The question went like this: If you had to pay for a ticket to one sporting event, would it be watching Albert Pujols and
the Cardinals play in a Game seven of the World Series or watching Tiger Woods win his 19th career major to pass Jack Nicklaus “I don’t know,” said Haas, who will be trying to become the eighth person in Champions Tour history to win an event three straight times later this month at the Principal Charity Classic. “I’m a pretty rabid Cardinals fan. I’d probably pick Tiger, just because it’s a once in a lifetime thing.” While Woods continues his march toward Nicklaus, Haas plays with an open-ended future on the Champions Tour. He’s won 12 times and had 60 Top 10 finishes in 89 career starts. Now 55, Haas is already contemplating his goodbye to competitive golf. “The hard thing about golf is knowing when to retire,” Haas said. “You don’t have a manager, a coach, a general manager or an owner saying, “We don’t want you anymore, you’re not good enough.’ ” Haas has a number in mind. “I’m going to try and get to 60 and still have a chance to win,” Haas said. “And then maybe that will be enough.” Or 60 might not be a magic number. Hale Irwin, the Champions Tour leader in career victories with 45, still plays a full schedule at 63. He last won in the first event of 2007. That’s his only victory in his last 75 starts. “He hasn’t won now in a while, but he’s still very capable,’’ Haas said. “I think, ‘When is he going to step away When will it be enough for him’ Lee Trevino played maybe past the time when he wasn’t a contender every week. But it’s a hard game to say no to. It’s what we do.’’ Haas said golf is a profession that wipes out a normal retirement option. “What are we going to do when we retire’’ Haas said. “Play golf So it’s hard to know when enough is enough. Hopefully I’ll know when that time is.’’ Ken Schall, 50, the director of golf at Glen Oaks in West Des Moines, received an exemption to play in the Principal Charity Classic May 29-31. Q: I guarantee you’ll make the cut (there is no cut on the Champions Tour). A: If I don’t make the cut, I’ve got real problems. Q: You’ve played in nine majors during your career, and spent a season on the PGA Tour. Do you expect to be nervous on the first tee A: I know how nervous I’m going to be. I know what it’s like standing on the first tee in front of a big crowd getting ready to hit your first shot of the tournament. I’m going to be nervous, no question. The key is if your mind is right. When you’re super nervous, sometimes it makes you play better if you’re ready for it. Q: (Defending champion) Jay Haas figures you’d “much rather be playing than selling hats in the pro shop.’’ But will there be pressure playing in front of your members and friends A: That’s going to be the big challenge for me, being able to block out all the extraneous things that are going on and trying to focus on shooting a good score. It’s not like it’s the first big tournament I’ve ever played in. On the other hand I’m playing against professional golfers who are out there competing for a living week after week. They tend to be in a competitive groove. I’m a working professional. It’s going to be very interesting. Zach Johnson and George McNeill were paired together Saturday in the third round of the Quail Hollow Championship, and the 2001 Waterloo Open came to mind. Johnson had won the Iowa Open, and knew he’d receive a $25,000 bonus if he won at Waterloo the next week. Johnson shot 64-64 and tied for second. McNeill won the title. “That got my career kick-started again,” said McNeill, who won a first-place check for $25,000. “That was a lot of money for me at the time. I was down to about $700 in my bank account.” • Gene Elliott of West Des Moines won the Coleman Cup April 23-25 in Juno Beach, Fla. Mike McCoy of West Des Moines was the runner-up. • Sixty-one players have entered the local qualifier for the U.S. Open May 18 at Harvester Golf Club in Rhodes. • Look for Fred Funk to make his Principal Charity Classic debut May 29-31.
The Iowa Cup Matches, in which the state’s top pros meet their amateur counterparts and play a Ryder Cup-type format, will be Thursday and Friday at Rock Island Arsenal.