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Muel-Good Info On The Buy.Com Tour
Counting stars

By JERRY FOLTZ
Contributor, GOLFONLINE
(Tuesday, May 1, 2001)

There have been many significant steps along the way in the rise to prominence of the Buy.com Tour and the relatively rapid success that this tour has enjoyed. Its very creation in 1990 was an idea that was both daring and overdue, but time has proven that the Buy.com Tour is indeed a prosperous venture.

The inaugural Buy.com Charity Pro-Am at The Cliffs that was staged this past week outside Greenville, S.C., may well prove to be a giant leap in the progress of the Buy.com Tour. Modeled after the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, this tournament brought some pretty heavy hitters to town to help bring out the crowds and guarantee unequivocal success. With Kevin Costner and Dan Marino headlining the list of celebrities and BMW as the presenting sponsor, the Charity Pro-Am at The Cliffs was able to accomplish many firsts for a Buy.com tournament. The $500,000 raised for charity was one such first, a Buy.com Tour record for a first-year event, and the debut of the pro-am format was another.

However, the biggest leap was probably one of credibility. It might sound superficial to say that simply the presence of such stars as Costner and company could lend credibility, but it's true. The Buy.com Tour has often been referred to as the minor league of the PGA Tour. A-list type celebrities lending their support to such an event can only help accelerate the shedding of a minor-league label.

Although the level of celebrity was impressive enough, the number of celebrities was even more impressive. But perhaps the most telling fact was the feedback from the celebrities.

When John O'Hurley and the Gatlin brothers seized the stage in an impromptu show of gratitude at the awards banquet Saturday night, the unanimous accolades were formalized. "We play in a lot of these type events, and none of them have anything on this one," were the exact words from the group. "And we'll come back as long as you keep inviting us." It was obvious also that Costner enjoyed himself tremendously, and he was reported to have said some extremely generous remarks, off the record, that led everyone to believe that he would very much look forward to returning in the future. The celebrities' presence obviously guaranteed success this year, but their high praise and promise of continued support will likely guarantee it for years to come.

As if this first-year event didn't have enough going for it already, factor in BMW as a presenting sponsor. The one word that permeated just about every conversation when discussing the tournament and BMW's participation was "classy." Granted, golfers, by and large, represent a company's likely demographic when selling luxury cars, but, once again, BMW is not exactly on anyone's B-list of symbols of success.

Not to be overlooked were the Cliffs Valley Course and the Cliffs at Keowee Vinyards Course designed by Ben Wright and Tom Fazio, respectively. Set in beautifully dramatic terrain outside of town, both courses not only held their own against a field of very talented players, but also drew strong reviews from the same.

One other point worth mentioning that also helps increase the stature of the entire tour is the fact that Jay Haas passed on playing in the far more lucrative Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic to compete in his hometown on the Buy.com Tour. Jay missed the cut and showed that he's not exactly performing at his peak, but in doing so added that little extra proof that these guys can play, too.

Not only was this tournament blessed with all the aforementioned assets, but it also had Lady Luck on its side. The weather was Chamber of Commerce material, Costner and professional partner Brian Hull won the Pro-Am portion of the competition, and a rookie named Jonathan Byrd won the tournament itself -- all of which delighted the sizeable number of onlookers.. Byrd is a graduate of nearby Clemson University.

Costner's final stroke of genius is also worth mentioning. In an eerily similar moment to his movie "Tin Cup", Costner demonstrated that sometimes life can imitate art. Playing to a 14-handicap, Costner delighted the crowd not only with his gracious willingness to never refuse an autograph or picture request, but also by showing occasional signs that his fictional character was almost lifelike with intermittent excellence of golfing ability.

On the final hole of the Pro-Am competition Saturday with the team title already wrapped up, Costner proceeded to hit a variety of, shall we say, tired looking golf shots. Knowing that the fans really didn't care if Roy McAvoy made a 12 on the final hole or an eagle, Costner never put the ball in his pocket despite the temptation. Having finally made it to the green in about six shots, Costner was faced with about a 12-foot downhill putt. He addressed the ball and suddenly stepped away, stood upright, and then addressed the crowd. "All right, we're not going to be back for another year so let's hear it," Costner said, and then he started to clap his hands slowly over his head until the crowd followed suit. He again addressed the putt as the clapping slowly grew louder and more rapid. As he stroked the putt, the applause had reached its crescendo, and as if scripted in Hollywood, the putt dropped. The reaction now became almost deafening, and Costner struck the famous 72nd-hole pose from "Tin Cup" with both arms stretched high into the sky in triumph. Surreal perhaps, but ironic to say the least.

One other first also occurred this week. The Buy.com Charity Pro-Am at The Cliffs marked the first time Ben Wright was a presence at a significant professional tournament in years. Ben not only designed the tournament's primary course, he also lives in the area and is a beloved figure to the locals. In this age of political correctness, it might be construed as risky to mention his involvement, but the tournament embraced him, and showcased his golf course and his charm. Regardless of the controversy that surrounded him a few years back, the folks here certainly didn't forget the friend who is revered by many as one of the game's lost treasures.

It was a special week indeed.

Jerry Foltz, an on-course commentator for The Golf Channel who won the 1995 Nike South Carolina Classic, reports on the Buy.com Tour and selected other events for GOLFONLINE. Look for his column each week. You can email your comments to him at: [e-mail].

Index of Jerry Foltz columns