THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 16, 1996 TAG: 9609160140
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Tom Robinson
DATELINE: GAINESVILLE, VA. LENGTH: 73 lines
One fanny pack, strategically placed, helped save the Presidents Cup for the United States on Sunday. I know this because I saw with my own eyes where Mark O'Meara's second shot on No. 8 was headed, and it was not good.
Two up in his match with Nick Price, O'Meara hit his lone lousy shot on a tremendous day, pulling a 4-wood around a curve and toward the trees along the left side of the 581-yard par-5.
It was bound for trouble, and Price was poised to chop a point off his deficit and gather momentum. But suddenly, O'Meara's ball skipped back into view and rolled innocently into the middle of the upper fairway.
O'Meara recovered for a birdie to win the hole, and after enduring a late charge by Price, wound up winning the match by a point, the same margin of victory by which the Americans edged the International team 16 1/2 to 15 1/2 to keep the Cup.
Now, about that fanny pack.
Mr. Frank Costello, a 52-year-old lawyer from Reston, Va., was sitting cross-legged on the grass, munching a sandwich, at the instant O'Meara launched his errant missile from nearly 200 yards away.
Costello's wife, Sarah, sat to his right. A burgundy fanny pack rested between Costello's knees. And because they were blinded by the sun, the Costellos never saw the golf ball screaming right at them, so they never moved.
Thwack! O'Meara's Top-Flite slammed into the fanny pack, and Costello watched bemused and unharmed as the ball rebounded into the clear. A moment later, O'Meara was leaning over the rope in front of Costello, thanking him and slipping him an autographed ball.
``He got a perfect lie out of it, too,'' Costello said, amazed. ``Absolutely dead center.''
As if Price needed more rotten luck. He has a sinus infection that won't quit, he's been running on fumes since Monday when his wife delivered their third child and he ended Friday by snapping his putter over his knee after losing twice.
Sunday, he was betrayed again on the greens. Price easily could have been all square instead of 3 down and nearly done after 15 had he made any putts.
Price finally charged with birdies on 16 and 17 to get back within one. But when Price's 20-footer on 18 to halve the match slid past, O'Meara emerged with his fifth victory in five matches - the only 5-point play scored by any of the 24 golfers.
``I hit the guy's lunch box and I made birdie,'' O'Meara said, laughing. ``One year at the AT&T, I hit a man on the head, it kept the ball from going into a bush and I ended up winning the tournament. Now every year I leave him passes and we've become friends. I've played long enough to know that you need a few breaks out there.''
If the fanny pack was the freak shot of the Presidents Cup, O'Meara's blind wedge from below the 18th green Saturday was among the most clutch - and as O'Meara admitted - lucky moments.
O'Meara couldn't see the pin, but he still chipped to within inches of it to salvage a critical victory and keep the International team from an afternoon sweep.
On the whole, though, luck had very little to do with this Presidents Cup. There were so many long irons and chip shots plunked to within a whisker of holes here that you couldn't help but leave fat, happy and a little spoiled, not to mention uninspired at the prospect of a routine Tour stop.
That much I know. And a couple other things:
Who/What was hot: O'Meara, David Duval, and cigars in the gallery. O'Meara was the star of stars, and Duval won all four of his matches. As for the cigars, it seemed like there was one stogie in the crowd for every 2.3 men, women and children.
Who was not: Jumbo Ozaki and Mark Brooks. Greg Norman went to great lengths to talk the Japanese legend into playing for the International team. Ozaki responded with one win in three matches and was held out of two. Brooks was the only winless (0-3) golfer.
Finally, Sunday's best quote: ``I won a hole for the U.S! You know, it would be neat if it was on TV.'' - Frank Costello: Lawyer, patriot. by CNB