Wednesday, July 12, 2000
SEI Classic might have to do
without Tiger
By Joe Juliano
Knight Ridder Newspapers
PHILADELPHIA — Tim Finchem loves to
watch Tiger Woods play. In fact, the PGA Tour commissioner followed
him around Pebble Beach Golf Links in the final round of last
month's incredible and historic U.S. Open, a championship Woods
won by a mind-boggling 15 strokes.
Finchem understands that fans all over the
country, including those in Philadelphia, want to see Woods play
in person. He also understands that Woods will likely play in
less than half of the PGA Tour's 48 scheduled events in 2000,
if his schedule in any of his previous three full seasons as a
pro is any indication.
However, if you're waiting to see whether
Woods will sign up to participate in the inaugural SEI Pennsylvania
Classic in September at Waynesborough Country Club before you
buy your tickets, Finchem has some advice.
Don't wait. While Woods' presence assures
a successful tournament, his colleagues on tour are well worth
watching.
“The bad news is, (Woods) drives the
television ratings and public interest and ticket sales when he
plays,” Finchem said Tuesday during a news conference advancing
the Pennsylvania Classic at the Paoli club. “The good news
is, he's driving them off of a base that's going up.
“The base of what's happened with our
television ratings, with our revenue generated, our charitable
giving and our ticket sales, has climbed across the board. Comparatively,
we're very successful in the weeks when Tiger doesn't play. We
had 85,000 people on Sunday at Hartford. We had 110,000 people
at Phoenix. Tiger wasn't there. So the sport has got legs now
that are so strong that it means we're going to do well because
of the strength of our other stars every week.
“It's understandable that when you've
got the best player in the world by a margin like Jack Nicklaus
was, people would rather see him play. But it's easy to say the
fans are going to be disappointed. Frankly, the fans, as far as
we detect, are really enjoying the golf and the quality of play
in our tournaments, whether Tiger is there or not.”
It's too early to tell whether Woods will
compete in the $3 million SEI Pennsylvania Classic, the first
PGA Tour event to be held in the Philadelphia area since the IVB
Philadelphia Golf Classic folded after the 1980 tournament at
Whitemarsh Valley Country Club.
He usually doesn't commit to non-major tournaments,
or events in which he isn't the defending champion, until two
or three weeks beforehand. In his three full seasons as a pro,
he has played in 21, 20 and 21 events. Last weekend's Western
Open was his 12th tournament of the year.
But Woods may be getting a call in the next
few weeks from one of his fellow Orlando residents, a guy by the
name of Arnold Palmer. Palmer's clout contributed to the establishment
of this tournament, which will alternate between the Philadelphia
and Pittsburgh areas each year, with Waynesborough and Laurel
Valley in Ligonier — one of Palmer's home courses —
serving as the venues.
“I think the players already know that
Arnold was instrumental in getting us focused on Pennsylvania,”
Finchem said. “They're aware of that. I think the extent
to which he supports us, and puts himself in the position of becoming
an unofficial host — an ambassador of Pennsylvania, if you
will — will have an effect on some players because they hold
Arnold in such high esteem.”
Two Pennsylvania residents, Jim Furyk, born
in West Chester and raised in Lancaster, and Greensburg's Rocco
Mediate have already committed to playing here in September and
competing for the $540,000 winner's check. As for others, Finchem
doesn't expect the field to fill up until late, as is typical
of a first-year event, as word on the new tournament, the course
and the prize money becomes more widespread among the players.
In the meantime, tournament officials are
into overdrive mode to sell tickets and corporate hospitality
tents and skyboxes for the event, as well as recruit volunteers.
Tournament director Joe Rotellini said ticket
sales will be capped at 35,000 for each of the three practice
days and the four rounds of competition. He said a few corporate
tents remain for sale along the 18th hole, as well as skyboxes
on No. 16.
Information on volunteer and hospitality
options can be obtained by calling the tournament office at 610-251-0862.
(c) 2000, The Philadelphia
Inquirer.
Visit Philadelphia Online, the Inquirer's World Wide Web site,
at http://www.philly.com/
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
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