Columnist Peter Benton: Callaway to sponsor local collegiate event

Peter Benton

Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2001 | 11:21 a.m.

Peter Benton's golf column appears Wednesday.

The 2001 Las Vegas Intercollegiate, scheduled for March 9-11 at the 7,332-yard, par-72 Rio Secco Golf Club, will be known as the 2001 Callaway Golf Las Vegas Intercollegiate.

The Las Vegas Founders Club has announced that Callaway Golf has agreed to become the title sponsor -- thus the new name. The event, which is open to the public, will feature 15 teams, all of which are ranked in the top 50 of the latest Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index.

Top-ranked Georgia, the 1999 NCAA champion, will be joined by five other top-ranked teams: No. 2 Georgia Tech (which lost a one-hole playoff for the 2000 NCAA title), No. 3 Clemson, No. 4 South Carolina and No. 5 Texas.

UNLV, the 1998 NCAA champion, will host the tournament.

To make this event even more exciting, the Callaway Golf Las Vegas Intercollegiate will also feature eight of the top 10 individual collegiate golfers: Bryce Molder of Georgia Tech; Georgia's Ryan Hybl and David Miller; Kyle Thompson of South Carolina; Clemson's Lucas Glover and John Engler; John Klauk of Texas, and Arizona State's Jeff Quinney.

Further information may be obtained by calling 242-3000.

Interestingly, Cherry is still singing. His new compact disc, "A Tribute to Perry Como," is confirmation of his ongoing and exceptional talent.

"No question about it," was the 73 year-old Souchak's reaction. "This is long overdue. It should have happened a long time ago, particularly with the caliber of today's players. The only regret I have? Give me the golf ball that's being used today. With that ball, can you imagine what Ben Hogan and Sam Snead might have done.

"I am delighted for Mark," said Souchak, whose 60-68-64-65--257 was recorded at the par-71 Brackenridge Park Golf Course in San Antonio. "What he did in Phoenix was awesome."