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A Look Back: Oct. 3 1960: Billy Casper wins the Hesperia Open. 1976: George Archer wins the Sahara Invitational by two shots over Dave Hill and Don January. 1982: In a battle of former Wake Forest University teammates, Jay Haas wins the Texas Open by three strokes over Curtis Strange. 1994: Seve Ballesteros defeats Ernie Els and Jose Maria Olazabal in a playoff to win the European PGA Tour's Linde German Masters. 1999: David Toms wins the Buick Challenge for his second PGA Tour victory of the year. |
Events
The United States Golf Association chooses Oakmont Country Club as the
site of the 2007 U.S. Open. Oakmont hosted the Open seven times,
as well as the U.S. Women's Open and the U.S. Amateur four times.
For
more...
Phil Mickelson will
play Sergio Garcia in the Shell's Wonderful World of Golf match
that airs Oct. 9 on ESPN at 9:30 p.m. ET. The 18-hole match is contested
at the Tom Fazio-designed Querencia Golf Course, in Los Cabos, Mexico.
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more...
Canadian Tour confirms
that PGA Tour players Mike Weir and Ian Leggatt have agreed to represent
Canada at the EMC World Cup in Gotemba, Japan, Nov. 15-18. During
their time on the Canadian Tour, Weir won three titles and the 1997 McDonald's
Order of Merit title, while Leggatt had seven second-place finishes between
1996 and 1999.
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more...
Australia's Adam Scott,
Welshman Ian Woosnam and Nick Faldo of England agree to play in the Cisco
World Match Play Championship. One spot in the field remains to be
filled.
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more...
British Open Champion
David Duval will play in the Japan PGA's Dunlop Phoenix Tournament
Nov. 8-11. Other participants include David Gossett, Aaron Baddeley and
Japan's Shingo Katayama.
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more...
Courses
Oakmont Country Club, which will host the 2007 U.S. Open, plans
to build a new pedestrian bridge over the Pennsylvania Turnpike to make
access to the course easier. Architect Tom Fazio will also make some changes
to the layout, most notably adding length.
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more...
Courses managed by
Evergreen Alliance Golf Limited participate in various efforts
to raise funds for victims of the Sept. 11 attacks. Some courses have
distributed special ribbons while other courses are planning to host dinners
or tournaments.
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more...
Cobblestone Creek
Country Club, near Rochester, N.Y., announces it will match whatever
amount its members personally donate to an agency aiding people whose
lives were affected by the Sept. 11 terriorist attacks on New York City
and at the Pentagon.
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more...
Publications
A
new book published by the PGA of America, "A Spirit of Golf: Stories
from Those Who Love the Game," features stories from golf pros and
celebrity golfers. The 288-page book will be for sale in mid-October and
will cost $24.95.
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more...
The Washington Times
names "Flatbellies" by A.B. Hollingsworth and published by Sleeping
Bear Press as one of the top 10 golf books of all time in its Tuesday,
Oct. 2 edition. At No. 1 on the list is Ben Hogan's "Five Lessons: The
Modern Fundamentals of Golf."
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more...
Sponsorships
Target Stores will sponsor 17-year-old pro Ty Tryon as he
starts his pro golf career. Tryon will wear the Target logo on Mossimo-brand
clothing.
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more...
People
Golf journalist David Chmiel joins Mastro Communications as a managing
director. In his position, Chmiel will oversee several marketing and publishing
projects for the company.
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more...
Business
CHAMP,
a manufacturer and developer of sport cleats, golf products and accessories,
announces the signing of Bats Sports Pty Ltd. as the company's exclusive
distributor in Australia.
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more...
Golf course owner
and operator ClubLink announces its plan to buy back 5 percent
of its common stock has been approved by The Toronto Stock Exchange.
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more...
Instruction
GolfTEC
PGA professionals are utilizing the state-of-the-art indoor video and
motion analysis system to help golfers of all levels improve their swing
in preparation for next year.
For
more...
Commentary
Back to Oakmont
The U.S. Golf Association honored tradition again on Tuesday, announcing that the U.S. Open will return to Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club in 2007. Coming to such a decision was simple.
Seven times previously the Open has been contested just north of Pittsburgh, the first being in 1927. And each trip has produced a lasting memory, be it Tommy Armour's and Jack Nicklaus' three-stroke playoff victories over Harry Cooper in 1927 and Arnold Palmer in '62, respectively; little-known Sam Parks Jr.'s stunning upset in 1935; Ben Hogan's dominating six-stroke win over Sam Snead in '53; Johnny Miller's final-round 8-under 63 to win in 1973; Larry Nelson's win over Tom Watson in '83; or Ernie Els' playoff win over Colin Montgomerie and Loren Roberts in '94.
Aside from Parks, Oakmont has weeded the pretenders from the contenders, each of its champions having been multiple major winners. Hogan's Open win was his third in four years. Nicklaus, then 22 and playing in his first major as a professional, practically beat Palmer in his own backyard. Miller's 63 finale ranks as one of the greatest closing rounds ever.
Sure, the USGA could have broken tradition and gone somewhere new, but there was no need. Let the PGA of America break in the Valhalla's, Whistling Strait's and Sahalee's, but even it is beginning to see that there is an inherent reason for going to The Country Club or Medinah or Oakland Hills -- history.
Just by announcing the venue, memories are nudged awake. There are grandfathers who tell tales of '53, fathers who relive '62 and sons who recall '83. Their characters and stories are different, but each is woven together by a common thread, in this case Oakmont.
By '07 it will be time for another generation to witness the history that so strongly ties the game together. For now, though, the USGA should be applauded for having such foresight.
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.