taking nothing away from Fred Funk, who was a member of the recent U.S. Ryder Cup team, but the Southern Farm Bureau Classic is the kind of tournament Casual Friday would expect one of the up-and-comer American players to do well in.
Well, here's hoping that Ryan Palmer and J.J. Henry are the up-and-comers as they were the top American finishers under the age of 30. Palmer, 28, finished second and Henry, 29, finished tied for third.
If the U.S. is going to ever win the Ryder Cup back and dominate, then it is time for the younger players to step up. By the time the Ryder Cup returns to Ireland in 2006, Woods, the youngest American this time, will be 30.

· Ernie Els still has an opportunity to be the world No. 1 by the end of this year. Kind of amazing given that current No. 1 Vijay Singh has won eight times this year. ... David Duval shot 71-72 at the Southern Farm Bureau Classic and missed the cut, his fifth in seven starts this season. Casual Friday is hoping he makes a strong comeback in 2005. ... Give kudos to The Golf Channel for locking up Dottie Pepper, who will retire from the LPGA at the end of the season, as an analyst for its tournament coverage in 2005. She will bring spark to any broadcast. It's just a shame one of the big three networks didn't have the foresight.

OK, we done? Casual Friday is going to try and get in nine holes.

Good Thoughts
Golf writer and accomplished photographer Bob Labbance suffered a serious spinal cord injury in a fall off a foot bridge while golfing on Aug. 31.

Thanks to the support, cards, visits, good thoughts and prayers from friends and colleagues around the world -- not to mention some very talented doctors, nurses and physical therapists -- Labbance is making tremendous strides. The hope is that he will be released from the hospital in early November, though intensive physical and occupational therapy will continue.

A benefit golf tournament has been established to help Labbance and his family. The Double Bogey Bridge Dive Open will be held Oct. 18 at the The Country Club of Vermont in Waterbury.

The entry fee for the event is $100 per person, which includes a round at Vermont's top-ranked course, cart, shirt and lunch.

For information, go to http://homepage.mac.com/bobodante/dbbdo/index.htm or e-mail BridgeDiveOpen@aol.com.