Conference 7.286::golf

    This year....Calcaveccia
    
    Decade.......Gamez
    
    Why..........Because I'm so smart. That's why !

    Before I saw .1 I had already thought about the same players
    
    Calcavecchia for this year
    
    Gamez for the decade (but it is too early to have a good call on this
    one)
    
    Tavo

    As much as I don't really care for the person, Calcaveccia will
    probably end up player of the year for 1990.  He's off to a great
    start and I expect him to win a couple of tournaments.
    
    As for the decade, I'm sure Calcaveccia will be in the running,
    as well as Azinger, but I'm not sold on Gamez yet.  It's his 1st
    year and even though he's off to a great start, it's still early.
    I'll go with Paul Azinger as player of the 90's.
    
    Beak

    
    Even though Calcavecchia has a stight lead on Azinger this year
    I will still pick the ZINGER to be the top player of the year
    (most top ten finishes)...
    
    And for the decade it will be one of three players and this is the
    order I will place them in...
    
    Azinger
    Couples
    Calcavecchia
    
    Gamez may be the top player for the first decade of the 21st century,
    but not this one...
    
    Gene
    

    I also like Azingers chances of overtaking Calcaveccia this year
    in terms of top ten finishes. 
    
    As for the decade;
         Azinger
         
    Why do I like the Zinger so much ? He has a very sound game tee to
    green. Incredible out of bunkers, great short game, great putter,
    keeps most of his drives in play, plays well under bad conditions.
    Tremendous inner drive to be the "BEST". Also says some great
    things to the press from time to time !!!!!
    
    Mad Hacker

    I think Greg Norman is about due, at least for the year (assuming
    he plays in enough tournaments). I also like Gamez for the decade,
    but then, as was mentioned after his win at the Nestle's, he's the
    first rookie to win twice in his rookie year since Keith Clearwater
    in 1987...Keith who? One swallow doesn't make a summer, and two
    wins don't make a career.
    
    	Frank

    This year:Calcaveccia
    
    Decade:Gamez,Olazabel,Couples and Jody Mudd My top pick is Mark
    Calcaveccia He ain't that old.
    
    Ted

	Gee, I just hope that we'll still be able to access this notes file
	in 10 years.  By then there will be new better tools to communicate.
	If they don't have the tools to convert how will we ever be able to
	determine if any of those individuals brave enough to venture a guess
	for a ten year period were right.

	About the best I can figure is that the player of the decade is
	probably age 23-27 now, has had several years of good tour experience,
	a few wins under their belt, and a good swing.  (I know Gene will
	recognize Azinger as someone in that category.)

	Regarding Gamez, there have been a lot of flash in the pan golfers,
	some make it, some don't.  (Crenshaw, Verplank, come to mind.)

	Larry

    Why do you say Ben Crenshaw is a flash in the pan? 
    
    Ted

     Ted,

>    Why do you say Ben Crenshaw is a flash in the pan?

     Ben Crenshaw won right away, and then did nothing for a long time.
     Over the long haul he proved he was a good golfer.  (The Masters
     win was no fluke.

     What I was trying to say was that some players make a big first
     impression and then do nothing and disappear.  Others make a name
     for themselves over time.

	Larry

    I almost have to make it boring.
    
    This year, Cal.
    Decade, Gamez.  He really appears to have the ability to stay within
    himself regardless of whats going on around him or who's around
    him.
    
    Stuart

    
    I think Azinger has a great future. He seems to have matured on
    the golf course over the last couple of years.
    
    If Calcavecchia doesn't upset everyone during the decade he may
    still be 'allowed' to play some great golf.

    However, couldn't leave out Jose-Maria Olazabal when looking at
    stars of the decade. This guy is magic!!
    
    Phil.    
    

I'm afraid Gamez doesn't stand a chance. The problem isn't his swing. 
It's not his temperament. It's not his talent or his desire to win. He 
seems well suited on all of those counts. The problem is...his name.

Robert Gamez. 

Not Bobby Gamez or Roberto Gamez. But Robert Gamez. Tell me, does 
that name roll off your tongue with the weight of greatness? Like Jack 
Nicklaus. Or Tom Watson. Lee Trevino. Ben Hogan. Bobby Jones. I think 
Seve Ballesteros is considered as great as he is due as much to his 
wonderful name as to his prowess on the links. 

Some names drip with greatness, like Curtis Strange--even if he never
fully realizes that level of accomplishment. Johnny Unitas has that 
kind of transcendental name. So did a lot of other people you never 
heard of. A great name is no guarantee of greatness.

But a dull, shapeless name is practically a guarantee against 
greatness. Just imagine this scenario:

Someone asks you, "Who do you think was the greatest golfer of all 
time?"

You reply, "R o b e r t  G a m e z." No way.

You can argue that Arnold Palmer is no great shakes as a name, either. 
But no one spoke of him by that name. It was just "Arnie." And 
"Arnie's Army."

So Robert, I'm sorry. You were doomed at birth. Or at least by your 
insistence that you be referred to as "Robert." Lighten up and you may 
yet sail to greatness. Stay true to yourself and someone else will be 
the greatest golfer of the 90s.

Namely, Zinger.

Tom

    Player of the year..    Nick Faldo
    
    If he doesn't play another tournament this year he will still be
    player of the year for simply successfully defending the Masters.
    Azinger and Calcavecchia are not in the same class !!
                                     
                                                      Derek.

    
    Derek,
    
    Is it just your nature to try to stir things up...? ;-)
    
    BTW, as the base note stated, this for the best player on the PGA
    tour. The boys from the other side of the pond can't really be
    compared with the PGA tour and vise versa, since they don't play in
    enough of the same tourneys. Don't get me wrong here, I might have
    to also pick Nick if he were on the PGA tour...
    
    Gene

    	It's far to early to pick Player of The Year.  We still have
    three Majors to go.  Should any player win 2 of them, it would be
    tough not to pick him as player of the year.  
    
    Beak

    Beak (re:-.1)
    
    Actually, Tom Watson was voted player of the year in the US in 1980
    even though Jack Nicklaus won both the US Open and USPGA c'ship
    that year.
    
    martin

    
    
    Please correct me if i'm wrong...
    
    	During the tournament this past weekend did I hear correctly
    that Faldo is giving up his PGA card after it expires this year.
    If so would he still be able to play in the masters, even with an
    exemption?
    
    John-

    I thought you chaps across the pond didn't think much of the
    Masters !!!!!
    
    Mad Hacker

>    	During the tournament this past weekend did I hear correctly
>    that Faldo is giving up his PGA card after it expires this year.
>    If so would he still be able to play in the masters, even with an
>    exemption?

	Remember the Masters is an invitational tournament, not run by
	the PGA.  Nick has a permanent invitation because he is a former
	(as well as current) Masters winner.

	That brings up an interesting question.  Does anyone remember all
	the Masters invitation criteria.  I know it includes:

	- Past winners
	- Top 24 finishers from the prior year
	- Ryder Cup Members
	- US Amateur champ (not sure about british)
	- Winners of PGA tour events (may be a select list)

	What are the other invitation criteria?

	Larry

    Lets not forget:
    
    Top ** finishers in the Order of Merit
    Top ** finishers in the US Open
    Top ** finishers in the PGA Champ.
    US Publinx champion
    I think the SONY world rankings may count for something
    
    I think the **'s are between 15 and 25.
    
    Keep in mind most of the best players in the world qualify in more than
    one area.
    
    I probably left out a few. The point is - it's a pretty select bunch-
    
    
    Ken
    

    re.19
    
    I've always liked the Masters because it's great viewing on the
    television but to compare it to THE OPEN is like comparing Azinger
    to Faldo. As I said before not in the same class !!!
          
                                         Derek.

    Ryder cup players are not automatically invited, US Ryder Cup players
    might be but European ones aren't.
    
    I'm pretty sure the British Amateur Champion is invited. I'm not sure
    how many exemptions there are from the European tour itself, but it's
    only the top 2-3 (at maximium) from the previous year's money list. I
    think this year, that was Rafferty and Olazabal. Woosnam, Lyle, Faldo,
    Ballesteros, Langer were there for other reasons. (Not sure about
    Woosnam - was he top 24 last year?)
    

    RE .22
    
    	Are you kidding???  You honestley don't beleive Faldo can be
    compared to Azinger?  After his back to back Masters wins, he certainly
    can be compared to the Zinger!!!    
    
    
    Beak

Re a few back...  I don't think the US Publinx champion is invited to
the Masters.  I have the qualifications list at home.  I'll try to
publish it.

Mike

    re. 24>
    
    Well said Beak !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    Mad Hacker

So you wanna play Augusta National?  Well, one sure way to do this is to
qualify for the yearly Master's Tournament that is held there.  All you have
to do is one of the following:

1) Masters Tournament Champions (if you win the tournament, you are
   automatically invited back each year).
2) The last 5 US Open Champions
3) The last 2 US Amateur Champions
4) The last 5 British Open Champions
5) The last 2 British Amateur Champions
6) The last 5 PGA Champions
7) The Ryder Cup Team
8) The Walker Cup Team or World Amateur Team
9) The first 24 players (including ties) from the previous Masters
10) The first 16 players (including ties) in the previous US Open
11) The first 8 players (including ties) in the previous PGA Championship
12) The semi-finalists in the previous US Amateur Championship
13) PGA Co-sponsored tour tournament winners (classified by the
    tournament players division as one of its major events) from the
    finish of the previous Masters to the start of the current one

To re-iterate number 13 - basically, if you win a PGA tournament, you
qualify for the Masters.  The tournament has to be "recognized" though
(i.e. your local four-ball doesn't quite make it :-)).

Mike

    re.24
    
    What I said,or thought I said, was that Azinger was not in the same
    league as Faldo. If (and it's a big if) Azinger every manages to
    win a "major" then we can talk about comparisons until then the
    man is a poor second best !!!
                          
                                   Derek.

    	Oh now what you said is more clear to me.  If a guy wins 20
    tournaments in 10 years, but never wins a major, and another golfer
    wins one major and maybe 2 other tournaments in the same time span,
    that the guy who won 20 tournamnets shouldn't even come close to
    being compared to the guy who won only 3 with 1 major.
    	Try looking at what you said objectively.  Azinger is a great
    golfer.  One of the worlds top 10 I'd say.  So is Faldo.  I wouldn't
    hesitate one bit in comparing them.  And believe me, over the course
    of his career, I have no doubt that Azinger will win a major.  The
    guy is much to good a golfer not to.  Then again, he could fit into
    Greg Normans category and lose a major to a guy who makes a great
    shot, ala, Larry Mize in the masters 3 years ago.  By the way, none
    of what I'm saying is any knock on Faldo.  He is a great golfer.
    I just think you're way off base about the Zinger.
    
    Beak

    I think Derek ought to be on a stage with the level of 
    provocation he puts into this conference 8^)
    
    Don't let it get to you guys!! (Still he makes ME laugh!!)
    
    I think the Zinger has got a great future ahead of him. Not bad
    that coming from someone who idolises Faldo..8^)
    
    
    Phil.
    

    
    
    re.29
    
    Come on Beak you must be joking ??
                               
     If Azinger wins 40 of these "mickey mouse" USPGA tournaments,as
    any ordinary yank professional could, he still will not have proved
    himself as one of the best until he wins MORE than one major.
     Ordinary golfers can win majors (as Mize,Tway and Sluman have proved)
    but it takes a truely great golfer to win majors more than once.
     So until Azinger wins either THE OPEN or The Masters (the only majors
    worth winning) on more than one occasion he will be classed as an 
    "also ran"...
                                      Derek.
    

    	Fair enough Derek.  You give me a list of those who have won
    Majors twice or more.  Then I'll give you a list of some who have
    not.  I guarantee that my list contains some names that have appeared
    many times in the Sony World top rankings.  Not to mention that
    Azinger, is still very young and has the prime of his career still
    in front of him.
    	
    Beak

    On a television program over here (U.K.), they asked who was the
    biggest American Money Winner ever.
    
    I thought maybe Nichlaus, or perhaps Azinger. But the answere was
    Tom Kite.  Is this correct ?
    
    Has Tom won any majors, or does he win lots of the others ?
    (I'm not trying to make a stsement here. I was surprised because
    although I had heard *OF* him I hardley ever hear *ABOUT* him.)
    
    Regards
    Wayne.

    
    Yup. Mr consistency (Kite) is the top all time money winner...!

    Even Tom Kite says that his position on the all-time PGA money
    list isn't that big a deal. He has played mostly during the
    high paying years when a player could win 1 tourney a year
    and win more than many pros earned in their whole careers just
    20 years ago. He is very consistent and usually near the top of
    the leader board whenever he plays, he just isn't flashy and
    also hasn't won a major, just tons of money !!!!
    
    Mad Hacker