The Wire for Wednesday, July 24, 2002

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A Look Back: July 24

1933: Colorful dresser and 20-time PGA Tour winner Doug Sanders is born in Cedartown, Ga.

1956: Jack Burke Jr. wins the PGA Championship to claim his second major championship victory of the year. He also won The Masters.

1977: Hollis Stacy wins the U.S. Women's Open by two strokes over Nancy Lopez.

1983: Billy Casper wins the U.S. Senior Open.

1988: Liselotte Neumann of Sweden bests Patty Sheehan by three shots to win the U.S. Women's Open.


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Accessories
Ernie Els wore a QLink pendent, used to reduce stress and move a golfer into the "zone," in his win at the British Open last weekend.
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Players
With a runner-up finish in last week's SBC Senior Open, Hale Irwin extends his lead in the Charles Schwab Cup race and winner Bob Gilder moves from 12th to sixth.
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Media
Under the direction of The Pinehurst Company Golf Institute's Eric Alpenfels, the Institute will collaborate with the editors of GOLF MAGAZINE to conduct research on hundreds of golfers to test the actual efficacy of golf instruction tips and lessons.
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Equipment
D.S.M. Project introduces a process that allows any tournament or corporate logo to be anodized into the body of its 100 percent milled putters, and is selling a Patriot putter with proceeds to benefit children of New York firefighters and police officers.
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Ernie Els wins the British Open and his third major using the new 510 driver from TaylorMade. Including Els, three of the event's top four finishers carried a TaylorMade driver.
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Chad Roberts captures the 2002 Summer National Long Drive Championship using Superior Metal Technologies' "Shinnecock" driver.
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Nike Golf plans to introduce a new line of golf bags Sept. 1, featuring three new highlight pieces: the Nike Tour Air Carry with Dual Air carry straps and Flex-base stand system, the Verdana bag for women and the Skinny bag for those days when golfers want to travel light.
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Apparel
Sport-Haley and Spalding Sports Worldwide unveil an international expansion plan for the Ben Hogan apparel collection that will include the United Kingdom, Sweden, Mexico, and various Caribbean countries as part of a second phase distribution campaign.
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Courses
The International Federation of PGA Tours names The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resorts as host site for the 2003 EMC World Cup.
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Business
Makers of the 2003 edition of What is the Ruling?!, licensed by the U.S. Golf Association, announce that the Royal Canadian Golf Association has also licensed the rules game.
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Briefly
The Sheffield Group, based in Sydney, Australia, is appointed as Textron Golf correspondent, providing golf course finance in the Australian and New Zealand area. ... Real estate investment trust Golf Trust of America sells Osage National Golf Club in Missouri to Osage National Investment Group. ... National Golf Properties announces that American Golf Corporation, the primary tenant of National Golf, has entered into a restructuring agreement with its lenders. ... West Coast Bank and West Coast Trust are the presenting sponsors of the Community Foundation Golf Classic, to be held Aug. 1 at the Golf Club at Hawks Prairie in Washington. ... California University of Pennsylvania plans to hold its fifth annual student athletic scholarship golf tournament at Southpointe July 29.

Commentary
Sponsors should nix bratty behavior

It was Saturday about 6:00 p.m. in Gullane, Scotland. Tiger Woods had just shot the worst round of his professional life and, after signing his scorecard, walked out of the scoring cabin and met first with the BBC, then radio and then the rest of the the media. He answered all the questions asked and then left with his agent and friends to decompress after shooting an 81 and losing his opportunity to win the Grand Slam.

Ten minutes before Woods finished his third round, Scotland's Colin Montgomerie walked into the scorers tent after shooting an 84, 20 shots worse then his second-round 64. With his 13-over-par third round, Montgomerie lost his chance of winning his first major and his first British Open.

Montgomerie did not stay for questions of the BBC, the radio or the other media - he stormed off and left without a word.

The No. 1 player in the world decided a long time ago that he has a responsibility to the game, his fellow golfers, the media and the fans to act professionally in both good or bad situations.

Montgomerie has learned to be a stupid brat at any opportunity and then blame it on anyone and everyone who happens to be around at the time. Media or fans are not immune from a Monty tirade.

The most interesting part about this is why a sponsor would put up with it.

Are Callaway and Lexus, both Montgomerie sponsors, listening? With a worldwide downturn in the industry, why spend money on an immature golfer? Spend the money on a player who is willing to stand up for his or her responsibilities, and therefore reflect positively on your company and product.

Woods' sponsors - including Buick, American Express and Nike - should be proud of the way their player conducted himself in what was clearly a heartbreaking situation.

It would have been understandable if Woods was not as gracious in the circumstances, but he acted thoughtfully and professionally.

Some on the Senior Tour do not get it either. Two weeks ago, Stewart Ginn won the Ford Seniors Players and decided that catching his plane to Malaysia was more important than the courtesy of sticking around for a press conference. He picked up his check and trophy on a dead run and jumped in a car for the airport. He did provide his cell phone number, for whatever that was worth.

So much for the new, more friendly Senior PGA Tour.

Ginn's and Montgomerie's actions give golf a bad name. If they will not change, it may be time for their sponsors to talk to them about what is expected from some of the best golfers in the world.

Reader's Forum
The 131st British Open is over. Muirfield Golf Links was a fair test, Tiger Woods' quest for the Grand Slam was shut and Ernie Els eventually won a playoff over three other players. What were your impressions of the year's third major?

Let us know your opinions by sending your responses to info@gpagolf.com with the subject line RE: Impressions. Also include your first initial and last name, along with your email address.