THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 11, 1996 TAG: 9607110607
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WILLIAMSBURG LENGTH: 67 lines
The PGA Tour's annual stop at Kingsmill has been plagued by oppressive heat and humidity, flash thunderstorms and one of the worst dates on the schedule.
The result has been weak fields, with the big-name players skipping the Kingsmill climate to prepare for the following week's British Open. The field at this year's tournament, which begins today, is as thin as ever: Just one of the top 35 money winners is entered.
But this is a transitional year for Kingsmill. The tournament's name has been changed, from the Anheuser-Busch Golf Classic to the Michelob Championship at Kingsmill, and the purse is up from $1.1 million to $1.25 million.
Most importantly, Kingsmill is bidding farewell to its July date, moving to October starting in 1997. That will get the Michelob away from the British Open and, with cooler fall weather, should generate better fields.
For one more year, however, the Michelob is saddled with a so-so lineup - not to mention the possibility of a hurricane. At last check, Bertha was looking like she might pay a visit this weekend.
``I hate to say anything about (the field) because the guys here are good players in their own right,'' said resident Kingsmill touring pro Curtis Strange. ``With that said, we are missing the marquee names, be it because of the British Open or the heat.''
That should change next year. The Oct. 9-12 date falls two weeks after the Ryder Cup and three weeks before the Tour's official season-ending event, the Tour Championship. Members of the U.S. Ryder Cup team not wanting a protracted break likely will pencil in the Michelob, as will players trying to finish in the top 30 money winners - all of whom get invites to the Tour Championship.
``We had a lot of discussions in the past with the Tour about getting another date,'' said Bill Rammes, the tournament's executive chairman. ``But if you move one it tends to have a domino effect. We feel fortunate to have reached this date change and there's a lot of excitement about it. We're finally away from the British Open.''
Last season, the Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic fell two weeks behind the Ryder Cup and drew such name players as Corey Pavin, Paul Azinger, Lee Janzen and John Cook. This year's Kingsmill field gladly would have settled for a Duffy Waldorf or Mark Brooks - both played in last year's Disney but are not at the Michelob.
In 1993, the Disney again fell two weeks after the Ryder Cup and had a field including Loren Roberts, Craig Stadler, Davis Love III, Janzen, Cook, Pavin and Azinger. Those are the name players this year's Michelob field is thirsting for, not to mention many Anheuser-Busch Classics of the past.
``And Disney is a three-day pro-am that some guys don't want to mess with,'' Strange said.
Strange said the best tournament to compare next year's Michelob in regards to possible field quality would be the Buick Challenge, played at Calloway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Ga. Last year's Buick had such showcase names as Greg Norman, David Frost, Ben Crenshaw, John Daly, Roberts and Waldorf.
``The date change was certainly talked about at the (PGA Tour) players' mandatory last year,'' Strange said. ``Who knows? We might get all the guys who aren't here now. And in the off (Ryder Cup) year, we should get some marquee names.''
So which tour stop will be stuck with the week before the British Open? The Quad City Classic is the big loser.
Kingsmill wishes those folks good luck. They'll need it. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
MIKE HEFFNER/The Virginian-Pilot
Lanny Wadkins slid his birdie try past on the 18th hole, but shot a
4-under 67 in Wednesday's pro-am. by CNB