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Players must help sponsors
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When Colin Montgomerie tees up in what will be the last tournament of the international
season today at Thousand Oaks in California, the Scot will take a moment to reflect
on his good fortune.
At a time of economic uncertainty, the worst thing which could happen to him
on Sunday is that he’ll finish last at the Williams World Challenge and fly
home with a cheque for $130,000 (£90,000).
Of course, Montgomerie’s sights are set much higher at Sherwood Country
Club, on collecting the winner’s prize of $1 million, when he takes on an
elite field which includes golfers like Tiger Woods, David Duval and Davis Love
III.
Finding sponsorship for a $4.1 million event presented by Woods and guaranteed
to deliver a field of the world’s best golfers was never going to be a great
hardship for the organisers. But in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of
11 September, which led to huge losses around the world in the travel and leisure
industries, not every golf tournament can look forward with as much optimism as
the Williams Challenge.
The $5million Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie
only returned to the European Tour schedule for 2002 after a prolonged debate
over whether the sponsors could afford to invest so much in a golf tournament.
More pressingly, there’s also a lingering question mark against the South
African Open, which was due to kick off the European Tour’s 2002 schedule
in Durban next month. The event won’t go ahead unless a new backer is found.
Against this background of changing priorities, Montgomerie argues that top
golfers can no longer afford to take for granted the commercial support which
ensures their livelihoods. He also expressed the view that all professionals must
do more next season to promote the game and the sponsors who back it.
"As I said when I gave that speech at the dinner before the Volvo PGA
Championship at Wentworth earlier this year, we live in a culture where people
are more interested in criticising rather than praising.
"In light of recent events, I believe there are many of us in sport who
should sit down, reflect on what we’ve got and realise how damn fortunate
we are. I’m not just talking about golfers here. The same thinking applies
to many tennis players and footballers. We’re all so lucky to play the game
we love for a living.
"I’ve come to appreciate over the years that I’m bloody lucky
to do what I do for a living and don’t want to lose the privilege. Many of
the big events in golf only exist because of the financial input from sponsors.
Yet their contributions are so often taken for granted.
"I don’t believe we can afford to make that assumption any longer.
I know in Scotland we’re still looking for a sponsor for the Scottish Open
at Loch Lomond, for example, and the last thing we want to do is send a message
to any potential backer that we don’t think they matter all that much."
The event is by invitation only and features 18 of the world’s leading
players, 15 of whom will tee up for either Europe or the USA in next September’s
Ryder Cup match at the Belfry.
The presence of so many leading Europeans - apart from Monty, Padraig Harrington,
Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn, Lee Westwood, Jesper Parnevik and Bernhard Langer
all acepted invitations from Woods - lends the tournament the kind of aura which
once surrounded the World Match Play in its heyday at Wentworth.
Woods finished second in his own competition behind Love last year when the
older American carded a 72-hole winning total of 266, 22 under par.
US Open champion Retief Goosen of South Africa has been named the 2001 Asprey
& Garrard Golfer of the Year at the end of a season in which he also captured
three individual titles on the European Tour, including the Scottish Open, and
won the Volvo Order of Merit.
In addition, Goosen partnered Ernie Els as South Africa won the World Cup.
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