Wednesday, September 1, 1999
Grand Slam
dates may change
Woods has a prior commitment,
By Bill Kwon
which may move the PGA event
on Kauai to Nov. 23-24
Star-BulletinThe PGA Grand Slam of Golf without Tiger Woods?
It can happen and PGA of America officials are exploring a change in date to ensure that the world's No. 1 golfer will be at Kauai's Poipu Bay Resort in November.
Woods is committed to play in the World Cup Nov. 18-21 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He and Mark O'Meara will represent the United States.
The PGA Grand Slam - involving the winners of golf's four majors this year - is scheduled for Nov. 16-17.
Woods committed to the World Cup before winning the PGA Championship and qualifying for the $1 million event to join Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal, U.S. Open champion Payne Stewart and British Open winner Paul Lawrie.
"All the parties involved are in agreement that they want to have the winners of the majors in the PGA Grand Slam," said Julius Mason, PGA of America spokesman. "We are working on a date change to avoid any conflicts."
With the Shark Shootout, a PGA-sanctioned event, slated the weekend before, the most likely scenario is moving the PGA Grand Slam to Nov. 23-24.
Mason said that an announcement about the date change is expected some time this week.
Since its present format began in 1991, every major winner has competed in the PGA Grand Slam. Having the winner of the PGA Championship miss the PGA Grand Slam would be a double blow for the PGA of America, which sponsors both events.
An alternate last year when O'Meara won two majors, Woods is also the defending champion, having beaten Lee Janzen, 3 and 2, and Vijay Singh, 2-up, when the PGA Grand Slam adopted a match-play format for the first time.
