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A Look Back: August 9
1964:
Chi Chi Rodriguez wins the Western Open for his second PGA Tour
title of the year. |
Equipment
Titleist offers two new
entries in the golf ball market. The NXT Tour features a 1.590-inch core,
the largest of any solid core ball, and a four-polymer Fusablend cover,
while the NXT Distance has a core with tungsten and a Surlyn cover. Both
solid-core balls will be marketed to recreational players and will sell
for $34/dozen.
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more...
CHAMP announces
the making of its 375th million Q-LOK spike -- or the equivalent of enough
spikes to outfit every golfer in the United States.
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more...
Of the 140 players
in the recent U.S. Women's Amateur field at Andover, Kansas, 74 wore Softspikes
brand cleats, according to the Darrell Survey.
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more...
Events
Reed Exhibitions
announces plans to rotate the site and dates for upcoming PGA Fall Expos.
The following sites and dates were announced: Reno, Nev., July 31-Aug.
3, 2002; San Diego, Calif., Aug. 4-7, 2003; and Las Vegas, Nev., 2004.
This year's event will be held Sept. 22-26 in Las Vegas.
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more...
Apparel
TwinHill Golf Company announces
it will attend the PGA Fall Expo in Las Vegas Sept. 24-26 to showcase
its Spring/Summer 2002 collections.
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more...
Technology
Software company Crystal
Decisions' information analysis and delivery products have helped
the PGA of America increase employee productivity by 15 percent.
The software has been particularly effective at helping the 41 PGA Section
offices in the U.S. communicate via the Internet.
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more...
Five Questions
Danny Yates
U.S. Walker Cup captain
Danny Yates, 51, will captain the United States against Great Britain & Ireland in this weekend's 38th Walker Cup matches at Ocean Forest Golf Club in Sea Island, Ga. Yates, a native of Atlanta, captained the U.S. team that lost 15-9 at Nairn, Scotland two years ago. As a player, Yates was on the 1989 U.S. team that was the first to lose on American soil and the winning 1993 team.
Q:
In 1999, how difficult was losing given that you led by two points heading
into Sunday and then lost 10 of the 12 points that day?
A: It was a
real tough loss — one that I still think about to this day. We played
much better than the score indicated, though. Five or six matches went
down to the last hole, but (Great Britain & Ireland) just played better.
We actually played
better on Sunday than on Saturday, so they won it. Our guys certainly
didn't give anything away. They made birdies and putts and we weren't
able to match them. They played terrific golf on Sunday, so the score
was not indicative of how we played. It's just the way it turned out.
Q:
You played on two U.S. Walker Cups, but were a captain for the first time
in 1999. What did you learn as a captain that will benefit you this year?
A: I learned
a lot, you always learn a lot when you lose. You really have to play the
hand you're dealt and we really didn't have much time to prepare for the
foursomes just because we got the last half of the team put together about
a week or so before we left because the U.S. Amateur was so close to the
Walker Cup.
I have done a lot more
thinking this time because I know what the players are like and how we'll
pair the foursomes and how we'll practice. We'll do some things differently
at Ocean Forest than we did over there. And it's not going to be as new
an experience to some of the players because we've got three guys who
have played before and last time we only had one. And we were going to
a place that no one had been before basically. At Ocean Forest, nine of
the 10 players on the team have played there in competition. So I don't
think we have to spend as much time seeing the course as we do trying
to pair the foursome teams. But I will do it a little bit differently.
Q:
You have NCAA player of the year Bryce Molder on the team from 1999, but
also a couple of peers -- John Harris and David Eger -- both of whom are
49 years old. What do Eger, who has played in two previous Walker Cup
matches, and Harris, who will be playing in his fourth, bring to the table?
A:
They both add a lot of leadership to the team. John is real analytical
and thinking about matchups and David has got a lot of experience and
they all know the kids well. David played on the World Amateur team with
Bryce (Molder) and Jeff Quinney, and John was the first alternate and
with them for awhile. They just know a lot more about the players and
that will help me because I'm not out there as much as they are.
Q:
Your own amateur career is quite distinguished, but with your focus the
last three or four years being on captain of the United States team, how
much has your own game suffered?
A:
I remember (former Walker Cup captain) Downing Gray saying "I hope you
don't lose your game like I did." I haven't completely lost it, but it's
been on the back burner. I would go to a tournament and I would spend
more time watching the other guys, even while I was playing my round if
I was paired with one of the kids that looked like they might make the
team. And I've really been thinking more about the Walker Cup the last
three years — I was named captain in '98 — spending time thinking about
other players' games than mine. And that's fine because it goes with the
territory of being captain and I understand that.
Q:
Players and captains alike always talk about the Walker Cup experience
with such fond memories, almost with a reverential tone. Can you sum up
your thoughts?
A:
It's just a special experience being with the younger guys and a few
older guys, and the friendships you make. It's just something you never
forget. It's the last great non-commercial, non-professional amateur event.
I mean there's no advertisement, no logos, it's just pure amateur sport
for the love of the game and the competition. You don't get to represent
your country very often and, if you're lucky, you get to do it once or
twice in your amateur career.