Columnist Peter Benton: Junior golf clinic set for Saturday

Peter Benton

Wednesday, Oct. 13, 1999 | 12:33 p.m.

Peter Benton's golf column appears Wednesday.

Coca-Cola and Howard Hughes Properties will team to host a junior golf clinic at 3 p.m. on Saturday at the TPC at Summerlin. Junior golfers under 18 are welcome to this free demonstration where pro Jay Don Blake will teach basic golf fundamentals. In addition, Chuck "The Hit Man" Hiter will exhibit his amazing trick-shot routine. Equipment will be provided for all juniors who attend this clinic. For more information, please contact the tournament office at 242-3000.

* TIGER'S TALE: When Tiger Woods captured the 1996 LVI, he became the first player who had received a sponsor's exemption and then went on to win a PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson won the 1991 Northern Telecom Open. Robert Gamez captured the 1990 Northern Telecom Open after receiving a sponsor's exemption.

* JIM DANDY: With last year's Las Vegas Invitational victory, Jim Furyk became the sixth of seven players in 1998 to win a tournament he had won in the past. In order, the repeat winners were: Mark Calcavecchia (Honda Classic), Davis Love III (MCI Classic), Lee Janzen (U.S. Open), Nick Price, (FedEx Classic), Steve Elkington (Buick Challenge), Furyk and John Huston, (Walt Disney World Golf Classic).

* FEHR GAME: Rick Fehr tied an all-time PGA Tour record with his opening 36 holes at the 1996 LVI. Fehr started with a 64 at the LV Hilton, then added a 62 at the TPC in Summerlin for a 17-under-par 126, tying the best first 36-hole record. Earlier this season, David Frost tied the record again with his 63-63 start at the FedEx St. Jude Classic.

* TAKE FIVE: Of last year's LVI top-five finishers, three had won this PGA Tour event previously. Winner Furyk was the champion in 1995 while Davis Love (fourth) won in Las Vegas in 1993 and Bob Tway (fifth) was the 1990 winner.

* CHIP AHOY: Chip Beck's 59 at the Sunrise Golf Club on Oct. 11, 1991, during the third round of our LVI featured 13 birdies during a bogey-free round. Beck sank a three-foot putt on the 18th hole to join Al Geiberger as the first two sub-60 shooters on the PGA Tour. Earlier this year, David Duval joined the elite club with a 59 in the final round of the Bob Hope Classic.

* NEXT YEAR: This week's tournament will be the 17th LVI. This PGA Tour event is next scheduled for the week of Oct. 9-15, 2000.

* TWO-TIMER: When Jim Furyk won last year's invitational, he became the first two-time winner of this event.