WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- Even an appearance by Clint Eastwood wouldn't have done any more to make my day at The Greenbrier Classic.
With Arnold Palmer, Jerry West, Frank Beamer and other non-playing popular celebrities at The Greenbrier event this week, a little late rain on Saturday couldn't dampen the high spirits of the 80,000-plus who attended the $6 million golf tournament.
Still, there's always going to be good, bad and ugly for a first-time tournament.
All-in-all, owner Jim Justice, the PGA Tour, the 2,200 or so volunteers, employees and fans made for a quality week at the tournament.
Like anything else, there was bad, which I'm sure will be analyzed over the next 12 months of preparation for the second annual Greenbrier Classic.
In this case, we'll save that for last.
The good:
* Jim Justice announced on Sunday that he's likely going to give an exemption to the W.Va. Amateur and the W.Va. Open champion next year, instead of only the Am champ. He's not obligated to do so, but it's a good move. The first exemption guarantees an amateur in the event while the Open champion has been a talented golfer who will represent the state positively. Quite frankly, nobody could've represented the state better from an amateur standpoint than Jonathan Bartlett.
* Justice has become a household name across the PGA Tour, but not because he wanted it that way. He was gracious and approachable and was constantly on the move, shaking hands and being sociable.
* The image ascribed to PGA Tour players is mostly inaccurate. John Daly might have entered this inaugural event as the most popular player in the field, he left as the only final-round finisher who didn't shoot under par. The buzz around the media circles was about Daly's bitter attitude. Believe me, he was the exception, not the rule.
* The weather held off until a drizzle fell during Saturday's third round. A late downpour Saturday night softened the course, but at least waited until the round concluded.
* The shuttles for the caddies running the 10 miles between The Greenbrier and Lewisburg were on the spot, every 15 minutes, when they could. The drivers arrived at 5 a.m. and made the last trip at 9 p.m. Until the evening, which is covered later.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- Even an appearance by Clint Eastwood wouldn't have done any more to make my day at The Greenbrier Classic.
With Arnold Palmer, Jerry West, Frank Beamer and other non-playing popular celebrities at The Greenbrier event this week, a little late rain on Saturday couldn't dampen the high spirits of the 80,000-plus who attended the $6 million golf tournament.
Still, there's always going to be good, bad and ugly for a first-time tournament.
All-in-all, owner Jim Justice, the PGA Tour, the 2,200 or so volunteers, employees and fans made for a quality week at the tournament.
Like anything else, there was bad, which I'm sure will be analyzed over the next 12 months of preparation for the second annual Greenbrier Classic.
In this case, we'll save that for last.
The good:
* Jim Justice announced on Sunday that he's likely going to give an exemption to the W.Va. Amateur and the W.Va. Open champion next year, instead of only the Am champ. He's not obligated to do so, but it's a good move. The first exemption guarantees an amateur in the event while the Open champion has been a talented golfer who will represent the state positively. Quite frankly, nobody could've represented the state better from an amateur standpoint than Jonathan Bartlett.
* Justice has become a household name across the PGA Tour, but not because he wanted it that way. He was gracious and approachable and was constantly on the move, shaking hands and being sociable.
* The image ascribed to PGA Tour players is mostly inaccurate. John Daly might have entered this inaugural event as the most popular player in the field, he left as the only final-round finisher who didn't shoot under par. The buzz around the media circles was about Daly's bitter attitude. Believe me, he was the exception, not the rule.
* The weather held off until a drizzle fell during Saturday's third round. A late downpour Saturday night softened the course, but at least waited until the round concluded.
* The shuttles for the caddies running the 10 miles between The Greenbrier and Lewisburg were on the spot, every 15 minutes, when they could. The drivers arrived at 5 a.m. and made the last trip at 9 p.m. Until the evening, which is covered later.
* Riding to and from the site with caddies, which was pretty cool.
* The staffs for The Greenbrier and the PGA Tour were above and beyond helpful.
The bad
* A mile and-a-half walk westbound on I-64. I grabbed the 7:15 p.m. Saturday media/caddy shuttle from The Greenbrier and was in standstill traffic about a quarter-mile from the 1/2-mile marker before the Lewisburg exit. Me and the caddies for Chris Stroud and Aaron Baddeley hiked the final half-mile on foot, reaching the hotel in about 25 minutes. Meanwhile these guys, who already had walked 7,000 yards that day and could've gone another 7,000, were moving too fast for an overweight sportswriter. Still, it was a good idea. The bus didn't arrive until close to 9 p.m.
* Along the same lines. A concert with two superstars on a Saturday night at the fairgrounds where the road bottlenecks? The timing was probably the worst footnote, with the concert scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. and the final group of golfers coming in around 6 p.m. I would like to know how many people decided not to go or got there late, despite holding tickets.
* The low scores might have been fun for the players, but not for the sake of the competition. Jeff Overton entered the final round on Sunday three strokes ahead, but only eight strokes separated the top 17 players. For some of the golfers who normally wouldn't be in contention on the final day were, and I'm not sure that's good for everybody.
* Where are you, Tom Watson? The Greenbrier's pro emeritus' decision to not play in The Greenbrier Classic was more than disappointing for the first-year event. Watson was playing in the U.S. Senior Open, the one tournament on the Senior Tour he hasn't won, but an event he can play anytime. He no longer can play in the inaugural modern-day PGA Tour event at The Greenbrier. He's still competitive, which, some believe, was likely part of the reason for his playing in Sammamish, Wash. He could have come to West Virginia and competed against some of the best - and younger - players. Shame on you, Tom.
The ugly
* John Daly's pants.
The point
Most shared the opinion that Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will never play in The Greenbrier Classic. That might be true, but I'm not sure. Really, nobody is sure. With five years remaining on the PGA Tour's contract with The Greenbrier, golfers will come and go. Many of the better performers this week have an opportunity to skyrocket up the charts in the next five Tour seasons. If they've played well here, there's a better chance they'll return. If legitimate changes are made to alter the winning score closer to 15-under par, that will better the chances the best guys will come. Even if they don't, Jeff Overton could be the next Tiger Woods.Contact Assistant Sports Editor at richstev...@dailymail.com or 304-348-4837.
