Side Lines for Friday — December 17, 2004

• Catch Mickelson’s 59 one more time

• Veneri to speak at UH-Hilo baseball dinner

Catch Mickelson’s 59 one more time

By The Garden Island

The 22nd PGA Grand Slam of Golf, featuring Phil Mickelson’s dazzling record 59 performance, will be rebroadcast in the U.S. and Canada in primetime Tuesday, Jan. 11 (first round) and Wednesday, Jan. 12 (final round), at 7:30 p.m. on The Golf Channel. The PGA Grand Slam of Golf, which showcases the winners of the year’s four major championships, is the game’s most exclusive event. It was contested Nov. 23-24, and hosted for the 11th consecutive year at Poipu Bay Golf Course & Hyatt Regency Kaua‘i Resort & Spa.

Mickelson, the Masters Champion, made his PGA Grand Slam of Golf debut, and was joined by U.S. Open Champion Retief Goosen, British Open Champion Todd Hamilton and PGA Champion Vijay Singh, who made his third PGA Grand Slam appearance, is only the fourth player in history to win a PGA Player of the Year award, Vardon Trophy and PGA Championship in the same season. Singh joined an elite list that includes Ben Hogan (1948), Sam Snead (1949) and Tiger Woods (1999, 2000).

Yet Singh, Goosen and Hamilton found themselves in the wake of a career exhibition of golf by Mickelson, whose 59 featured 24 putts, 14 greens in regulation and just five fairways hit. He recorded 11 birdies, two eagles and five pars.

“It was the greatest round of putting I have ever seen in golf,” said TNT Golf Analyst Bobby Clampett. “Truly remarkable.”

Singh had other praise, while putting together two impressive rounds of 66. “Phil outplayed everybody – or outscored everybody,” said Singh. “It was incredible. After about the 12th or 15th hole, we were just watching him.” The PGA Grand Slam of Golf features a total purse of $1 million, with the Champion earning $400,000. TNT, one of Turner Broadcasting System’s most prominent cable networks, originates the broadcast of the 36-hole stroke-play event. The event is televised to some 88 million U.S. homes by TNT and to more than 100 countries worldwide. The Golf Channel, co-founded by Arnold Palmer, is available in more than 85 million homes worldwide through cable, satellite and wireless companies. It features a programming schedule that includes more live golf coverage than any other network, as well as news, instruction and original productions.

Veneri to speak at UH-Hilo baseball dinner

KHON TV2 Sports reporter John Veneri will be the guest speaker at the Third Annual University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Baseball Dinner/Auction, Monday, January 17 in the Hawaii Naniloa Resort’s Crown Room.

Veneri has been part of the FOX affiliate sports team since 1996. He began his career broadcasting high school football games. A graduate of the University of Hawai‘i, Veneri was a walk-on slot back on the Rainbow Warriors football team. He eventually earned a full scholarship and was also recognized in his junior year as an all-WAC honorable mention selection.

He helped the Rainbow Warriors to the 1992 Western Athletic Conference and a victory over Illinois in the Holiday Bowl. According to former UH head coach and Kamehameha-Keaau athletic director Bob Wagner, “John was always an extremely hard worker and a great team guy.”John graduated from Kamehameha-Oahu, where he also earned all-state honors for track and field.

“The evening is extremely important to Vulcan Baseball,” UHH Head Coach Joey Estrella said. “Not only from the standpoint of introducing our new roster to our loyal baseball boosters but from the financial point of raising critical dollars to augment our operating budget.” The 2005 season will open on Wednesday, January 26 against the University of San Diego at Wong Stadium in Hilo. Dinner music will be provided by Hawaiian Pure & Simple.Tickets are $50. Corporate tables of eight or ten are also available for the evening.For reservations or more information, call Estrella at 974-7700.