"From an advertising and promotion standpoint, our view is we still need to advertise, now more than ever"

Doug Ferguson on Buick's approach to this week's event at Torrey Pines:

Torrey Pines looks beautiful as ever, with sunshine filling an endless sky and weather that feels more like summer than it did during the U.S. Open. But clouds are gathering.

"From an advertising and promotion standpoint, our view is we still need to advertise, now more than ever,'' Peck said. "But based on the whole economic situation, we're trimming back everywhere we can.''

The corporate box on the 18th is smaller, and Buick won't be serving alcohol to contain costs. It didn't bring out some of its large signage, which was expensive to ship from Michigan. The lawn area in front of the lodge, which used to be a showroom of sorts with the latest vehicles, is now an outdoor restaurant.

"It won't make a huge difference on TV,'' Peck said. 

Tour Fairways Getting Tighter?!

Over the four days of the FBR Open at TPC Scottsdale, I heard several mentions of newly narrowed fairways. And the rough was cited as being particularly difficult this year due to a wet spring (and what sounded like an aggressive overseed).

I know of two other PGA Tour venues that are seeing narrowed fairways. This would not seem to jibe with what some players believe is going to be an end to the old school U.S. Open approach of the last few years at select venues. Nor does it really fit with the Commissioner's remarks about introducting more risk-reward (unless he thinks rough creates interesting risk-reward golf, which I doubt).

"I just didn't like the setup there last year. They had 1½-foot rough behind the 11th green."

Bob Verdi files an entertaining Golf World column on the state of Phil Mickelson's game and outlook. I just loved this:

Portions of Mickelson's '09 agenda are established, but there are variables. The Memorial is not among the latter. "I have decided I definitely won't play there," he said. "I just didn't like the setup there last year. They had 1½-foot rough behind the 11th green." Mickelson recalls a sequence when he reached that picturesque par 5 in two with a 3-wood, only to watch as the ball released beyond and into the aforementioned vegetation. Upon hacking out, he was unable to hold his third shot on the green. "On the other hand," Mickelson went on, "Memphis is the week before the U.S. Open. So that's a possibility. I'll wind up with 20 or 21 tournaments, like I usually do."

Jack: he's picking Memphis over Memorial. Is putting the players in place with the tall stuff working for you?

"Compared to Chrysler, the Buick folks are the shrewdest of opportunists."

Steve Elling takes issue with Bill Dwyre's LA Times piece and the idea of Chrysler not using the Hope to market its products and points out Buick's approach as the more shrewd move to getting the cars out in front of people and the companies back on their feet.

"It was just apathy out there."

Gary D’Amato analyzes the demise of U.S. Bank's role in the Milwaukee event and gets a pretty frank analysis from the bank's Bill Bertha.

"We're not blaming anybody," Bertha said. "Other companies didn't see the value of entertaining clients. No revenues were being generated above operating costs, other than what we were subsidizing.

"Nobody cared. A very good analogy is that we threw a multimillion-dollar party for Milwaukee and Wisconsin, in a park with tents, refreshments and entertainment - all the bells and whistles - and nobody showed up.

"It was just apathy out there."

Tournament officials do not release attendance figures, but the galleries were noticeably smaller in 2007 and '08 than they had been in previous years at Brown Deer Park, the host venue since 1994.

One reason is that the PGA Tour shifted the tournament dates in 2007 so that the Milwaukee event was played the same week as the British Open, a major championship televised by ABC.

"This was the way it was at the 2009 Bob Hope Classic because Chrysler did it right."

Bill Dwyre writes that Chrysler is to be praised for minimizing their presence at last week's Hope Classic.

Who would notice, or know, that there were no Chrysler executives around, that the 30 Chrysler dealers who won a contest to play as amateurs in the tournament came and played, but paid their own way?

Who would notice, or even pay attention, when the final ceremony on No. 18 for winner Pat Perez did not include the usual executive from the title sponsor making a speech? No reason to question that when Palmer himself was there to handle things.

Only a few might have noticed that there were no Chryslers displayed in prominent places around the course; especially none in that traditional middle-of-the-lake spot for maximum TV exposure.

This was the way it was at the 2009 Bob Hope Classic because Chrysler did it right.

Yes, read that again. Praise for one of those big, arrogant corporations that we now perceive to be a leading reason for our country's current economic mess, as well as for our neighbors' move to Trailer Park, Texas, and for our 401(k)s becoming 201(k)s. 

Unfortunately I think he has this one wrong. Furthermore, such an attitude toward corporate America will absolutely sink the PGA Tour and just about every other industry that relies on marketing dollars.

There is a major difference between the greed of say, a Citigroup still taking their $50 million French made jet order, and a car company putting its money into an event that produces significant charity money, community goodwill, an opportunity for potential customers to look at their product in a relaxed setting, and a pro-am format that allows the company to reward dealers with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play with PGA Tour pros.

I'm no fan of corporate America's often repulsive displays of greed, but even a struggling car company must not be stifled from showcasing their new products and rewarding the people doing the dirty work. Otherwise, how are they supposed to recover?

Your thoughts?

Pat Perez Wins Hope: Somewhere George Lopez Is Crying

Ken Peters reports on the surprising turn of events Sunday that surely would have yielded some material for former "Hopez" host George Lopez.

"World Ranking points, which are based on the strength of each field, have started to skew toward Europe at certain events."

Rex Hoggard drops this item in writing about the impact of the European Tour's Race To Dubai. Not a new trend, but it's just always interesting to read:

Some fallout can already be felt on the PGA Tour. World Ranking points, which are based on the strength of each field, have started to skew toward Europe at certain events. The number of ranking points awarded to Zach Johnson for winning last week’s Sony Open (44) were less than those given to Paul Casey (48), who won the European Tour stop in Abu Dhabi.

Expect a similar scenario this week when the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, which features five of the top 40 players in the world, is played opposite the Qatar Masters, which includes 13 of the top 40.

"I just had a double-double with Arnie."

The In-N-Out files, courtesy of GolfChannel.com's blog and Jerry Foltz:

The place? The driving range at PGA West Palmer Private course -- probably not what you imagined with that preamble. The stories? Great reminiscence of the old days from the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic -- starting with year one. The food? In-N-Out Burgers supplied by their mobile unit, complimentary to all tournament folk. And if all of that isn't enough to make you want to come to the desert for the 50th Hope, then consider who I sat with: the King, Arnold Palmer. I won't soon forget it, if ever.

It was surreal for me, but I think Rich Lerner (also at the table) summed it up best in a brief conversation in passing with Scott Walker. "I just had a double-double with Arnie."

Meanwhile, Rich Lerner shares this little nugget from what is apparently THE place to be.

Tim Herron dropped by to enjoy lunch with the King. Lumpy, a former Bay Hill winner, settled for the double-double burger, backing off In-N-Out's mammoth four- by-four. I told him I was disappointed, that it was like laying up at 15 at Augusta with 190 yards to the hole. “Chip Beck did it,” Lumpy replied. He thought about it for a second and then added, “But then I guess I’m not built like Chip Beck am I?”

An In-N-Out truck at Riviera for the Northern Trust Open would be a bigger draw than Rory McIlroy, that I know!

"Someone please tell him that Indian Wells is no longer in the rota..."

Jim McCabe tells us about veterans who have become professional letter writers in search of sponsor invites, focusing on Billy Andrade and Olin Browne. Naturally, I found this disturbing:

What helps is if you have an impeccable record so far as tournament attendance goes and you have been there through the years to help out in some small way. Certainly, that worked in Andrade’s favor at Wachovia last year (“Billy has done everything we’ve ever asked of him,” Hougham said) and at this week’s Hope, where he’s played each of the last nine years and 13 times in all. Ditto Browne, who has played the Hope 13 times in all, missing just twice since 1996.

(Then there’s the spot awarded to Bobby Clampett, who has played it just nine times, but not since 1991. Someone please tell him that Indian Wells is no longer in the rota and chalk it up to one of those exemptions that still-active PGA Tour members have to live with.)

Bobby Clampett? I think I'm feeling a little less sympathetic about the Hope's demise.

PGA Tour Announces List Of Golfers Reported To Have Thoughts...On Occasion

This really has no relevance to your lives, I am just posting it so that I can easily find the list of usually interview-worthy players making up the the PAC and Policy Board.

PGA TOUR Announces 2009 Player Advisory Council
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL- The PGA TOUR today announced the 16-member Player Advisory Council (PAC) for 2009.

The PAC advises and consults with the PGA TOUR Policy Board (Board of Directors) and the Commissioner on issues affecting the TOUR.

2009 Player Advisory Council (PAC)

Stuart Appleby (Orlando, FL) George McNeill (Fort Myers, FL)* Steve Flesch (Union, KY) Joe Ogilvie (Austin, TX)* Harrison Frazar (Dallas, TX)* Tom Pernice, Jr. (Murrieta, CA) Jim Furyk (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL)* D.A. Points (Ocoee, FL)* Paul Goydos (Dove Canyon, CA) Ted Purdy (Phoenix, AZ)* Ryuji Imada (Tampa, FL)* Brett Quigley (Jupiter, FL) Jerry Kelly (Madison, WI) Vijay Singh (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL)*
Davis Love III (Sea Island, GA)* Mark Wilson (Elmhurst, IL)

* indicates new PAC member for 2009

Zach Johnson served as Chairman of the PAC in 2008, and joins past PAC Chairmen Stewart Cink, Brad Faxon and David Toms as a Player Director on the 2009 PGA TOUR Policy Board.

2009 Player Directors
Stewart Cink (Duluth, GA) Zach Johnson (St. Simons, GA) Brad Faxon (Barrington, RI) David Toms (Shreveport, LA)

"I bet Tom and Ty Votaw have some interesting conversations this year."

In this week's (somewhat entertaining) novella, the SI/Golf.com/Golf Magazine gang kicks around the Sony Open and predicts this week's Bob Hope Classic will be the last. They kick off with a debate about Rich Lerner asking Tadd Fujikawa about his father's indictment and Jim Herre chalks it up to new GC head guy Tom Stathakes.

Had a beer with Stathakes not long ago, and I was impressed with his energy and professed journalistic aggressiveness. I think he'll press the Golf Channel talent to ask the tough question, which should be quite the balancing act considering that the network is in bed with the Tour. I bet Tom and Ty Votaw have some interesting conversations this year.

"Fujikawa was feted at every turn"

From Doug Ferguson's Sony Open game story, reporting on Zach Johnson's win and Tadd Fujikawa's Sunday struggles:

Fujikawa was feted at every turn, but his hopes faded quickly.

Fans lined the length of the 486-yard opening hole, and a handmade sign hanging from a palm tree behind the green said, “Go Tadd. Bring it Home.” It was signed by the grounds crew at Waialae, who stood and cheered.

I'd just like to take this opportunity to remind field size complainers that we saw a stellar leaderboard, a close competition with 20 or so players having a shot at winning Sunday, and a classic local qualifier-makes-good story (Tadd's redux).

It's not a coincidence that this is an open event with Monday qualifying and a full field of hungry golfers.

So next time we hear how field size is the primary reason for slow play (the next slow play disaster) and that all fields should be reduced in size, perhaps we can consider that the lethargic pace on the PGA Tour is rarely blamed on ridiculous pre-shot routines, confining course setup or long waits on holes where there used to never be waits thanks to recent distance advances.

Open events and large fields are vital to the health of the "product."

"A victory would make Fujikawa, who turned 18 last week, the youngest winner in PGA Tour history."

Doug Ferguson notes that amazing possibility for Sunday's Sony Open after Monday qualifier Tadd Fujikawa's 62, vaulting him to T6 and two shots behind leader Zach Johnson and a sizeable number of big names who have a shot.

Helen Ross breaks down the round and Tadd's stats in this PGATour.com story. And his post round interview can be read here.

Rich Lerner tells the wonderful story of Fujikawa's main benefactor, Yoshie Yoshikawa, and also shares this anecdote about his decision to bring up the situation with Tadd's father, who was watching coverage inside the clubhouse.

I’m told he was in tears when in an interview I asked his father, Tadd’s grandfather, Daniel, about the drug rap. A member sought me out later and laid into me. I understand the anger. They may not understand the difficult position of a journalist. The information’s already been widely reported. It’s been front page news here in Honolulu. I’m obligated to ask about the impact on Tadd, though I certainly don’t enjoy it.