ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, January 20, 1997 TAG: 9701210047
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FROM STAFF AND ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS
THE HANGING ROCK golf pro couldn't be happier with his finish in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.
Next destination: Phoenix.
As John Cook was winning Sunday's Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in Indian Hills, Calif., Chip Sullivan was walking around the Indian Wells (Calif.) Country Club locker room, asking for the best route to this week's PGA Tour stop.
``They say it's about a five-hour drive,'' Sullivan said. ``That's not bad. It'll be fun. It won't bother me. Shoot, I'm so hyped up right now that I probably could drive forever.''
Little wonder why. The Roanoke-based club professional, who just a few months ago was giving lessons on the range at Hanging Rock Golf Club, had good reason to be excited and encouraged as he left the Southern California desert for Arizona.
Bucking the odds in his debut as an unlikely PGA Tour regular, Sullivan finished the Hope at 12-under-par (tied for 52nd) and earned his first big-league paycheck ($3,430). (Scores in Scoreboard. B4)
``I've never finished 20 shots off the pace and yet been so happy,'' said Sullivan, after a final round of 2-under 70.
``What a week. I'll never forget it. It was one of the longest, most hectic weeks of my life, but it was a lot of fun, too.''
It also was a crash-course on tour life. While he was enjoying a dream come true, Sullivan discovered Sunday that this stuff is serious business, too.
Sullivan, an outgoing personality who is used to conversing on the course, said his Sunday playing partners, Blaine McCallister and John Adams, basically gave him the cold shoulder in his first pairing with tour regulars.
``I did all the talking,'' Sullivan said. ``I was the reporter, asking all the questions. They didn't ask me one thing all day long.
``Both guys have been on the tour a long time. They were talking to each other, but they didn't say one thing to me. They sort of gave me the feeling that three's a crowd.
``Well, I'm used to talking to people. I've played with a lot of amateurs. That's all right. I've got a lot of friends out here who'll talk to me. So to hell with them.''
Sullivan, who is traveling with his wife, Kari, and father-in-law and caddy, Tom Hall, said many of the tour regulars came up and welcomed him aboard.
``Curtis Strange told me he'd heard my story, the club pro out here with the family and all that,'' Sullivan said. ``It's amazing, almost mind-boggling how many people have caught on my story.''
Sullivan confessed he hopes his future weeks on tour won't be quite so demanding. Following every round, he spent much of his time calling friends, supporters and reporters.
``Yeah, it was hectic,'' he said. ``But, hey, I've been waiting all my life for my phone to ring off the hook, with people asking what I'm up to. Well, it's happening now and I'm not losing it.''
Before hitting the highway to Phoenix, Sullivan had just one more question. What about the paycheck?
``I don't think they give it to me here,'' he said. ``I think it comes in the mail or something.''
Cook followed Saturday's 62 with a 63 Sunday to overtake Mark Calcavecchia. The 62-63 by Cook tied a Tour record for 36 holes that Cook already shared with three others.
Cook shot a closing 9-under-par round to finish at 33-under for the 90-hole tournament. It left him one stroke in front of Calcavecchia, who lost despite shooting 67 on the final day.
LENGTH: Medium: 70 linesby CNB