Notebook: Weather revives talk of move to May


Associated Press
Monday, March 26

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- How long can The Players Championship last in March?

For the second straight year, rainy weather forced the $6 million tournament to conclude Monday. NBC Sports will go against "The Price is Right" to show the end of what could be Tiger Woods' first Players title.

It might be more ammunition for those who want to move the Players to May -- and possibly less stormy weather -- instead of the last weekend in March, its traditional date.

PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said moving the tournament would be substantial because the Players has worked so well in March as it builds momentum and interest for The Masters in two weeks. "But we are always intrigued," Finchem has said.

Woods said this week such a change could compromise one of the strongest fields in the game at The Players. Foreign stars, he said, might not fit in a May trip and miss important international tournaments between time in the United States for Masters in April and the U.S. Open in June.

"I don't think you're going to get quite an international field as you could get," Woods said.

Nick Faldo likes The Players where it is, no matter the weather. His solution? "We could start it on Wednesday, couldn't we?" he said.

Sunday ace
Chris DiMarco started his final round 16 shots behind leader Jerry Kelly, but still made his mark Sunday with the only ace this year at The Players Championship.

DiMarco aced the 184-yard third hole during his morning round. Russ Cochran was the last with a hole-in-one there during the final round in 1994.

DiMarco, who teed off at 9:30 a.m., struck a 5-iron that landed about 15 short and rolled in. "It was really kind of surreal," he said. "It was kind of hazy, and it looked good in the air."

His playing partner, Sergio Garcia told him "that looks good, go in. It was perfect," DiMarco said of his third competitive ace.

DiMarco caught the attention of his competitors in the locker room during the nearly three-hour weather delay. "They all came up, congratulated me, it was great," he said.

It's only the third hole-in-one on No. 3 in 20 tournaments here, tying the 13th for fewest aces among the Stadium course's four par-3s. There have been five aces apiece on the 17th hole's island green and the 219-yard eighth hole.

Stock watch
One of the hottest topics in the locker room? The latest driver? The upcoming Masters?

According to Joe Durant, it's the stock market.

"Ooh, you hit a bunch of guys where it hurts," Durant said. "It's been a topic overall and we're kind of sick of looking at it and saying 'OK, how many did it go down today.' "

Durant said many of his colleagues play the market. Talk of its recent slide can't help coming up when players get together, he said. "It's almost like a joke, but what can you do?" Durant said. "We're not the only ones, everybody in the country is wondering when it's turning around."

Durant, who has won two tournaments and more than $1.6 million this year so far, said a few of his stocks have taken modest hits. "I can tell you," he says, "I haven't lost the most."

Durant, tied for 11th here when the final round began, is in line for more investing money. Eleventh place pays $150,000.

Divots
  • It's been a true Florida swing so far. Residents of the Sunshine State have swept the past three tournaments. Durant (Molino) took the Genuity Championships at Doral, Jesper Parnevik (Jupiter) won the Honda Classic, and Woods (Orlando) won the Bay Hill Invitational.

  • Tournament organizers were ready as rain and lightning delayed the final round. Minivans rescued golfers left far away from the clubhouse. When play resumed, 18 vans waited by the practice area to quickly bring competitors and their groups back.

  • Hal Sutton eagled the par-4 fourth hole for the second time this week. "I don't know what to say," he said. "I like that pin."

  • Woods has seen both sides of the Stadium course's famous finishing holes, Nos. 17-18. He had a double-bogey on Friday at the 17th after missing the island green. He took a double-bogey 6 on the 18th hole Thursday and bogeyed it Saturday.

  • Brent Geiberger, the first one off the course and playing alone, shot a 70 in a speedy three hours on the Stadium course.