Among the many tenets and catchwords that have defined his successful business life, Frank Fuhrer embraces one above all the others: Integrity.

It is the reason the tournament he founded and ran for 13 years, the Family House Invitational, became such a success, too. Fuhrer never compromised what he wanted or how he wanted things done. And he wasn't afraid to let anyone know. Even the PGA Tour players who came to his event.

There is no greater example than Fuzzy Zoeller, a former Masters and U.S. Open champion who played one year at Family House and never returned.

Zoeller showed up for the traditional dinner the first night wearing a sport coat with no tie. When Fuhrer told Zoeller all players must wear a tie, Zoeller put his arm around Fuhrer and said, "Ol' Fuzz is his own guy."

Later that year, Zoeller's agent called Fuhrer wondering why his client had not received his invitation to play in Family House the following year. Fuhrer told him Zoeller was not being invited back.

When the agent asked why, Fuhrer said, "Just tell this to Fuzzy: Tell him, Ol' Frank is his own guy, too.' He'll know what I mean."

And Zoeller never returned. Same thing with Donnie Hammond, who once did not finish a hole because he hit his tee shot out of bounds. Tim Simpson skipped the dinner one year because he went to a Pirates game. He was never invited back, either.

Fuhrer, of course, no longer stages the Family House Invitational, which was played for the final time in 1997. Now he commits his time and money to something just as near and dear to his heart -- the Frank B. Fuhrer Invitational.

It doesn't have any PGA Tour pros, there is no pro-am and it doesn't offer a purse approaching $1 million. But it's the best event on the Tri-State PGA schedule -- a three-day, 72-hole tournament with a $125,000 purse and a $25,000 first prize.

The tournament, formerly known as the Pittsburgh Open, is July 12-14 at Oakmont Country Club. It is a limited field of 42 area professionals, plus six invited amateurs, and it's one of the best and most profitable events among PGA sections in the country.

"I'm as proud of it as I was Family House," Fuhrer said. "And it's run exactly the same way -- fair and no-nonsense. You're either in or you're out, and I don't want to hear about it."

The name of the tournament was changed years ago to honor Fuhrer, a Fox Chapel businessman. Since then, the field has been reduced to include just the top 25 on the 2003 TSPGA point list, 14 qualifiers, six amateurs and three sponsors exemptions.

Fuhrer insists on keeping amateurs in the field, even though they are not eligible to win money, because of his long-time devotion to amateur golf. He even awards a silver cup to the low amateur. The cup is named after his son, Frank Fuhrer III, one of the best amateur players in Western Pennsylvania history and a former Walker Cup team member. The young Fuhrer no longer plays competitively.

"Frank was not only a champion on the course, he was a champion off the course," Fuhrer said. "You didn't know if he was 10 over or 10 under. He always conducted himself as a gentleman. He never blamed the course or another player. He just played."

Fuhrer was honored Monday night at a dinner following the Bayer Advantage Challenge, which is hoping to follow in the considerable footsteps of the Family House. During a speech, he talked about his legacy, which is immense.

"It doesn't matter how much money you have or how many businesses you've run," Fuhrer said. "The only way I want to be remembered is, are the people who worked for me, the people who came across me, are they better because they knew me?"

Trivia

Marlene Hagge has appeared in more U.S. Women's Open championships (33) than any player in history. Who is second? Answer at end.

Hoch on Oakmont

Scott Hoch, who played in the inaugural Bayer Advantage Challenge, did not like Oakmont after nearly 7,000 trees were removed. But he is more worried what it will look like when the 2007 U.S. Open is played there.

"If nothing else, the USGA will grind it up," Hoch said of the United States Golf Association. "I'm just a little worried after Shinnecock what they come up with these days to try to preserve par.

"Players are better than they used to be. Scores are going to be lower. But they want to keep them the same. When good shots don't end up good shots, and when you can't hold the ball on any of the greens, that's kind of tough. Sometimes, you always know the pins to play away from. But we had to play away from the greens and find the best place to chip from."

Hoch said he plans to play in the 84 Lumber Classic of Pennsylvania in September.

A final word

One more thing about Shinnecock:

Maybe the USGA was responding to criticism it received last year at Olympia Fields, when Jim Furyk won. Many of the players said that course didn't have an Open feel to it because the fairways were so wide and the greens were soft.

Be careful what you wish for.

Quotable

John Daly, on the par-3 eighth hole at Oakmont Country Club, which is scheduled to be lengthened from 262 yards to 285 yards for the '07 U.S. Open: "It's the first par 3 I'll ever lay up on."

Dissa and data

Oakmont pro Bob Ford and former Nationwide Tour player Bob Friend will play a $3,000 challenge match tomorrow against West Virginia pros Brad Westfall and Chris McGinnis at Pikewood Golf Club, a new 18-hole private facility in Morgantown, W.Va. The match is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. The players will conduct a clinic at approximately 9 a.m.

An 18-hole qualifier for the U.S. Senior Open is today at Longue Vue. Only one spot is available for the July 29-Aug. 1 championship at Bellerive CC in St. Louis.

Trivia answer

Carol Semple Thompson, a decorated amateur from Sewickley, has played in 32 U.S. Women's Open championships, second only to Hagge.