Strange feelings: Is the PGA Championship an endangered species as a major Tour event? ”People talked a lot about that last year, but I don`t see it happening,” said Curtis Strange, defending U.S. Open champion. ”They`re going to a lot of courses the last few years that aren`t the historic, old courses and that hasn`t helped the cause any. I don`t see any other tournament taking its place, though. If the PGA wasn`t the last major (after the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open), it would make a big difference.” . . . And where does Strange rank the PGA, an event he`s never won? ”I rank the U.S. and British Open as very close at the top,” he said. ”Then, I would rank the Masters third and the PGA fourth, but everybody has their own ranking system. Just because I put it fourth, it`s still a major and everyone will have that special feel when they`re on the first tee.”
– Just call: Kemper Sports officials are estimating that close to 4,000 tickets will be available to the public for each day of next week`s PGA Championship, a shift from past expectations that none would be available. There will be new ticket booths set up in parking lots being built for the tournament, but fans can obtain additional information by calling 1-800-PGA-1989.
– Rather have a Buick: Leonard Thompson`s win, at age 42, in the Buick Open last weekend came after he skipped the event for the first 11 years of his career. Said Thompson: ”That shows you how smart I am. When I finally did enter and found out how nice it was, I wrote (former chairman) Tom Pond and apologized for not coming sooner.” The victory also returned him to the Masters, where he also hasn`t played for a while. ”They`ll have to put up with me again,” he said. ”I`ll bet they`re saying, `Oh, boy, he`s coming here again.` ”
– Up and coming I: Greg Ladehoff, 27, challenged for the lead going into the final round of the recent Hardee`s Classic and followed up with a tie for seventh in last week`s Buick Open. He earned $9,273 with the most recent finish. The Clinton, Ia., native has been on the tour four different times. He played collegiately at Ohio State. His latest entry on the Tour came through 1988`s qualifying school and his career earnings before this season were a little more than $125,000. Said Ladehoff: ”It`s a mental battle as much as anything. You have to just keep plugging away out there and hope you click into gear.”
– Up and coming II: Jennifer Wyatt, who joined the LPGA Tour last October and whose best finish was a tie for ninth three weeks ago in Toledo, finished fourth at the $225,000 Atlantic City Classic with a 2-under 208 after a last- day 69. She picked up a check for $17,799. Wyatt is a 22-year old Canadian from Richmond, B.C. She was Canada`s top amateur player for three years before joining the tour.
– Keep cool: Calvin Peete sees the PGA Senior Tour as a carrot dangling at the end of a stick. Said Peete: ”I think a lot of players would hang it up if it wasn`t for the Senior Tour. I know I probably would`ve retired in `86 with my back problems if it wasn`t for that. See, when you`re 46 like I am, you want to have the desire to win, but you don`t always have that desire to go out and work.”
– Going in style: Nancy Lopez is taking a three-week vacation with husband Ray Knight, plus their two daughters, following last weekend`s $225,000 Atlantic City LPGA win worth $33,750. Where? ”I`m going to Disney World,” she said. Where else?
– Long as ever: Most of the stories said Jim Dent, never known for his short game, sank a 12-foot putt to win last weekend`s Newport Cup Seniors Tournament. What they didn`t say was this: Dent, 50, who picked up his second win in just two months on the senior tour, bashed a drive 265 yards into a wind and then approached with a 9-iron to set up the birdie on the 404-yard 18th hole. Said Dent: ”I didn`t realize I had a chance to win until one of the volunteer workers told me I was tied for the lead when I left the 17th green.”
– Long hitters: MCI Telecommunications is offering an intriguing incentive for spectators at the $275,000 LPGA Rail Charity Classic, which is scheduled for Aug. 31-Sept. 4 in Springfield, Ill. The company will provide an opportunity to make a free, 3-minute phone call to anywhere in the world during the tournament. The Calling Center will be located near the clubhouse. You can`t miss it. It`ll be identifiable by being at the end of the long line. – Par for courses: You don`t have to shoot birdies to make money in pro golf-at least not on the LPGA tour. If you had merely shot par this season, it would have been good enough for 15 top-20 placings and six top-10 finishes. Also, it would be good enough to put you near the 20th spot on this year`s money list.
