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Administaff pro-am full of fun, memorable shots
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| Defending Administaff Small Business Classic champion Bernhard Langer, right, bumps fists with Jerry MacDonald, President and CEO of The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, during HP Pro-Am play Thursday at The Woodlands Country Club Tournament Course. |
By HOWARD RODEN
As the chief operating officer for Administaff, Steve Arizpe has played golf with the legendary Arnold Palmer on more than one occasion.
But none of Arizpe’s previous rounds with Palmer resulted in a life-long memory — until his shot on the 18th hole of The Woodlands Country Club Tournament Course Thursday.
With three of his pro-am partners in the water (including Palmer), and a fourth approach shot well short of the green, Arizpe landed his approach to within 18 inches of the cup on the par-4 hole, leaving him a tap-in for birdie.
“Have I hit shots like that before? Sure,” said Arizpe, a six-handicap golfer who exited the course wearing a wide smile of achievement on his face. “But those shots were no more special than doing it right in front of the King and my son.”
Arizpe’s son, Benton, a member of the Klein High School golf team, was toting his father’s golf bag.
“It was an experience I can’t compare,” Steve Arizpe said.
Such is the nature of pro-am day on the Champions Tour, when amateur golfers revel in that rare opportunity to play alongside the best of the world’s over-50 set of professional golfers.
Although the Administaff Small Business Classic — with its $1.7 million purse — begins play today at the Tournament Course, the 54-hole event was preceded by four days of pro-ams. While they sometimes can be a grind, the pros know those events are what make their senior circuit a viable entity.
“I think our guys understand why we have a Champions Tour,” said D.A. Weibring, of Plano, a former winner on both the PGA and Champion tours. “It’s because of the pro-ams that we have the opportunity to play for more money than when we were in our prime (on the PGA Tour).”
A two-time winner on the Champions Tour this year, Houston pro Keith Fergus played in three pro-ams this week, although he’s only required to play in one because he’s among the top 24 on the Champions money list.
“I volunteered for the third one. I want to help the local tournament when I can,” he said.
Although retired from competitive golf, Palmer, 80, played in the Administaff pro-am Thursday due to his contractual agreement with the Houston-based title sponsor. He dazzled his playing partners with three birdies in a row during the first five holes.
“It was amazing to watch,” said Paul Sarvadi, Administaff’s chairman and CEO.
Playing right behind Palmer was Bernhard Langer, the tournament’s two-time defending champion and the Champions Tour’s leading money winner in 2009 with nearly $1.9 million and four victories. Langer toured the water-logged Tournament Course in 11-under-par.
“If he plays like that this weekend, it will be a three-peat,” said Robert Marling, CEO of Woodforest Bank and one of Langer’s pro-am partners Thursday.
“I hit the ball well and putted well,” Langer said. “But I also had a lot of fun.”
Despite all the birdies, Langer found time to give a few swing tips to Marling, a 15-handicapper, as well as read putts for the rest of the group.
“(Langer) made us feel special, even a hacker like me,” Marling said. “I’ve played in a number of pro-ams on the PGA Tour, and the guys out on the Champions Tour make you feel a lot more relaxed.”
Mike Wrage, of Tampa, Fla., was at the Administaff pro-am Thursday as a guest of presenting sponsor UnitedHealthcare. He found out Wednesday he would be in the same group with Tom Watson, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
“I had to ask them three times. ‘Are you sure?’” Wrage said. “I couldn’t believe it.”
“Every one of these fellows can play,” Watson said midway through the round. “They can hit three to four quality shots like we can out here. It’s fun to play with guys who can play.”
But sometimes a pro-am is about socializing. Kelly Hart, of Houston, was decked out in his favorite University of Florida garb in honor of fellow Gator alum Andy Bean.
“It was the luck of the draw during the pairings party Tuesday,” Hart said. “It was so cool. (Bean) is a good trash talker, too.”
“Go Gators, man!” Bean said, referring to Florida’s No. 1 ranking in college football. “It doesn’t matter what we do until the end of the year.”
Bean had plenty of light-hearted advice for his playing partners.
“I’m telling Fernando (Duran) he’s thinking way too much, I’m telling Jim (Scotti) he needs to stand up a little bit taller and Larry (Jackson) birdied the first hole so I didn’t say anything to him.
“Kelly? We’re still waiting on an eagle from him.”
Bob Schmidt, a retired oil field equipment businessman who lives in the Montgomery area, was playing in the Administaff pro-am for the second straight year. He wound up with easy-going Fuzzy Zoeller as his pro — again.
“I don’t know how it happened. He wanted to know that, too. I guest he’s unlucky,” Schmidt said.
“Last year was the first time I’d ever played in a pro-am. (Zoeller) is the funniest guy. He keeps you loose and I played some of my best golf last year. Fuzzy’s a joy to be around.”
Administaff Small Business Classic
Dates: Today through Sunday
Purse: $1.7 million ($255,000 to the winner)
Venue: The Woodlands Country Club Tournament Course
Par: 72
Yards: 7,018
Format: 78 players, 54 holes of stroke play, no cut
Defending Champion: Bernhard Langer
Television: 5:30-7:30 p.m. each day, The Golf Channel (tape delay)
Tee Times: Today, 10 a.m. (double tee start); Saturday, 8:30 a.m.; Sunday, 8:30 a.m.
Tickets: General admission free each day courtesy of Administaff, Hewlett Packard, The Woodlands Development Company and Woodforest National Bank
Parking
General: Waterway Square Parking Garage, corner of Lake Robbins and Fountains Plaza. Take Woodlands Parkway to Six Pines; right on Six Pines; right on Lake Robbins; right on Fountains Plaza to parking garage.
Parking, Handicap/Wheelchair Assistance: Lot B, Grogan’s Mill Shopping Center in front of Randall’s. Take Woodlands Parkway to Grogan’s Mill; left on Grogan’s Mill; right on South Millbend Drive; right on Saddleleaf Place to parking lot.
But none of Arizpe’s previous rounds with Palmer resulted in a life-long memory — until his shot on the 18th hole of The Woodlands Country Club Tournament Course Thursday.
With three of his pro-am partners in the water (including Palmer), and a fourth approach shot well short of the green, Arizpe landed his approach to within 18 inches of the cup on the par-4 hole, leaving him a tap-in for birdie.
“Have I hit shots like that before? Sure,” said Arizpe, a six-handicap golfer who exited the course wearing a wide smile of achievement on his face. “But those shots were no more special than doing it right in front of the King and my son.”
Arizpe’s son, Benton, a member of the Klein High School golf team, was toting his father’s golf bag.
“It was an experience I can’t compare,” Steve Arizpe said.
Such is the nature of pro-am day on the Champions Tour, when amateur golfers revel in that rare opportunity to play alongside the best of the world’s over-50 set of professional golfers.
Although the Administaff Small Business Classic — with its $1.7 million purse — begins play today at the Tournament Course, the 54-hole event was preceded by four days of pro-ams. While they sometimes can be a grind, the pros know those events are what make their senior circuit a viable entity.
“I think our guys understand why we have a Champions Tour,” said D.A. Weibring, of Plano, a former winner on both the PGA and Champion tours. “It’s because of the pro-ams that we have the opportunity to play for more money than when we were in our prime (on the PGA Tour).”
A two-time winner on the Champions Tour this year, Houston pro Keith Fergus played in three pro-ams this week, although he’s only required to play in one because he’s among the top 24 on the Champions money list.
“I volunteered for the third one. I want to help the local tournament when I can,” he said.
Although retired from competitive golf, Palmer, 80, played in the Administaff pro-am Thursday due to his contractual agreement with the Houston-based title sponsor. He dazzled his playing partners with three birdies in a row during the first five holes.
“It was amazing to watch,” said Paul Sarvadi, Administaff’s chairman and CEO.
Playing right behind Palmer was Bernhard Langer, the tournament’s two-time defending champion and the Champions Tour’s leading money winner in 2009 with nearly $1.9 million and four victories. Langer toured the water-logged Tournament Course in 11-under-par.
“If he plays like that this weekend, it will be a three-peat,” said Robert Marling, CEO of Woodforest Bank and one of Langer’s pro-am partners Thursday.
“I hit the ball well and putted well,” Langer said. “But I also had a lot of fun.”
Despite all the birdies, Langer found time to give a few swing tips to Marling, a 15-handicapper, as well as read putts for the rest of the group.
“(Langer) made us feel special, even a hacker like me,” Marling said. “I’ve played in a number of pro-ams on the PGA Tour, and the guys out on the Champions Tour make you feel a lot more relaxed.”
Mike Wrage, of Tampa, Fla., was at the Administaff pro-am Thursday as a guest of presenting sponsor UnitedHealthcare. He found out Wednesday he would be in the same group with Tom Watson, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
“I had to ask them three times. ‘Are you sure?’” Wrage said. “I couldn’t believe it.”
“Every one of these fellows can play,” Watson said midway through the round. “They can hit three to four quality shots like we can out here. It’s fun to play with guys who can play.”
But sometimes a pro-am is about socializing. Kelly Hart, of Houston, was decked out in his favorite University of Florida garb in honor of fellow Gator alum Andy Bean.
“It was the luck of the draw during the pairings party Tuesday,” Hart said. “It was so cool. (Bean) is a good trash talker, too.”
“Go Gators, man!” Bean said, referring to Florida’s No. 1 ranking in college football. “It doesn’t matter what we do until the end of the year.”
Bean had plenty of light-hearted advice for his playing partners.
“I’m telling Fernando (Duran) he’s thinking way too much, I’m telling Jim (Scotti) he needs to stand up a little bit taller and Larry (Jackson) birdied the first hole so I didn’t say anything to him.
“Kelly? We’re still waiting on an eagle from him.”
Bob Schmidt, a retired oil field equipment businessman who lives in the Montgomery area, was playing in the Administaff pro-am for the second straight year. He wound up with easy-going Fuzzy Zoeller as his pro — again.
“I don’t know how it happened. He wanted to know that, too. I guest he’s unlucky,” Schmidt said.
“Last year was the first time I’d ever played in a pro-am. (Zoeller) is the funniest guy. He keeps you loose and I played some of my best golf last year. Fuzzy’s a joy to be around.”
Administaff Small Business Classic
Dates: Today through Sunday
Purse: $1.7 million ($255,000 to the winner)
Venue: The Woodlands Country Club Tournament Course
Par: 72
Yards: 7,018
Format: 78 players, 54 holes of stroke play, no cut
Defending Champion: Bernhard Langer
Television: 5:30-7:30 p.m. each day, The Golf Channel (tape delay)
Tee Times: Today, 10 a.m. (double tee start); Saturday, 8:30 a.m.; Sunday, 8:30 a.m.
Tickets: General admission free each day courtesy of Administaff, Hewlett Packard, The Woodlands Development Company and Woodforest National Bank
Parking
General: Waterway Square Parking Garage, corner of Lake Robbins and Fountains Plaza. Take Woodlands Parkway to Six Pines; right on Six Pines; right on Lake Robbins; right on Fountains Plaza to parking garage.
Parking, Handicap/Wheelchair Assistance: Lot B, Grogan’s Mill Shopping Center in front of Randall’s. Take Woodlands Parkway to Grogan’s Mill; left on Grogan’s Mill; right on South Millbend Drive; right on Saddleleaf Place to parking lot.
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