Busted A/C wrecks plans for entry into tournament

Sunday, I was supposed to do two of my favorite things: play golf and help raise money for a good cause or project. The 4th Annual Galveston Professional Athletes Scholarship Golf Classic was being played at the Country Club, and I was to be part of a team.

I looked forward to teaming with Doug Polzin and Hal Rochkind, as well as the possibility my professional celebrity might be Kimble Anders, with whom I had the good fortune to do some volunteer work for Boys and Girls Club. With a start time of 8 a.m., that meant that I would be on the road and south bound at just about the right time to watch the sun paint the island, lighting my path to the west end.

My home A/C system had other plans. When my bride announced on Sunday that the living area temperature was 80 degrees and the thermostat was showing an “error,” my stress level and blood pressure climbed as high as a Rory McIlroy flop shot.

Recovering quickly, I knew just what to do: Call the A/C company. I did. They said someone would call me back. They did. They would be out as soon as possible —possible being “sometime Monday morning.”

I like to hang out with professional athletes past and present (and for that matter, future), and I like to hang out with folks who like to do the same, especially degenerate golfers I have known through the years but now rarely see.

I look forward to sharing with you in a separate column later this week a wrap-up of the GPA Classic tournament, auction, dinner and fundraising effort.

PRESIDENTS CUP — NO APOSTROPHE

“The Presidents Cup is a series of men’s golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world minus Europe. Europe competes against the United States in a similar but considerable older event, the Ryder Cup.”

That’s what Wikipedia says, and there is no more succinct way to say it. For now — more on that in a minute.

The Cup is being contested this week at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, and will both include and exclude some of the biggest names in golf. Some are being excluded because they did not qualify and were not among the “Captains Picks.” Some are being excluded because they chose to become part of the LIV Tour.

No matter, both teams are talent-laden, and Presidents Cup play, like Ryder Cup play, for Lone Star State residents is akin to watching the Longhorns and Aggies tee it up in Novembers past.

This might well be the last hurrah for the Presidents Cup matches as we have known and enjoyed them. Part of our enjoyment has surely been notched in the winning ways of the United States.

For reasons including the gut punch LIV golf has given the PGA and DP World tours, a change in the Cup format might mean that two years from now, the contest will pit the United States against the world.

THAT’S GOOD

After Max Homa chipped in at the 72nd hole in the PGA Tour’s first tournament of the final wraparound season, past Masters champion Danny Willet had only a 3-foot, 7-inch putt to win. He missed; then missed the putt that would have forced a playoff.

For golf purists who insist no putt should ever be given, Willet’s misfires are proof positive. For my generation, Doug Sanders at the 1970 Open Championship is the standard.

Be safe, on and off the course.