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Tournaments
Kellogg-Keebler, which sponsors the LPGA Kellogg-Keebler Classic, announces it will donate up to $25,000 to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
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Five of South Africa's top young golfers, including Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen, have entered the St Andrews Links Trophy, to be played over the Old and Jubilee courses on May 25-26.
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Players
As Tiger Woods starts the defense of his green jacket at the Masters, sports fans name him the second-most popular athlete in the United States. Only Michael Jordan is more popular.
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Sponsorship
International Gluv Corporation announces that Arnold Palmer has signed a multi-year endorsement agreement for the Chattanooga based golf glove company.
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Resort community Grande Dunes signs LPGA Tour rookie Clarissa Childs to wear the Grande Dunes logo on her hat, shirt and golf bag.
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Travel
Michigan resort Grand Traverse Resort and Spa offers travel packages for golfers good from June 14 to August 17 that include accommodations, breakfast and golf.
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Courses
San Diego-area course Steele Canyon Golf Club announces the sale of its first 100 Private Memberships at its 27-hole Championship golf course designed by Gary Player.
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Royce Brook Golf Club, located in Hillsborough, N.J., will host the 2003 New Jersey State Women's Amateur Tournament, July 28-August 1.
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Equipment
More competitors at the Masters are wearing Black Widow cleats by Softspikes than metal cleats. This is the second year in a row that the Darrell Survey has recorded a majority of players wearing the brand.
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Photography
Famous Photography agrees to sponsor the Southern Ohio Section of the PGA's Pro-Assistant Championship to be held in October. The company also offers an incentive program to benefit members of the SOPGA.
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Associations
The Los Angeles chapter of Teens on the Green is awarded $5,000 from the Magic Johnson Foundation that will allow eight players to compete in the Teens On The Green Junior Golf World Team & Individual Championships in Orlando, Fla.
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People
MacNeill Engineering, makers of CHAMP brand golf cleats, promotes Rich Hennemann to the position of Sales and Marketing Coordinator. Hennemann has worked as a Field Marketing Coordinator with MacNeill for three-and-a-half years.
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Business
Executives for clothing maker Hartmarx made a presentation to shareholders during the company's annual meeting, saying their objectives for the fiscal year include achieving profitability and reducing total debt by 15 percent. Hartmarx makes golf clothing brands Bobby Jones and Jack Nicklaus.
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Del Webb Corp. joins the list of customer-oriented organizations implementing the National Golf Foundation's Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction Program, which enables facilities to analyze, track and monitor precise customer behavior to develop a one-to-one relationship with customers and increase profitability.
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Cleat maker Softspikes announces that Walkerden Golf Australia will act as a distributor for Softspikes brand products in Australia and New Zealand, effective immediately.
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Events
The American Cancer Society will present its 8th annual Celebrity Golf Classic tournament on Monday, May 20, 2002 at the International Country Club in Fairfax, Va. The tournament is open to the public and costs $1,200 to register a three-some.
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Casual Friday
The Object of Our Affection

Masters Friday and you would expect Casual Friday to write about something other than Augusta National?

Sorry, we were like the rest of you, either camped in front of the computer waiting for the Web site leaderboards to change or telling everyone in the house to pipe down and move outta the way so we could watch USA Network's television coverage.

We expected to see carnage and train wrecks given all the talk of how difficult Augusta National was going to play. Tom Fazio, the golf course architect who masterminded the changes to Augusta, was of the thinking that the course would play one to two strokes harder. John Daly said two to three strokes.

But in round one, 21 of the 88-player field were in the red, names like Love, Els, Woods, Price, Garcia, Mickelson, Goosen, Olazabal, Singh, Leonard. And all of those were at 2-under or better. Since 1996, that is the fifth highest number of players under par for an opening round.

'Ol Augusta National was playing soft. The humid Georgia air and calm winds played a part in that, neutralizing the bite of the brutally beautiful Augusta on Thursday. The 74.11 field scoring average was the third lowest since 1997.

But the course is certainly playing into the hands of the long hitters. Of the 17 players at 2-under or lower, 13 had driving distances higher than the field average of 283.7 yards.

"Accurate beats length around here," said 21-year-old first-timer Adam Scott, who shot a 1-under 71, but was one of the players under the field average for driving distance.

Obviously Scott still has a few lessons to learn.

Distance will ultimately provide a dividend, especially as Augusta firms up and dries out.

FIRST CUT

Slammin' Sam Snead, 89, hit the ceremonial first drive to kick off the 66th Masters. Unfortunately Snead, who is recovering from an illness and hasn't had much time to practice, sent his drive into the crowd, breaking a spectator's glasses. Better luck next year, Mr. Snead.

DOUBLE CLICK
www.wgv.com/wgvf_HallOfFameInductees1.html

With the Masters in full swing, and such greats as Arnold Palmer announcing his last competitive round at Augusta, we can't help but think about the history of the game and the people who influenced it. Read through the profiles of the members of the World Golf Hall of Fame to learn about those men and women who have shaped golf into what it is today. Don't miss the profile on Clifford Roberts, the mastermind behind the Masters.

 

Reader's Forum With the arrival of the year's first major, the winner of the Masters will become the only player with the chance to win the coveted Grand Slam -- or will he? Open for debate is whether the Grand Slam is confined to the calendar year or can a player, like Tiger Woods in 2000-01, be entitled to the Grand Slam by winning the four major titles over two calendar years? Let us know your opinions by sending your responses to stuart@gpagolf.com with the subject line RE: Grand Slam. Also include your first name and last initial.