Sports Watch

By Bill Kwon

Friday, September 10, 1999

GOLF WATCH

Grand Slam losing luster
in hectic ‘silly season’

TIGER, Tiger, burning bright. Or, where have you gone, Tiger Woods? The Hyatt Regency Kauai PR folks canceled a press conference for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf a second time. Indefinitely, this time.

That isn't good news for the $1-million event featuring the winners of golf's four majors at the Poipu Bay Resort Course on the Garden Island.

The Grand Slam's Nov. 16-17 dates conflict with Tiger's appearance in the World Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the sponsoring PGA of America is apparently having difficulty coming up with a date that can accommodate all four winners, especially Woods, the PGA Champion.

The longer the delay, the more it seems that Tiger can't to be able to fit in the event on his schedule.

The PGA Grand Slam has become a victim of oversaturation in golf's "silly season," making it not as elite an event as billed. Even the $450,000 top prize is now peanuts to Tiger.

Obviously, there are too many conflicting golf events.

It's much the same problem that the Ryder Cup is facing because of the President's Cup. With America's top golfers having to play both events every year, it's getting to be a bore and chore.

The best suggestion for solving the cups that runneth over is to combine both.

Let the 12 best U.S., Europe and International players compete in a battle royal every two years . That would be more compelling than what we have now. Especially with the Americans losing every year.

IN MEMORIAM:

Hawaii lost one of its Hall of Fame golfers when Ramona McGuire - known as "The First Lady of Hawaiian Golf" - died Monday at the age of 83 after a lengthy illness.

McGuire, a member of the Waialae Country Club, won the Jennie K. Invitational in 1958-59, and the Waialae Women's Invitational in 1958 and 1964.

A five-time Hawaiian Women's Amateur champion, McGuire was a widow of Walter "Buster" McGuire, and daughter of former Honolulu Mayor Leslie Petrie.

She is survived by her daughter, Wendy McGuire Uyehara and a grandson, Reyn.

Graveside services will be held next Wednesday at Oahu Cemetery at 10 a.m.

INSECTICIDE:

You read about the two-stroke penalty Janice Moodie received for swatting an insect off her golf ball in the sand trap in the final round of the LPGA's State Farm Rail Classic last week.

Golf has some rules that aren't common sense. One is that a bug is a loose impediment and can't be removed in a hazard. It's so silly a rule that it has been changed, although not yet incorporated in the rule book.

LPGA officials went by the book, assessing Moodie two strokes. But they later changed it when told it wasn't so anymore.

GOING BY THE BOOK:

Speaking of golf rules, check out a new little book released this week called "Golf Rules Plain & Simple," authored by Mark Russell, PGA Tour rules official who has been here for years with the Hawaiian Open at the Waialae Country Club.

Russell spells out 37 situations - each illustrated - that golfers deal with and what the correct rule is. It's a must for those who truly want to understand and play golf by the rules.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY:

To Arnold Palmer , who's 70 today, and Tom Watson, who turned 50 last Saturday and is anxious to take on the Senior PGA Tour. Here's hoping Watson shows up for the EMC Kaanapali Classic.