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Jack's last hurrah
Posted: Friday December 10, 1999 08:00 PM
Coming off his inspiring 11th hour heroics at the Father/Son Challenge last week, Jack Nicklaus is gearing up for one last hurrah in 2000. This weekend Nicklaus goes for his second consecutive team event victory when he partners Tom Watson at the Diners Club Matches. But the most important factor is that Nicklaus, who will turn 60 on Jan. 21, is the healthiest and strongest he has been in years. After coming back too quickly from hip replacement surgery, Nicklaus has spent the last five months working out. He wants to be in the best possible condition for next summer's U.S Open at Pebble Beach and the British Open at St. Andrews, which will be his final appearances in both major championships. His leg strength, which was practically nil after the hip surgery, has improved to where he lifting more than 300 pounds on the leg press. Nicklaus has always derived the stability and power in his swing from his legs, and if he is striking the ball well next year, he knows how to do the rest. Can winning be bad?On one hand, John Daly's victory with Laura Davies at the JC Penney mixed team event was an encouraging comeback story from the depths that had driven him back to drinking. On the other, some who know Daly well are concerned it could be counterproductive. By winning after falling off the wagon, they worry it will only reinforce Daly's perception that he is a better golfer on the bottle than off. That could lead to more reckless drinking, and historically, Daly has had his worst episodes with alcohol during the downtime at the end of the year. More millionairesWant another reading on how rich the PGA Tour became in 1999. A full 14 players earned at least $1 million without winning a tournament, twice as many as last year. Another golf flickAlthough devotees of "Caddyshack" may argue, there has never been a great golf movie. The latest entry into the fallow field will air next week. Called "Miracle on the 17th Green," it will star Robert Urich and have cameos by Lee Trevino and Tom Watson. Considering what happened at the Ryder Cup, the title might get it some extra viewers, even though it's a story about a Senior Tour qualifying school survivor. Sports Illustrated senior writer Jaime Diaz covers the golf beat and appears regularly on CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNN's Pro Golf Weekly.
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