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Sunday, March 24, 2002

By Gerry Dulac, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

The Pennsylvania Golf Association was once considered a closed club, allowing only member clubs to compete in its state championships.

But the PGA wants to make its events available to more players and allow them opportunities to compete for state titles.

That's why the state association has reached an agreement with the Keystone Public Golf Association that will allow KPGA members with established handicaps to compete in state championship events.

"To build a broader base of golfers in Pennsylvania, we need to let these golfers compete in these events," said Mike Schanne, director of competition for the state association. "This will allow players on the handicap service to play in our events."

Players must have handicaps registered on the Golf Handicap Information Network to be eligible. But the arrangement furthers erodes the bridge between golf's private and public sector.

Trivia question

Fred Couples roomed with fellow PGA Tour player Blaine McCallister and what other sports personality at the University of Houston?

Dressed for success

Golf Magazine recently signed Sergio Garcia as one of its instructors and immediately placed the young Spaniard on the cover of the April issue.

The magazine also listed him, not surprisingly, on its list of best-dressed players on the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour.

Garcia ("his stripes are young and exuberant") was on the best-dressed list along with, among others, David Duval ("not afraid to be bold"), Phil Mickelson ("he does it right"), Greg Norman ("looks like a corporate chief"), Jesper Parnevik ("displays style, courage") and Tiger Woods ("perfectly put together"). Carin Koch ("youthful and stylish") and Leta Lindley ("great shoes") made it from the LPGA Tour.

On the worst-dressed list: John Daly ("rumpled"), Scott Hoch ("clothing or upholstery?"), Jumbo Ozaki ("how does he get those shirts through customs?"), Dennis Paulson ("island fever) and Duffy Waldorf ("awful eyeful") from the PGA Tour and Laura Davies ("shorts are too short"), Mardi Lunn ("tablecloth shirts") and Karrie Webb ("pleats do nothing") from the LPGA Tour.

Senior Tour expands

The Senior PGA Tour will expand the size of its field from 78 to 81 players beginning next season. The extra spots will include an additional sponsors exemption and two players from a new category -- career victories.

The career victory category was recently added and will provide eligibility to players ages 50 and 51 who have won two or more PGA Tour events. Players who have won a major or The Players Championship get triple weighted.

That means Jerry Pate, who won the U.S. Open and Players Championship, is No. 1 on the list with 12 points.

Quotable

Director of Homeland Security and former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge, after playing in the Bay Hill pro-am with another famous Pennsylvanian: "How bad could it be? I'm in Florida. It's a beautiful day, and I'm playing with Arnold Palmer."

Dissa and data

John Shuster has been named director of golf at Cranberry Highlands, the new 18-hole daily-fee facility in Cranberry scheduled to open late summer. Shuster was former director of golf at Hickory Heights Golf Club.

The 27th annual YoungLife Golf Classic will be April 29 at Edgewood Country Club. Cost is $200 per golfer. Call, 412-856-7960.

Businesses seeking to purchase hospitality packages or people interested in buying tickets to the 63rd Senior PGA Championship at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio can call, 330-666-4984. The event is June 3-9.

The Arthritis Foundation will hold a golf marathon June 17 at Alcoma Golf Club in Penn Hills. The challenge is to play 100 holes in one day and raise a minimum of $1,000 in pledges. Interested participants should call, 412-566-1645.

The proposed new Majors Tour -- for major-championship winners between ages 37 to 55 -- has reached an agreement in principle with the Fox television network, according to Golfweek. The deal calls for Fox to televise seven events between March and June, contingent on players committing to the tour.

Reed Mackenzie, recently elected president of the executive committee of the United States Golf Association, has been named to succeed Trey Holland as joint chairman of the World Amateur Golf Council.

Brad Faxon leads the PGA Tour money list with $1,221,822, even though he has not won an event this season. Since the PGA Tour began keeping such records in 1970, the leading money winner has never gone this far into the season without winning an event.

Spalding, annoyed by what it says is a false advertising claim, is seeking a temporary restraining order against Wilson Sporting Goods in an attempt to halt a controversial ad campaign that disparages one of its products. Spalding is upset because Wilson claims its new True ball rolls "truer" than the Strata Tour Ultimate 2.

Trivia answer

Couples' other college roomie was CBS broadcaster Jim Nantz. The threesome combines to host the annual Three Amigos Celebrity tournament.