Zoeller, Crenshaw commit to Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am
By BOB HARIG
Published January 29, 2004
Fuzzy Zoeller, who won the season-opening MasterCard Championship on Sunday with birdies on the final three holes, is among several players who recently committed to the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am, a Champions Tour event to be played next month at the TPC of Tampa Bay in Lutz.
Zoeller joins another former Masters champion, Ben Crenshaw, along with CBS analyst Gary McCord and John Jacobs, the tournament announced Wednesday. Other commitments so far are defending champion Bruce Fleisher, Hale Irwin, Craig Stadler, Bruce Lietzke, Tom Kite and past champions Bob Gilder, Larry Nelson and Doug Tewell.
The $1.6-million tournament is Feb. 20-22 and new this year is a pro-am format that will include amateurs during the first two rounds of competition. Daily tickets are $25 and a tournament badge good Wednesday through Sunday is $65. For information call (813) 265-4653.
MONTY SUPPORTS WOMEN: Colin Montgomerie said women competing in men's tournaments is good for the sport.
"No objection to lady pros, girls, females, playing in tournaments," Montgomerie said a day before the first round of the Johnnie Walker Classic.
Montgomerie, Europe's player of the year four times, said women playing in men's tournaments "seems to be the "in' thing."
"If they were to make the cut, it would be good, not just for the tournament but for the individual and the ladies tour in general. I'd like one of them to make the cut. That would be good."
Teenage sensation Michelle Wie nearly made it two weeks ago at the Sony Open. Wie, 14, missed the cut by a shot.
Annika Sorenstam became the first woman in 58 years to compete on the PGA Tour, missing last year's cut by five at the Colonial Open.
Suzy Whaley and Se Ri Pak also played in men's tournaments last year.
Montgomery's comments come on the heels of Laura Davis committing Tuesday to play in the men's ANZ Championship in Australia next month.
- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.
