Golf's Silly Season Comes to an End

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Golf's Silly Season Comes to an End
November 29, 2006

Each year the PGA has its end of the year silly season - oh, it is more like the type of golf matches we amateurs play, but by PGA standards it is really a step down, but the money associated with it is hard to fathom.

Even the Grand Slam of Golf fits this basic standard. The only aspect that seemingly brings this event some serious recognition is the fact that the four players chosen for the event are supposed to be the four golfers who had the best performances, over all, in the four majors in 2006.

Ideally there would be the four winners of the four tournaments, the US and British Opens, the Masters and the PGA. Of course, sometimes a player wins more than one of these events, meaning the search begins for a fourth for the foursome.

Then as in 2006, sometimes even one of the winners decides he is not interested in playing. This fit the case of the 2006 Grand Slam, which featured two time major champion Woods, one time major champion Geoff Ogilvy, and two players who did not claim a win in Mike Weir and Jim Furyk - Phil Mickelson being the player opting not to play.

So it was Woods against three others in stroke play, over a two day period. One would not be surprised to learn that Woods took home the top honor. Having won eight times overall already in 2006, Woods took home his seventh Slam title in eight tries. Of course each time it has been on the Poipu course, so it is a venue that Woods seems to have down.

That seventh Grand Slam title came as a result of a two-stroke victory over second place Jim Furyk, the world's number two ranked player. Ogilvy, next in the pecking line on the year finished, yes you guess it third, and Weir who got in because of Mickelson's decision finished dead last. See the concept?

But that's where the silly part comes in - Weir took home $200,000 for just playing the two rounds.

But the Grand Slam is actually the most reputable of a long line of silly events. Next up for consideration is the Merrill Lynch Shootout. Yes this one seems a tad over the top as well, offering $2.75 million in prize money and a startling $675,000 top prize, though it must be split by the winning team.

The event hosted by Greg Norman features a modified alternate shot format on the first day, a best ball format on the second day, and then a full fledged scramble on the third day, with two players forming one team for the three day period. That is of course similar to many club events except in those cases the group can often be a foursome.

Jerry Kelly and Rod Pampling paired to win the tourney, beating Justin Leonard and Scott Verplank in a playoff. Incredibly, after stellar scoring that demonstrates the skills of these pros, the two would win with a bogey on the first playoff hole.

In the tie, both teams shot identical final rounds. Both pairs went into the final round at 18 under and put together sterling, 13-under 59s in the scramble format. Chad Campbell and Nick Price even managed a closing round of 58 for top honors on the final day. Talk about scoring.

Unfortunately for the ladies, Annika Sorenstam, along with partner Fred Couples fished last in the 12 team event. However, Sorenstam became the first female golfer to ever play in the Shootout over the 18-year history of the tournament.

Perhaps one of the more interesting events to watch is the ADT Skills Challenge. It will be televised later, on NBC, December 28th and 29th.

The event features football greats teaming with PGA golfers in contests that focus on six basic shot categories. For the macho men, there is the long drive competition, but the event remains true to its title with trouble-shots, short-iron accuracy, putting, mid-iron and chips over a hazard contests.

Dan Marino teamed with Jason Gore to win the event at the Boca Raton Resort & Hotel. Marino and Gore were the winners of the long-drive, trouble-shot and short-iron events and placed second in the putting, the mid-iron and the chip over a hazard phases. Adding in money for bonus shots, the two split $290,000 in some serious silly season dollars.

Jerry Rice and Trevor Immelman took home $190,000 for second and Sterling Sharpe and one of the top young female golfers in the country, Paula Creamer, finished third (though they took home more dollars with the bonus funds, earning $195,000).

Finally there are the two other big money events, silly season events, none other than the Wendy's 3 Tour Challenge and the well known LG Skins Game. Three Ryder Cup teammates, Scott Verplank, Stewart Cink and Zach Johnson, took home the $500,000 first prize at the Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge. The PGA Tour regulars topped the Champions Tour trio of Craig Stadler, Jay Haas and Tom Kite by five shots and the LPGA Tour threesome of Juli Inkster, Natalie Gulbis and Cristie Kerr by seven strokes. Stadler actually had the day's best round, a 9-under-par 63, while Inkster finished second with a 65.

At the Skins, Stephen Ames took home the big bucks by rolling in a three footer for birdie on the third playoff hole of the two day event. That one putt was worth a silly season total of $270,000 and pushed the Caribbean native to a two day total of $590,000 - more dollars than second place at virtually event on tour for 2006. Fan favorite Fred Couples was second with gulp, $385,000. John Daly managed a paltry $25,000 (enough for one alimony check according to the popular long ball hitter) and Fred Funk was shut out over the two days. Couples played the best golf over the two days, recording 10 birdies and an eagle, and was the first day winner totaling $175,000. Ames on the other hand, was shut out on day one.

10:50 AM