Without slam, final major not as grand

By Bill Kwon

So Tiger Woods didn't make a grand slam of it this year, proving he was merely human by shooting a humbling 10-over-par 81 as everyone played rain-dead golf in Saturday's third round of the British Open. Ernie Els turned out to be the last man standing at Muirfield.

The PGA Grand Slam of Golf in November will already welcome back the last five winners of the tournament in Tiger Woods, above, and Ernie Els, below. Els won in 1997 before Woods won the last four titles at Po'ipu, Kaua'i. This season, Woods won the U.S. Open and Masters and Els the British Open to qualify for the Grand Slam of Golf. Advertiser library photos

In the meantime, Woods still has some unfinished business: the PGA Championship, the last of golf's four majors, which begins today at the Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn.

Tiger has really spoiled us.

Media frenzy is absent because no grand slam will be accomplished this year. Just imagine the scene if Woods had added the British Open to go with his Masters and U.S. Open victories.

Instead, golf history was put on hold.

So what if Woods wins the PGA Championship, you say. That would give him only three majors.

Only?

You want to talk only?

Well, if Woods wins the PGA Championship for the third time in four years, he would become the first golfer ever to win three majors twice in a calendar year. Only Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan had accomplished that rare trifecta until Woods got his in 2000.

Obviously, Tiger's the man to beat again this week in what's regarded as the best field ever assembled for the PGA Championship, the last, and to many, the least heralded of the four majors.

Still, it's not without its local interest because it's the last major to finalize the elite foursome for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, a fixture at the Po'ipu Bay Resort on Kaua'i since 1994.

The only question regarding the 2002 PGA Grand Slam, scheduled for Nov. 26-27, is whether there will be a second alternate joining Woods and Els. It could happen if Woods wins his third major of the year or Els his second on Sunday.

It would be the second time that the event would have two alternates.

The first came in 2000 when Woods won three majors. Who knows? One of these years, the PGA Grand Slam might have Tiger and three alternates if he pulls off an unprecedented sweep of golf's four majors as everyone thinks he will some day.

Speaking of which, with his 14th-place finish in the British Open, Nick Price moved into the lead in the PGA of America's list of alternates based on a point system of how previous major winners fared in this year's majors.

Price, who finished second to Greg Norman in the first PGA Grand Slam at Po'ipu Bay in 1994, leads with 176.33 points with Justin Leonard next at 171.3. Davis Love III (164.3), Retief Goosen (163.66) and Nick Faldo (144.33) round out the top five.

Po'ipu Bay Resort is virtually Tiger's home course. He is seeking his fifth straight PGA Grand Slam title after finishing runnerup in his first appearance in 1997 after winning the Masters, the first of his eight major titles.

The guy who handed Woods his only setback on Kaua'i?

Ernie Els.

Interestingly, Woods and Els will be going head to head in the PGA Championship. They are grouped together for the first two rounds with defending champion David Toms.

An added treat to this year's PGA Championship is Hawai'i's Dean Wilson, who received a special exemption from the sponsoring PGA of America.

But, then, we all know he's special, having won five times on the Japan Golf Tour in the past two years.

New guide to local golf

Golfer's Guide, the nation's largest network of regional golf publications, has added a new annual edition featuring Hawai'i. The digest-sized "The Hawaiian Islands Golfer's Guide" is the official publication of the Aloha Section PGA. And, it's free.

"We're truly proud of the inaugural issue. It will offer visitors the information they need when planning their dream golf vacation in Hawai'i," said Ed Kageyama, the publisher's regional representative.

The guide also provides a marketing tool, said Kageyama, noting that it features Hawai'i's resort and daily-fee golf courses, accommodations and golf schools, besides promoting the activities of the Aloha Section PGA.

Telephone numbers of all of Hawai'i's golf courses are listed, but information about private country clubs, military and municipal courses isn't included.

It is expected to have a circulation of 75,000 with a readership of nearly 188,000. Plans also call for the Hawai'i publication to be distributed at 15 to 20 golf trade shows nationally.

In addition, Golfer's Guide has created a Hawaiian Islands section, one of the 26 regions it covers, on its website.

Navy-Marine course rating

It's not my imagination.

After years of bogey and double-bogey scores, often a lot higher, at the par-4 17th hole, I couldn't figure out for the life of me why it was ranked as the 15th easiest hole at the Navy-Marine golf course. True, it's downwind, but it measures 463 yards from the regular tee.

When the course was recently re-rated and spiffy new scorecards issued, I felt vindicated. No. 17 is now ranked as the second most difficult hole as it should have been all these years.

Another over-due change is the 399-yard par-4 fourth into the wind.

It's now the hardest hole. The 414-yard hole (No. 13 before the nines were reversed) had been rated 12th easiest.

Nothing is forever, but it appears that Navy-Marine's present layout will remain that way permanently. Especially with those huge, granite tee markers in place.

Too bad, in a way.

There were many great memories of Navy-Marine golf tournaments past when galleries crowded the 18th hole by the old clubhouse and restaurant.

The 488-yard par-5 was reachable in two and eagles were not uncommon.

Sometimes, even birdies weren't good enough to win on the final day.

Bill Kwon can be reached at bkwon@aloha.net