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Jack Nicklaus shot
a 2-under 70 to defeat Ben Crenshaw by five strokes in a Shell's Wonderful
World of Golf Match at Las Campanas in Santa Fe, New Mexico, that
will air Oct. 16 on ESPN.
The PGA of America
names its 2001 award winners: Craig Shankland is named PGA Teacher
of the Year; Gary Reynolds receives the PGA Bill Strausbaugh Club
Relations Award; Tony Morosco earns PGA Golf Professional of the
Year; Paul Bergen is awarded the PGA Horton Smith Trophy; and Charlie
Lanzetta wins the Junior Golf Leader Award.
PGA.com chooses Speedera
Networks to manage traffic to its Web site. Speedera's global network
will handle peak loads to ensure visitors receive immediate access to
the latest tournament news and player standings without a delay in download
time.
TeeTops, Inc.
introduces its portable driving range covers, allowing courses or driving
ranges to save revenues previously lost to rain or excessive heat. TeeTops'
market research also indicates that covered tee areas increase range traffic
and visibility. With Robert Allenby's
victory at the Marconi Pennsylvania Classic last weekend, Maxfli
marks the 12th professional win for its A10 golf ball. Besides using the
new ball, Allenby also plays Maxfli Revolution irons, glove and wedge.
Fortune Brands,
parent company of Acushnet which manages the Titleist, Cobra and FootJoy
brands, announces a one dollar per share dividend for the year.
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Commentary Quick, without peeking, who won Sunday's LPGA event? Or, where is this week's tour stop? Don't be ashamed if you don't know off the top of your head, you're probably not alone. Unless Annika Sorenstam is shooting 59 or Karrie Webb is winning majors, the LPGA is nothing but a blip on the golfing radar screen this time of year -- or most any other, for that matter. So when Laura Diaz used the s-word -- sex -- in regards to how the LPGA could better promote and market its product, she created quite a buzz in the golf media, further strengthening her argument. Diaz was not advocating players become centerfold material, but if using their god-given beauty will catch the eye of a sponsor or draw a few more fans into the gallery, then so be it. Her comments first appeared in Sports Illustrated, but the resonated throughout the media with a ripple affect as she then made the cover of Golf World with a lengthy feature, followed by a sidebar in Golf Digest. Meanwhile, Golfweek's Preferred Golfer section spun off and did a spread on women's fashion on the LPGA Tour. Could Golf For Women be too far behind? Diaz' comments were not intended to draw attention upon herself, but to offer some direction for a tour that needs a boost. The Tour got a lot of press and fan mileage from Sorenstam's 59 earlier this year, then followed that up with Webb's dominating summer. And just when the Battle at Bighorn appeared to be a good idea, showcasing Webb pairing with David Duval and Sorenstam with Tiger Woods, the LPGA's two premier players play as if in they are in an awe-induced stupor. The LPGA took another media relations hit a few weeks ago when officials said the Safeway Classic would be played despite terrorist attacks on America just a few days earlier, then they abruptly changed their mind. Canceling was not necessarily a poor decision, but the indecisive waffling ruined the Tour's intended affect. The LPGA will now trudge through the remainder of the year, possibly creating a stir when the time comes to crown Player of the Year, otherwise hardly any one will notice. That's the real shame, because the Tour has so much talent -- not all of it being just good looks. By the way, the answers to the opening questions are Tina Fischer and the AFLAC Champions. And, yes, I even peeked. Let us hear your thoughts on this or any other issue, by e-mailing us at info@gpagolf.com. Please include 19th Hole in the subject line and your first initial, last name and city.
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