Robert Gautney: Who are these guys in the PGA Grand Slam of Golf?
| Friday, Oct 14 2011 06:03 PM
Last Updated Friday, Oct 14 2011 06:04 PM
They aren't exactly the names that figured to be playing in this tournament when the 2011 PGA Tour golf year began. But then again, 2011 was quite a different year for professional golf on the PGA Tour.
No Tiger Woods. No Phil Mickelson, or Jim Furyk or Ernie Els. But that's what the viewing public needs to get used to: the new names.
Prior to this year, you heard of Darren Clarke, I would assume. After all, the 42-year-old was supposed to be in this event a long time ago at least once. But what about Schwartzel, McIlroy and Bradley as in Charl, Rory and Keegan? Geez, sounds like three boys in a kindergarten class instead of three major champions! Sure, the young lad Rory McIIroy has been on the radar for a couple of years, but after his collapse in the 2010 Masters no one expected him to win a major title so soon.
The 29th PGA Grand Slam of Golf will be played next Tuesday and Wednesday at the Port Royal Golf Course in Bermuda, where the winners of the four major championships will converge in a made-for-TV event that offers $600,000 to the winner for 36 holes of play. Heck, the runner-up receives $300k with third place worth $250k and fourth (or last place) a paltry $200,000!
Schwartzel won the Masters in April, Mcllroy won the U.S. Open in June, Clarke the British Open in July and Bradley the PGA Championship in August to qualify for this event.
TNT will televise the tournament from 4-7 pm (PST) on the 18th and from 4-8 p.m. (PST) on the 19th. Port Royal is a short course at just over 6,800 yards with a par of 71, so expect some scoring in the low 60's.
While they aren't the household names we are used to watching in this event, it still will be good viewing, although I would bet that this year's ratings will be the lowest ever, certainly top three! I have only one thing to say about this -- get healthy, Tiger!
High School Girls Golf
The regular season came to an end this week for the high school girls golf teams. It looks once again to be a battle between Stockdale and Frontier from the SWYL in the area tournament, which will qualify teams for the Central Section Championship.
On the individual side, the top players to watch include Meghan Shain from Frontier and Kaley In from Stockdale. Shain is averaging just a shade under 74 while In is just a shade over 74.
Michelle Martel from Frontier and Abby Marina from Stockdale are averaging around 80 while Kendall Huser from BHS (82), Megan Cho from BCHS (83), Karly Lux from Ridgeview (83) and Lexi Keeter from Frontier (84) are the next wave of players to watch in the post season tournaments.
Men's Kern County Amateur
Entries are slow to be received according to Haggerty-North Kern head pro Jim Phillips. As of Friday afternoon, only 17 players had signed-up to play in our area's most prestigious and long-standing tournament.
"I don't know what's going on," Phillips said on Friday. "A lot of players will sign up next week, that's to be expected, but we generally have over 30-40 signed-up by now."
The deadline is today (Oct. 15) although as in the past Phillips and the other county course operators use that as a "hurry up and get your entry in" type of call-out.
The Bakersfield City Amateur had minimal entries until about 4-5 days before the tournament and ended up with around 110 players, so hopefully the KC Am will get an influx of entries next week so the tournament will once again be top-notch.
John Balfanz is the defending champion, but the 46-year-old former pro baseball player and home construction business owner, has turned professional and is ineligible. It is not known how many of the top players will be playing in the annual fall classic.
North Kern will host the opening round on Oct. 22 with Foss-Kern River hosting the final round on the 23rd. Player can sign-up by calling the NK pro shop at 399-0347. Entry is $100.
Hogan to play in Monterey Open
Bryan Hogan will play in the Monterey Open next Monday thru Wednesday at the Old Del Monte golf course in Monterey.
Hogan turned pro a few months ago and will be playing in the First Stage of the PGA Tour qualifying at San Juan Oaks GC later this month. Both Hogan and Stephen Hale made it thru the PGA Tour Pre-Qualifying stage and will attempt to make it to the Second Stage.
Tee to Green appears weekly at Bakersfield.com/sports. You can reach Gautney at rgautney@bak.rr.com.
