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PGA Tour's ever increasing
overseas element
One reason golf doesn't need the Olympics is because it already has a full
plate of international competition.
It's called the PGA Tour.
The latest example was at Disney World, where Jose Coceres of Argentina won
for the second time this year. He was among six international players from five
countries who finished in the top 15 at the National Car Rental Classic.
Just 10 years ago, there were only a dozen foreign players from five countries
who played the PGA Tour on a regular basis.
That's why Davis Love III was hardly surprised when he spent Friday talking
about Kaname Yokoo of Japan, the second-round leader at Disney, then spent the
weekend watching Coceres close with rounds of 64-68 to beat him by one stroke.
``It's getting harder and harder to say that the U.S. is the dominant country,''
Love said. ``We're getting the top percentage of players from every country coming
to play our tour.''
The foreign influence is even more obvious in women's golf.
When Karrie Webb of Australia won the U.S. Open, she became the 14th international
winner on the LPGA Tour in the first 16 events.
That won't happen on the PGA Tour any time soon, not with Tiger Woods, Phil
Mickelson and David Duval approaching the prime of their careers. Ten of the top
12 players on the PGA Tour money list are Americans.
But one only has to consider the membership rolls to realize the PGA Tour is
going global.
In 1991, there were 11 foreign players who were fully exempt and two who qualified
for the PGA Tour through qualifying school.
In 1996, 18 foreign players were fully exempt and four got their cards either
through Q-school or by finishing in the top five on the Nike Tour money list.
They represented eight countries.
When this season began, there were 32 foreign players who were exempt from
having won or finishing in the top 125 on the money list. Sixteen others made
it through Q-school or finishing in the top 15 on the Buy.com Tour. Those 48 players
came from 18 countries.
``It says a heck of a lot about the wealth of talent outside the United States,''
said Michael Bodney, senior vice president of international affairs for the PGA
Tour.
Some of them are well-trained and well-prepared.
Robert Allenby, who has emerged as the top Australian with two victories each
of the last two years, went through the Victorian Institute of Sport in Melbourne
and had a swing coach, physical trainer, sports psychologist and nutritionist
at his disposal.
Some of them are not.
Coceres learned to play by using rocks and tree limbs, equipment that doesn't
exactly run afoul of the standards on springlike effect. He didn't own a set of
clubs until he was 18. Coceres borrowed a set of clubs for a caddie tournament,
then bought them with his first-place earnings.
``Anybody with money can have a teacher next to you and clubs,'' Coceres said.
``But for us, we were a very humble family. We had to win the money so that we
could have bread every day, so that we could survive. It wasn't an easy situation.''
It wasn't any easier for Carlos Franco.
He received his first pair of golf shoes -- used -- for winning a caddie tournament
in Paraguay at age 14, and a friend gave him his first full set of clubs when
he was 18. Franco has three PGA Tour victories the last three years.
``These guys never had a stage on which to perform. They had to take their
games outside of the country they live in,'' Bodney said. ``It's pretty amazing
to see how well they have risen up through the ranks.''
A Japanese player had not won on tour since Isao Aoki in 1983, and only occasionally
showed up in the marquee events.
Already this year, Toru Taniguchi finished third in the Match Play Championship,
Toshi Izawa tied for fourth in the Masters, Shingo Katayama tied for fourth in
the PGA Championship and Shigeki Maruyama won the Greater Milwaukee Open.
Australia had 15 players on tour this year -- nine with full exempt status,
five through Q-school or the Buy.com Tour, and one with conditional status.
Not surprisingly, the top 30 players in the world ranking come from 16 counties.
Only six of them are not PGA Tour members.
``The game is growing around the world,'' Bodney said. ``These other tours
are very competitive, and they have players who have a desire to get to what is
considered the best level in the world.''
More could be on the way.
The first stage of Q-school is under way. This year's group includes players
from 12 countries, including Switzerland and India.
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