El,
Looks like your time has come.(:^0
Oh yeah, there's a trinket on Compaq near the end of the article.
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Big Changes for Amateur Golfers
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Story Filed: Tuesday, July 03, 2001 2:26 PM EDT
In two significant changes to the Rules of Golf, the U.S. Golf Association will allow amateurs to receive free equipment from manufacturers and permit them to go through PGA Tour qualifying without losing their amateur status.
``These are two of the biggest changes we've had in my 22 years,'' said Tony Zirpoli, the USGA's senior director of amateur status. ``It's going to take us a little time to digest.''
That goes for the industry, too.
The changes, effective Jan. 1, could have a big impact on colleges with players who want to test the professional waters just as the season is getting under way.
Under current rules, players automatically forfeit their amateur status by applying for Q-school. Next year, they can try Q-school and remain amateurs simply by waiving their right to any prize money.
That means giving up as many as three weeks of school, and then deciding whether to turn pro, even taking limited status on the Buy.com Tour.
``It's a little scary to think about that at this point,'' said Buddy Alexander, coach of the NCAA champion Florida Gators. ``As a coach, we have to deal with it. You want to do the best thing for your athletes and for your university.''
Still, Alexander doesn't think more than a dozen or so college players will invest the time and money -- a $5,000 entry fee, plus travel and lodging during the three stages of the qualifying tournament.
As for the free equipment, ``The marketplace will control this,'' Zirpoli said. ``I don't think manufacturers are going to willy-nilly throw out free equipment.''
Amateurs still cannot make deals -- verbal or written -- with specific companies, and their likenesses cannot be used in advertising. College players likely will not be affected because they get their goods through the school -- otherwise, it violates NCAA rules.
Callaway Golf spokesman Larry Dorman said the rule change will allow companies to build brand loyalty with young amateurs, and also let some rising stars get high-quality equipment they otherwise could not afford.
Both changes were approved so the USGA could keep in line with the Royal & Ancient Golf Club, which has had these rules on the books the past four years.
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FLEISHER FLOATING: The day after winning the U.S. Senior Open for his first major on any tour, Bruce Fleisher kept his appointment at Meadow Brook Club, where he is the two-time defending champ at the Long Island Classic.
The wraparound shades had more to do with the celebration than the sun.
``You have to forgive me for the sunglasses, but last night was a very difficult night, as you can imagine,'' Fleisher said. ``The euphoric feeling you get from winning stays with you for a couple of days, so I'll be flying for a few more days before I come down.''
Fleisher said one of the best rewards from winning was a call of congratulations from Jack Nicklaus, who finished two strokes back.
``Now that's special,'' he said.
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WORLD CUP: South Africa changed its qualifications standards for the World Cup to take the top two available players from the world ranking. The result is a team that has won three of the past nine U.S. Open titles -- Retief Goosen and Ernie Els.
South Africa last won the World Cup in 1996 when Els played with Wayne Westner. The World Cup, now part of the World Golf Championships, will be played Nov. 15-18 in Japan.
``If we can rekindle some of the form that helped us win the 1996 World Cup, I'm sure we will give the front-runners a good go for their money,'' Els said.
The front-runners would be Tiger Woods and David Duval, who won the match-play event in Argentina in December.
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KARRIE & ANNIKA: Karrie Webb and Annika Sorenstam are assured to going head-to-head at least once this year. They will play a Shell's Wonderful World of Golf match Oct. 9 at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort.
Sorenstam has won five times this year, including a major and the first 59 in women's golf. Webb has won the last two majors to become the youngest woman to complete the Grand Slam.
``While there doesn't seem to be much question about the dominance of a singular player today on the PGA Tour, there is a real question regarding dominance on the LPGA Tour,'' said Terry Jastrow, executive producer of the Shell's matches. ``It's time for the two of them to play head-to-head.''
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A HELPING HAND: When heavy rains finally subsided in the second round of a Futures Tour event last week in Killington, Vt., most players headed to the range.
Stacy Orschell grabbed a rake.
She and her fiancee, Steve Lorek, decided to help the grounds crew at Green Mountain National Golf Course bail water from the bunkers on No. 18 and rake the eroded areas.
``Both Steve and I worked on the maintenance crew at the university golf course when we were seniors at Purdue,'' Orschell said.
She wound up back in the bunker during the final round Sunday, but managed to save par.
``It's a good thing,'' Orschell said. ``I would have hated to bogey that hole after all the work we did.''
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DIVOTS: Tiger Woods and Shigeki Maruyama will play an exhibition Nov. 12 at the Fuji Excellent Club Owashi golf course in Mie Prefecture. The match will take place the week of the World Cup at The Taheiyo Club. Woods and David Duval are the defending champions. ... The USGA Museum in Far Hills, N.J., has opened a new exhibit that contains the original trophies from its national championship and international competitions. The USGA recently completed a three-year program in which it made duplicate trophies for current champions. ... The 2002 PGA Championship at Hazeltine is on pace to become the fastest sellout in tournament history. Minnesota residents have accounted for 90 percent of tickets sold in the first week. ... U.S. Ryder Cup captain Curtis Strange has a deal with Compaq in which he will give exclusive online updates leading up to the Ryder Cup ( www.compaq.com/curtisstrange).
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STAT OF THE WEEK: Bruce Fleisher joined Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus as the only players to win the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Senior Open.
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FINAL WORD: ``Not too many fish ask for your autograph.'' -- Tiger Woods, on why he finds fishing so relaxing.
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