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No matter how hard you look, you won't see Steve Stricker this weekend at Brown Deer. |  |
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 | By Dave Begel  Special to OnMilwaukee.com E-mail author | Author bio More articles by Dave Begel |
| Published July 20, 2007 at 5:23 a.m. |
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Let's see. How bad is it?
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson didn't show up. Nothing new there.
But wait. It gets even worse.
Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly didn't show up, either.
That's right. It's time for the U. S. Bank Golf Tournament at Brown Deer Park.
For 40 years Milwaukee has staged a golf tournament for professionals. For 40 years, we have gotten sand kicked in our face by the PGA Tour. For 40 years we have been second class, then third class and finally we have reached no class at all.
For 40 years, a dedicated band of civic-minded men, and an occasional woman, have battled the odds, solicited sponsors, curried favor, kissed butts and put this tournament on, the to delight of local golf fans and the disgust of whichever television network is forced to broadcast the event. If it hadn't been for underwriting, there would have been no telecast of this tournament.
There are about 40 events on the PGA Tour that are part of the FedExCup challenge. Most events are worth 25,000 points. Majors are worth more. And three are worth half-points, 12,500: The Mayakaba Golf Classic, The Tahoe Open and the U.S. Bank Championship.
Two of Wisconsin's favorite sons, Stricker and Kelly, are skipping their home tournament this year to play in the British Open.
The folks who run the tournament put on a brave face. The spin this year was that some players who need FedEx points would come to Milwaukee, thereby making the field even better. It's turned out to be a sad joke.
Milwaukee has 12 of the top 100 players in the world in the field. Twelve. I'd be willing to bet that's the lowest total of any tournament on the schedule, with the possible exception of The Mayakaba Golf Classic.
Every time the PGA Tour needs to juggle its schedule to accommodate its lustful gluttony for money, Milwaukee gets slapped around. I can hear the conversation in the PGA Tour offices: "Don't worry about moving them. It's just Milwaukee. And they're just happy to have any tournament."
And it's true. I've been around this tournament for 30 years or so, and I know the characters who have been involved in running it. And they are get-along, non-confrontational people. They are just happy to have the tournament, complete with Brandon de Jonge, Matt Hendrix and John Merrick. That'll draw a crowd.
It's not that these guys can't play. They can all play. There are several players in the field that you've probably heard of before. Golf fans are a pitiable lot. Almost all golf fans actually play the game, making it very unlike other sports in America. And as golfers, we will clutch at straws to improve our game. If we think that Brandon de Jonge can show us something we can use, we'll watch him.
But at some point, Milwaukee ought to just thumb its nose at the PGA Tour. Tell them we've been slapped around enough. We are tired of being kicked to the curb.
And when we do that, place a call to the LPGA office. Tell the ladies we'll keep our purse the same size, making it one of the biggest on the ladies' tour. Tell them the course, Brown Deer, is ideally suited for the women.
Tell them that we treat the golfers like royalty, complete with cars, Kopp's custard, Brewers tickets and child care.
And tell Milwaukee that we want the best golfers in the world to come to our town each summer. And if they wear shorts and skirts instead of pants, it doesn't matter to us. The best is the best.
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5 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review. |
Recent Talkbacks ...
Posted by sportspunk on July 20, 2007 at 3:42 p.m. (report)
Actually I am neither one of the options that you said. It's even more non-sense that you think that the US Bank Championship chose to not only have it during the British Open, but when Barry Bonds was in town. If I had a choice would I like to see it on another weekend? Certainly. Do I want to give up the tournament and have the ladies come in? Absolutely not. This is a great tournament, is part of the Fed Ex Cup series, and still provides a decent field of players. Sorry, but Milwaukee cannot host a big-time, big-purse golf tournament. It simply can't. Now if you want to bribe the LPGA to come here by waving a bunch of money, well good luck getting enough support and sponsor dollars to host it.
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Posted by curlyboy1978 on July 20, 2007 at 3:01 p.m. (report)
Sportspunk - its obvious you are a sponsor or work for one. Otherwise you would agree w/ his comments that it's a joke for city & the PGA. With the Brewers in town and Barry Bonds, it's even worse than a 3rd class event.
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Posted by sportspunk on July 20, 2007 at 12:04 p.m. (report)
Your opinion of the US Bank Championship could not be more incorrect. "Let's see. How bad is it?" I sure hope you apologize to first off US Bank for supporting this great event, the PGA Tour, the golfers that are playing, and the people that come and watch and support a great event. Were you thinking that Brewers were going to get in the bidding for Barry Zito this past off-season? Do you think the Brewers will get in the bidding for A-Rod this coming off-season? Nope, cause Milwaukee does not have the resources (money) to justify such an incredible amount of money. Tiger and Phil are not going to come to Milwaukee, no matter when it is. No one mistakes this event for a 5th major. It is what it is. Instead of creating an uproar by writing we should "thumb our nose at the PGA Tour" let's appreciate what we have going on in our backyard. Appreciate the young talent. Appreciate guys like Corey Pavin (great article Drew), Kenny Perry, and Jeff Maggert who have won in the past and continue to play cause they love the game. This is an outstanding run tournament. I think it was irresponsible to attack the tournament like you did. Let's not try to be something we are not. Let's not overpay the LPGA Tour to get the big names to come to Milwaukee. Let's stick with our blue-collar mentality and enjoy the competition of guys fighting to keep their jobs next year. I love watching Stricker and Kelly play here locally, and it kills them to be overseas playing in a major, but that's the hand we were dealt. I sure hope Milwaukee continues to support the tournament like we have for over 40 years. Please don't create a stir and get the event snatched away. Thanks to Herb Kohler are able to drive an hour north every 3-4 years and see the big names play. With Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly playing well week in and week out, Mark Wilson winning his first tournament this year, Skip Kendall has had success, let's enjoy the WI alumni playing on the PGA Tour, and the US Bank Championship coming to town each year. There are a lot of cities that would stand in line to have an opportunity to host a tournament. Thanks Tim Finchum. Thanks US Bank. Thanks to all the other sponsors. Thanks Milwaukee for supporting this event.
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Posted by kloehns on July 20, 2007 at 11:10 a.m. (report)
Kudos to Dave Begel for voicing his opinion. I whole-heartedly agree. Why we hang on to the PGA is beyond my imagination. Bring in the LPGA, maintain the purse and watch the tournament grow thanks in large part to the throngs of media that follow Michelle Wie. Why play second fiddle when you can be first chair violin?
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Posted by curlyboy1978 on July 20, 2007 at 9:21 a.m. (report)
I would have to agree. Scheduling it again the British Open? That's just plain insulting on the PGA's part. If US Bank is smart, they will pull out as a major sponsor.
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