Columnist Peter Benton: Shed no tears for Woods and Duval

Peter Benton

Wednesday, Aug. 25, 1999 | 10:13 a.m.

Peter Benton's golf column appears Wednesday.

In this space a couple of weeks ago I was somewhat critical of David Duval and Tiger Woods, who had unashamedly stated that they felt they should be compensated far more handsomely than the meager $5,000 (plus all expenses) they receive for playing in the Ryder Cup (scheduled Sept. 23-26 at The Country Club in Chestnut Hill, Ma.).

One paragraph went like this: "Surely there can be no greater thrill than representing your country when its anthem is being played. Money would surely be the last thing on my mind, and why two of our best (and wealthiest) players would quibble over a couple of hundred thousand dollars, which they could conceivably win in the following month anyway, is completely beyond me."

Well, gang, this week the World Golf Championship-NEC Invitational is to be played over the 7,149-yard, par-70 South Course at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.

The purse for this exclusive 72-hole stroke play event is a whopping $5 million and the field, which will be a minimum of 36 players and a maximum of 48, will consist of the 12 players selected for both the USA and Europe Ryder Cup teams and the 12 international players from the 1998 Presidents Cup and their American counterparts (nine of whom played for both the Ryder and Presidents Cups).

Now, to put this in proper perspective, the top 64 money winners in the world (which would include most of the above representatives) played for a $5 million purse in February's WGC-Anderson Consulting Match Play Championship, where the guarantee for starting was $25,000. The winner of that event, Jeff Maggert, received $1 million; runner-up Andrew Magee collected $500,000; John Huston's third place was worth $400,000 and $300,000 went to Steve Pate who placed fourth.

Coming up in late October is the $5 million Tour Championship to be played (by the top 30 money winners) at the Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas. In November, the Club de Golf Valderrama in Spain will host another $5 million event, the WGC-American Express Championship.

You know all of the top money winners, which of course include the two malcontents, will be competing in all three events because of money won and because of their world rankings. So why all the moaning and groaning about not being paid enough for representing their country in this year's Ryder Cup?

My feeling is that those to be sorry for are all the journeymen golfers who are not privy to the $5 million dollar events. Because of their love for the game, they plod along each week, earning a paycheck and going about their business knowing full well they are far, far better off than us average working stiffs.

Because they are not on the top rung and miss out on being selected for either the Ryder or Presidents Cup teams, they also ultimately miss out on the four $5 million events.

And Duval and Woods are complaining? Please, give me a break.