The silly season is in full bloom. This is the time of year when golfers who take long stretches off during the official PGA Tour schedule suddenly find the energy to play in off-season events for big-time appearance money.
Perhaps the player putting in the most overtime during his down time is Tiger Woods.
Woods has played every week since the third week of October. Three of those tournaments were the PGA Tour’s season-ending events and he won all three.
Then after winning the World Golf Championship title in Spain, Woods jetted to Asia for two tournaments. Finally he completed his whirlwind tour Tuesday and Wednesday by winning the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Hawaii.
Whew.
Not to quibble, but Woods’ longest stretch during the PGA Tour season came in February when he played in four straight tournaments, all of them in California. After winning the NEC Invitational at the end of August, his only competition for nearly the next two months was the Ryder Cup.
But then it is hard to make ends meet on $50 million a year.
These non-Tour events mean big money for Woods. Given his Asian heritage from his mother, playing in that part of the world is important for personal and business reasons.
Woods would have skipped Hawaii, but he became committed by virtue of winning the PGA Championship. He picked up another $400,000 for that side trip.
Woods isn’t done yet. He will be in Scottsdale, Ariz., next week to promote his new tournament, the Williams World Challenge, which will be held Dec. 28-Jan. 2. The 12-player event, featuring Woods, Sergio Garcia and David Duval, will have a $1 million first prize.
In Woods’ case, some off-seasons are busier–and more lucrative–than others.
Speaking of money, Golfweek reports that Woods is on the verge of signing a deal that would place the Buick logo on his bag. It is said to be worth between $10 million and $15 million over two years. Must be some bag.
Skinned: The Skins Game has lost some of its luster since Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer were playing for other people’s money. Still it remains one of the most-watched golf events of the year, beginning at 3:30 p.m. Saturday on WLS-Ch. 7.
The field features defending champion Mark O’Meara, Duval, Garcia and Fred Couples. Couples is taking the spot that was supposed to go to Payne Stewart.
Stewart’s tragic death has cast a gloom on the off-season events. As the U.S. Open winner, he also was supposed to play in the Grand Slam of Golf.
The PGA of America thought of going with three players, but then invited Davis Love III to play.
“You have an individual you don’t replace, you honor,” said Jim Awtrey, CEO of the PGA. “In the end, we said Payne would have wanted the game to go on. He would have expected that.”
In a nice touch the PGA Tour has established the Payne Stewart Award, going to the player who best represents professionalism, commitment to charity and golf tradition.
Getting better: Knowing Chip Beck, he is looking at the bright side despite falling short at the PGA Tour’s qualifying tournament. The resident of Lake Forest now will have to rely on his status as a past winner and sponsor exemptions to enter tournaments next year.
Beck is showing signs that he is getting back to being his old self. He had back-to-back top-15 finishes in the Bell Canadian Open and the B.C. Open in September and made the cut in six of his last eight events. He earned $137,423 for the year.
If Beck continues his recent trend, he can play his way back to exempt status on the tour.
Stocking stuffer: The U.S. Women’s Open wants fans to look ahead during the Christmas season. The tournament, held July 17-23 at the Merit Club in Libertyville, is offering an “early-bird” special.
Tickets for all seven days are on sale for $100 before Jan. 1 and $125 thereafter. Single-day tickets also are being discounted.
The Open is trying to entice families to attend. Children younger than 15 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult ticket-holder.
For more information, call 1-877-USWOPEN.
Tap-ins: Greg Norman will be featured in a special two-hour edition of “Golf Talk Live,” at 7 p.m. Thursday on the Golf Channel. He will take viewers’ calls, but please be gentle. . . . Advil Western Open tournament director Greg McLaughlin also is handling the chores for Woods’ Phoenix tournament. . . . Stewart’s caddie, Mike Hicks, has hooked on with Bob Estes.
And analyst/funnyman David Feherty on Woods’ hot streak: “They pay appearance money in Europe. I’m starting to think they should pay him disappearance money. As much as he wins, maybe it will get him to go somewhere else.”
