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Wednesday, June 05, 2002

By Phil Axelrod, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

The process begins in January with Mario Lemieux handing Nancy Angus a list of about 100 people from the world of sports and entertainment he would like to invite to his golf tournament.

This is the A-list.

	Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational At A Glance What: Celebrity pro-am at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow and Friday. Celebrity event includes Friday's round and rounds at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. No cameras allowed on the course Saturday or Sunday. TV, radio: None. Where: The Club at Nevillewood Tickets: Adult gallery tickets are $10 per day; junior gallery tickets (12 and under) are $5 per day. Tickets can be purchased at select Giant Eagle locations, Ticketmaster at 412-323-1919; and at the gate. Defending champion: Rick Rhoden, a former Pirates pitcher. Players to watch: Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Dan Marino, John Elway, Kordell Stewart, Bill Cowher, Mike Shanahan, Steve Spurrier.

"You know everybody won't say yes," said Angus, who is the tournament director for the first time and has been involved with bringing in celebrities since the inception of the event five years ago. "Mario gives us the most credibility. They do it for Mario. They do it for charity."

The Mellon Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational will be tomorrow through Sunday at the Club at Nevillewood with the star-studded field competing for a $225,000 purse and all proceeds benefiting the Mario Lemieux Foundation. Michael Jordan will be there. So will Charles Barkley, Dan Marino, John Elway, Kordell Stewart, Jerome Bettis, Bill Cowher, Steve Spurrier, Mike Shanahan and defending champion Rick Rhoden. Approximately 70 celebrities will compete in the pro-am and the tournament.

"The majority follow the rules. They know the drill. They're actually very good about it and send back the invitation, or fax or call," Angus said. "If we need Mario to make a call, he'll make it."

Angus laughed when she was asked if she has heard of all the names on her original list. "Of course I do," she said. "I know exactly what all the 100 names do."

In addition to the regulars who keep coming back, there will be a number of new players this year -- Chris Kirkpatrick, who grew up in Clarion and is a member of 'NSync; Canadians David Pelletier and Jamie Sale, who were awarded the 2002 gold medal in pairs figure skating after a controversy involving the French judge; and Marcus Allen.

For the first time there will be a ladies' threesome -- Nathalie Lemieux, Mario's wife; Missie Berteotti, a former LPGA player; and Sale.

Although the field again will have a glittering array of well-known personalities, Angus still has a wish list: Bill Murray and Joe Pesci.

"Those are two we would really like to get," she said. "We were unable, not because they didn't want to but because of other commitments. I don't think we have any comedians this year."

But some of the golf played this week promises to produce some laughter.