Northwest Golf: Sahalee finding needed support for Senior Open

SAMMAMISH -- The PGA of America had a convenient excuse for awarding and stripping Sahalee Country Club of the 2010 PGA Championship.

The competition for corporate sponsorships with Vancouver's Winter Olympics that same year would be far too stiff, since-retired PGA chief executive officer Jim Awtrey insisted, and the event was relocated to Wisconsin's Whistling Straits.

Twenty-one months from fulfilling that tee time, Sahalee has lined up the U.S. Senior Open as a replacement event and hasn't faced any extra hurdles in promoting it outside of a challenging economy.

"I haven't heard one person say no to me because they're going to the Olympics," said tournament director Mike Zinga, who plans to make a push for Canadian fans with a booth at the Vancouver Golf Show.

Sahalee has sold nearly all of its half-dozen clubhouse suites and has sponsors for roughly a third of possibly a dozen corporate tents, decent numbers this far out from the July 29-Aug. 1, 2009 event.

Zinga said anticipated attendance for the week is 125,000, which falls in the middle range of recently held U.S. Senior Opens, which attracted 90,000 golf fans in Los Angeles and 250,000 in Iowa.

Making the PGA of America argument even lamer is the fact Chambers Bay will host the U.S. Amateur two weeks after the Sahalee event, and the Tournament Players Club at Snoqualmie Ridge will offer the annual Boeing Classic another week or two after that.

That's three events in the region for 2010 when Awtrey said one wouldn't make it.

Part of the allure to the U.S. Senior Open is the possibility that Seattle native Fred Couples, a recently turned 50-year-old, will be part of the field. Through his agent, he told event organizers he's agreeable to another homecoming, matching his Sahalee appearance at the 1998 PGA Championship. Couples remains one of golf's most popular players.

"At the Canadian Open, 15,000 followed him around," said Zinga, an eyewitness.

Seattle PI

by Dan Raley

October 21, 2008