Full Court Press
HALE Irwin sat quietly in front of the TV set in the players lounge after completing a practice round on this gray day at Turtle Bay. Seniors were here, but
minds were elsewhereWhile most of Oahu was bathed in sunlight, the northern tip of the island was feeling the brunt of periodic tradewind showers, not uncommon this time of year.
Play at the Turtle Bay Championship was still several days away, giving Irwin time to reflect on what was happening back in the world. On this late Tuesday afternoon, MSNBC was Irwin's connection to the rest of America and beyond.
"It's strange watching the news here and realizing our troubles are a half-a-world away," Irwin said. "It's easy to forget the problems of America in a beautiful place like this. But you also feel kind of cut off. I just keep wondering when we're going to launch our attack."
Not until the final round on Sunday would Irwin's musings become a reality. Like many of the golfers on the Senior PGA Tour, his eyes were on his game, but his heart was elsewhere.
"This tragedy puts everything into perspective," said Irwin, who wore a red, white and blue ribbon on his shirt for all three rounds of last weekend's tournament. "I couldn't help thinking about it as I walked down the fairway or after finishing a putt. It's always at the back of your mind."
Many of the members of the Senior Tour were young men during the Vietnam conflict. John Jacobs, who finished second to Irwin by three shots, served in that war, and like Irwin, couldn't help but think about the young men and women in Afghanistan.
"In my mind, the World Trade Center bombings were a wake-up call for this country," Jacobs said. "We've been very fortunate this hasn't already happened.
"Golf tournaments don't seem so important when your country is at war. When I was in Vietnam, nobody back in America really cared. Nothing changed. Everybody just kept going along doing what they always did. No sacrifice. I don't get that same sense now. This happened in our country, not in some faraway land."
Golfers aren't always viewed as men who would serve on the front lines of a war. They often come from wealthy backgrounds, which keep them out of the fray.
But that's not a fair representation, according to Jacobs.
"I don't think we're any different than anyone else," Jacobs said. "Some guys are privileged I guess, but there are a lot of players out here who are just regular guys. They feel the same way about America as anyone else."
SOUTH AFRICAN Gary Player also has feelings about America and what happened in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. He has competed stateside long enough to get a feel for the people and their way of life.
"I think I understand Americans very well," Player said. "The entire world was shocked by what happened. But life must go on. I've flown all around the world and will continue to do so. You have to pick up and move on the best way you can. Because if you stop doing what you've always done, then the terrorists win."
Paul Arnett has been covering sports
for the Star-Bulletin since 1990.
Email Paul: parnett@starbulletin.com.