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Time To Play Them All?

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By MICK ELLIOTT | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 18, 2009

PALM HARBOR - This week's Transitions Championship is one of the exceptions. The annual PGA Tour stop at Innisbrook Resort has attracted a field with decent name recognition.

Kenny Perry, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker and Adam Scott are ranked among the top 20 golfers in the world. Masters winner Trevor Immelman is joined by past major champions Mark Calcavecchia, Retief Goosen, Corey Pavin, Paul Azinger and Lee Janzen.

"One of the top-10 non-major, non-World Golf Championship fields on the season," Transitions Championship director Gerald Goodman said.

All the same, Tiger Woods is not on the property. In the 10-year history of the event, the world's No. 1 player and top draw has never played at Innisbrook. Many PGA Tour tournament sites can say the same thing.

At a time when golf is facing sponsorship challenges, many are insisting future success may depend on getting all players to all venues.

The cure for poor fields most commonly discussed is requiring every golfer to play every tournament over a designated time - most likely a three-to-five year window.

IN SUPPORT

Lee Trevino, now one of golf's elder statesmen, recently went on record in support of mandatory appearances.

"You know what they should do?" Trevino said. "Make it mandatory for every player to play each and every tournament at least once every three years. I don't care who you are."

And if anyone refuses?

"They got a good tour in Europe," Trevino said.

REALITY CHECK

The only scheduling rule the PGA Tour currently imposes is appearances in a minimum of 15 events to retain membership.

Tour veteran Davis Love III, a player advisory council member, has confirmed discussion of a one-in-four rule but also added the majority of players are opposed to such a concept.

Another thing. No one believes Woods will ever play anywhere he does not want to play.

"I see it from the sponsor's view and realize they are putting up a lot of money to be involved and want the best players to play their events," Masters winner Trevor Immelman said. "But I'm not sure coming up with a rule saying you have to play every event during a certain stretch is the solution."

OBJECTIVE VIEW

Gerald Goodman, the hard-working Transitions tournament director, naturally would love to guarantee local fans a Tiger sighting.

"If they had that rule on the PGA Tour back in the '60s, it would be automatic now," Goodman said. "But to start now, you'd have to grandfather everybody in and then begin with some freshman class.

"We hope the players will do that, but it's a fact, too, in our sport, some golf courses do not meet the eye of some players. ... It's a fine line."

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