DATE: Wednesday, October 15, 1997           TAG: 9710150685

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C3   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: WILLIAMSBURG                      LENGTH:   69 lines

A BIGGER MICHELOB TOURNEY SEEMS TO BE BREWING FOR '98 NO RYDER CUP AND CHANGES IN SOME COMPETING EVENTS SHOULD ALLOW MORE BIG NAMES TO VIE.

If you think this recently completed edition of the Michelob Championship at Kingsmill was big - and it definitely was with a record six-day crowd of more than 142,000 - wait until next year.

The Michelob Championship had some mitigating circumstances that actually made this year's field, although the strongest ever at this event, weaker than it could have been.

Twenty-five players ranked among the PGA Tour's top 50 money winners were here this time. Next year, tournament officials expect more.

In 1998, the tournament can hope for - not wish for as was the case in the past - such players as Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson, Davis Love III, Jesper Parnevik, Vijay Singh, Nick Price, Tom Lehman, Steve Elkington, Colin Montgomerie and, dare we say?, Tiger Woods. All in one year.

``I haven't really looked to next year yet,'' said Michelob tournament director Johnnie Bender. ``But we do have more opportunity.''

Three factors that hindered this season's event shouldn't come into play next season.

The Ryder Cup. When America's best head for Europe, they have a tendency to stay there for a few extra weeks. Next year is an off year for the Ryder Cup. The President's Cup? Not to worry. They are playing it in Australia next year, but in December.

The Toyota World Match Play Championships. This made-for-TV event siphoned a dozen top names from the players pool. Next year's Toyota Match Play will be held the week after the Michelob Championship, which will be held Oct. 8-11.

The Tiger Run. In Woods' rookie season, he won both the Walt Disney Classic and the Las Vegas Invitational. Those two tournaments are held back-to-back on this year's PGA Tour schedule; PGA Tour protocol recommends a player defend his title unless there is a highly unusual reason not to.

The Tour Championship follows. To play at Kingsmill would have meant playing at four straight tour stops. It's late in the season, he's got a huge lead on the money list and Woods playing this year's Michelob was too much to hope for.

Next year, the Michelob Championship is the only fall PGA Tour event other than the Tour Championship that will be shown on one of the big three networks, CBS. And it should again have the biggest purse other than the Tour Championship.

Bender figures word of mouth is also going to be a positive factor. As a whole, the players were gushing over how much the difference in dates improved the tournament.

``I like it here and was really looking forward to coming even before I won,'' said tournament champion David Duval. ``Before, the weather kept me away. I'm glad they got the date they deserved.''

``When players deliver that message to other players, it could add to what we might expect,'' Bender said.

It might have been a blessing that Tiger Woods didn't show this year. The tournament experienced such dramatic growth without him that having him here might have been too much.

``We worked towards the goal of having Tiger here,'' Bender said. ``This was a great learning curve for us. We know where we've got to be next year if he comes. We'll have to beef up parking even more. We are already looking at what we need to fine-tune.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo

HUY NGUYEN/The Virginian-Pilot

Spectators head for the 18th hole at Kingsmill in Williamsburg

during Saturday's third round of the Michelob Championship. This

year's golf tournament drew a record six-day crowd of more than

142,000.

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