84 Lumber Classic....

[Tom Zeni]

As Clark Grizwold said to his brother Eddie, I couldn't be more surprised if I woke up with my head sewed to the carpet.

Joe Hardy, a billionaire, who sought close ties with the PGA tour, and threw so much money at his tournament, enough to make Arnold Palmer scream uncle, and give the Western PA stage to Hardy, has abruptly pulled the plug.

Even though the company 84 Lumber, doubled it's profits from 2 to 4 billion last year, spent 88 million on a new players facilities, sent all who played last year extravagant Christmas presents, gave them a free flight for 4 to the Ryder Cup when the tournament was directly before it, installed a driving range the envy of most other tournaments, had a private landing strip for private aircraft,  had Pete Dye back so many times for design changes that Dye called it his annuity, erected statues of host players John Daly and VJ Singh, brought in top performers for nightly concerts, and got the tourament date moved to June, directly after the Open at nearby Oakmont, and never again to compete with the Steeler's in September - has called it quits after this year, and before the anticipated date of having the tournament back to back with the US Open at Oakmont.

No REAL reason was provided. The excuse is that it affects the company's bottom line. Of course, this didn't stop Hardy, who, a couple of years ago, and at the suggestion of Michele Wie and John Daly to install a waterfall - which Joe did for somewhere in the neighborhood of 3/4 to 1 mil. Nice neighborhood.

[Andy Scanlon]

Interesting.  I wonder if that opens the possibility of that tournament moving back to the Philadelphia area under new sponsorship?  

[Robert Emmons]

Hartford has taken over the slot...RHE

[Tom Zeni]

Yes, Hartford said "Sold!" before you could blink an eye.

I've played the course a couple of times, and while Pete Dye is a master, and try as he might to lengthen the course, and pinch the fairways, the players were still shooting 65's. It began as a resort course, and was well suited for that -as long as you didn't go look for your ball in the rocks were the rattle snakes sunned themselves. But to change it into a tournament course - well, Dye has tried, but the mountain plateau it's rests on may not be suited for that.

[mikes1160]

Uh Tom,

You should really mention that the quote leading your post didn't come from you, but from Gerry Dulac's story in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette....quite frankly, all of your analysis is from his story

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06103/681735-136.stm

[Tom Zeni]

Thanks,

I was just typing from memory. Of course, much of the info was from something I read. The quote is actually from Clark Grizwold's "Nat'l Lampoon Christmas Vacation." I cited Clark, just as Dulac did. It's public domain.  

It also wasn't an analysis. It was just relaying the info in a post.  Didn't know I needed footnotes to post!

BTW, I am I am the sole owner of the 2nd post, and while I have sole copyrights, it can be used by anyone without my expressed written permission.

We now rejoin your regular programming already in progress.
Oh wait, that's not original either. I did hear it somewhere, some place, at some time.

[George Pazin]

There could be any number of reasons that 84 Lumber chose to pull out, many of which they wouldn't want to disclose to the media or public at large.

It is very disappointing to me, I like having the opportunity to go see the big boys up close and in person. It's pretty funny to see how different the course plays for them versus little old me.

[Don Dinkmeyer]

I do not know - was the 84 Lumber date in 2007 in the fall (post FedEx Cup)?  Booz Allen pulled their plug when relegated to the Post FC doldrums....

Some of these sponsors are not as invested in supporting golf as others. I do know the Post FC events have become a "Junior Silly Season" or perhaps better named "Race to Avoid Q School" - which is definitely a 2nd class status among tournaments.

[Tom Zeni]

George,

This is a stumper to me. As I'm sure you know, Hardy did everything he could to ingratiate himself to Finchem and spent money hand over fist to get a tournament in Western PA. At one point, I read that he wanted to hold the US Open! He also spends money like water, and makes decisions bing, bang.

Either the stores aren't doing as well as they say, or kissing up to the PGA and players got to be too much.

[George Pazin]

Tom, from what I've seen, your characterization of Mr. Hardy is accurate. But, you should remember, he no longer runs the company, his daughter does (at least, I am reasonably certain that is the case). I can easily imagine some other members of the board taking umbrage with using company money to fund an individual's dreams (rightfully so, imho).

Some years ago, Ross Johnson was thought by others to have used RJR Nabisco as his personal playground. The long and the short of it is that the company became takeover bait and was bought out, which resulted in at least a partial retraction of RJR Nabisco from its many corporate sponsorships of sporting events.

[Ryan Farrow]

The course was hard enough for me! But Vijay was comming in a few days after i played and they grew the rough out for him. I found my way into the jungle and water all day. They also had a cage at the side of one of the fairways with lions or tigers in it. Strange?

I wouldnt be suprised if the Tour forced him to pull out. Maybe they didnt want to look like the bad guys with the revamped schedule.

[JohnV]

I do not know - was the 84 Lumber date in 2007 in the fall (post FedEx Cup)?  Booz Allen pulled their plug when relegated to the Post FC doldrums....

No, that is what is strange.  They got the date immediately after the US Open which is the date they wanted.  I attended a charity kickoff last December and everyone involved including Joe Hardy were very excited about the new date.

Tom Zeni, isn't the 4 Billion sales, not profits?  I thought I'd read that.  They say then are trying to get to 10 billion over the next few years and need to focus on that.

Corporations often change direction quickly, especially when they are run by one man as 84 Lumber is.

[Tom Zeni]

John,

You're correct. 4 billion in sales- not profits. My error. You're also correct about the 10 billion projection.

Personally, I think while Maggie is running the operations, Joe is still 'The Donald" of 84 Lumber.

Kinda reminds me, and I'm sure you and George will know the name, Frank Fuhrer, who had those big 2 day events immediately after the US Open. Lot's of stories about those events including the famous one about Fuzzy Zoeller.  Anyway, all those charity events were going great, then without so much as a why, they all stopped faster than a car hitting the 4th turn wall at Indy.

Something's not right in this immediate halt, especially after all of the groundwork. I'm sure we'll hear rumors, but doubt if we'll ever hear the real rest of the story.

[PThomas]

what's the FUzzy story Tom???

[tonyt]

How much might this have to do with the 2007 onwards policy of "shortening" the tour?

With next year's move to marginalise the post WGC September events (which still count for money list, but are sidelined for season ending event and leading player obligations), I'm sure the PGA Tour would have moved hard to want all sorts of guarantees, increases and other impositions to be guaranteed a pre WGC date.

Sure, it had a summer date, but if a couple of fall events want in and pay up, then the negotiation and pressure then turns to those incumbent who may not match. It only takes an event to be disappointed to be under threat of negotiation to lose a spot and a proprietor may decide to walk.

Just a guess?

[Tom Zeni]

Whew, Thanks For Asking! Didn't know if anyone would.

Fuzzy was invited each and every year to Frank's two day charity event. Big money. Something like $325,000 to the winner. It was the biggest 2 day event in the country. No one got less than $10,000 for appearing. And Fuhrer got most of the big names. It was held at St Clair CC, Fox Chapel, don't know if Oakmont was ever in the mix. But it was a big event in the area.

And while Frank was a friend to guys just starting out -Couples comes to mind, since Fuhrer would often brag that he was buying them steak, when they were eating hamburger - Frank was very much a task master, especially to his son who was on and off the tour many times. But I digress.

Keeping with Fuhrer's task master demands, everyone had to wear a tie and jacket to the dinner that followed the event. All was well and good, until Fuzzy showed up at the dinner with an open shirt and jacket. Frank sent over an underling to tell Fuzzy to put on a tie. When the underling returned, he told Frank that Fuzzy had said, "Tell Frank that Fuzzy was his own kinda guy" and that Frank would understand.

Fast forward to the following year. Fuzzy's agent called Frank Fuhrer and told Frank that Fuzzy was making out his schedule, and hadn't received his invitation yet. Frank's reply was simply, "Tell Fuzzy, I'm my own kinda guy too. He'll know what I mean."  Fuzzy was never again invited.

And now you know, the rest of the story!

[Pete Stankevich]

All I can say is "Thank you 84 Lumber!"  If it wasn't for them pulling out, Hartford would not have a PGA Tour event.  When Hartford was offered a fall event, they respectfully declined and were going to set up a summer Champions Tour Event for 2007.  The GHO was usually an early summer event and usually the 2nd best attended event on the PGA Tour, behind Phoenix.
It raised a ton of money for the Greater Hartford Jaycees for charity, but a late September/early October event in the Northeast is insane.  With the possiblity of miserable weather and less than stellar, post Fed-Ex Cup fields, the tournament would have difficulty drawing crowds and keeping up with their wonderful charity work.
As someone who grew up adjacent to Wethersfield Country Club (the original GHO site through 1983), this tournament is the reason I became a golfer and why I'm in the golf business.
I got to see many of the greats of the game, every summer, right down the street from my house.  To see this tournament disappear in January and then reappear in April has been an emotional roller coaster ride for a lot of people up here.  
Needless to say, I am absolutely thrilled 84 Lumber pulled out and the new "St. Paul/Travelers Championship" is back in the heart of the Tour schedule, in early summer, and back in CT.

[Dan Herrmann]

Pete has a good point.  I visit Hartford on business from time to time, and was in town during the GHO one year.  I was amazed by the community spirit that went into the GHO.  If I recall correctly, the local paper even had a full special (and full-color) section on the golf tournament.

I'm a Pennsylvanian that thinks that Hartford deserves this slot.

You'd have hardly known there was an event in town when Philly had the PGA at Waynesboro a couple of years ago.

[Tom Zeni]

Congrats Pete,

While Nemacolin Woodlands tournament was good for Western PA, the single lane road to get there, was fine for George Washington at Ft. Necessity, but really sucks now.

I've visited your area a number of times, and have always admired your roads. Our good friend, who has since been transferred, lived in Rocky Hill, at, if I recall correctly Tall Pines Lane. Anyway, I heard the course was only a few miles away, but due to other commitments, never did get to play it.

Anyway, if our loss is your gain, I'm happy that a worthy tournament such as yours got it.