Wouldn't it be ironic if John Daly, erstwhile hell-raiser of the US Tour, were to become a key figure in restoring confidence among his American tournament colleagues in overseas air travel? In fairness, however, significant moves had already been made by Tiger Woods before Daly's decision to travel to Germany this week.
Looking back on the decision by the PGA of America not to compete in the Ryder Cup last weekend, they were seen not to have any other option after the announcement that Woods couldn't play in the Lancome Trophy the previous week, on instructions from the FBI. But TWA (Tiger Woods Airways) will be back in international air space before long.
Word is that Woods will play a two-day exhibition in Hong Kong on November 10th and 11th, before joining David Duval in defence of the World Cup in Japan on the 15th to 18th. And from there he heads for Hawaii and the PGA Grand Slam. And he intends to honour his commitment to the New Zealand Open next January.
His pledge to Hawaii should do much to ease concerns there about a seriously disrupted tourist industry following the terrorist horrors of September 11th. Indeed their plight should provide a greater understanding of current problems in this country.
September, apparently, is traditionally a slow month in Kapalua. But the worry at this stage is that bookings for the three months up to Christmas are down 50 per cent. "It's like the airlines," said a local official. "They can't survive with flight loads of 30 per cent and we can't survive with occupancy of 30 per cent. It's a matter of hanging on."
Daly travelled to Germany by private jet, and Woods has not used scheduled flights since he turned professional five years ago. So they are unlikely to help golf tourism simply by flying. Still, a further two Americans - in addition to Jim Furyk and David Toms - want to play in Sun City later this year, where a minimum reward of $150,000 is on offer.
Darren Clarke, who will not be changing his American plans for next season, uses a private jet in Europe but goes scheduled to the US. But journeymen professionals on both sides of the Atlantic not only rely on the airlines, but travel economy-class.
Meanwhile, golf's image remains strong. And a timely boost comes from exclusive Pine Valley, perennially the number one course in the world in leading lists. It is to open its doors for 25 foursomes, at a cost of $1,000 a player, for a special invitation event on October 15th.
With the offer of a free lunch thrown in, spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. And the green-fees donations of $100,000 will go to the Twin Towers Fund, established by New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. Which is very good news in these difficult times.
"Our play is off 50 to 75 per cent of what was pre-booked."
- Skip Corn of the TBC at Myrtle Beach resort, South Carolina.
