Out of tragedy, triumphs
Bavis family's loss leaves positive legacy
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Golf tournaments come in all shapes and sizes, from professional to amateur, and what sits at the heart of them are reasons for the different flavors, from competitive to celebratory to social to charitable.
On many occasions, a tournament concludes with low scores recognized, winning teams cited, and a sense of accomplishment for many. Then, it is over, and onward we go. Except, of course, for those tournaments that still resonate, even two months after the last swing has been taken and the final putt made.
Specifically, the gathering held July 14 at the Country Club of New Seabury. It was the seventh Mark Bavis Leadership Foundation
We can never forget, nor should we. That is what sat central to the thoughts of the Bavis family as they came to grips with the loss of their son and their brother in those terrorist attacks.
"It's the way we were brought up," said Patrick Bavis, Mark's brother. "You always try to do something good. Try to put a positive spin on it."
When news came in that Mark Bavis was on one of the hijacked planes flown into the Twin Towers, the outpouring of emotion and support helped soothe the pain felt by Mary Bavis and her seven other children. But what also carried them through was an indestructible faith. Mark Bavis would be remembered - they knew that.
The first wave of money came from people who felt they just had to give in the days and weeks following Sept. 11 and the Bavis family directed it all to a place so special to Mark and his identical twin, Mike - Catholic Memorial. That is where they went to high school and achieved their first taste of hockey glory that would carry them both to Boston University.
When that money was donated, it kept on coming, the goodness of people so real the Bavis family, particularly Mike, knew that they had within their grasp the chance to memorialize Mark's name in a manner that would be truly special. And while the ties to CM and BU hockey were an integral part of Mark's life, "as a family, especially, we knew that Mark was bigger . . . he was more than CM, he was more than BU, he was more than hockey."
They came up with the idea of the Mark Bavis Leadership Foundation that would award scholarships, not to hockey players, but to deserving Massachusetts high school seniors who would be judged on two criteria. "Academics," said Pat Bavis. "But also: What had they done in their community?"
If ever the Bavis family harbored doubts that they would find worthy candidates, they were dispelled that first year, 2003, and since then the scholarship recipients have provided nothing but validation to the family.
Pat Bavis tells of one scholarship recipient, a girl from Somerville High who started a forum that brought attention to a topic not many wanted to discuss, date rape, and another, a senior from Belchertown who took it upon herself to educate fellow students of the perils of drunk driving. A young man from Chatham who was recognized by Time magazine as one of the top 25 young leaders in the country? "He went to Australia on a cause to help people," said Pat Bavis.
"These kids have incredible, impactful stories."
The foundation has provided the scholarships to a variety of students, all of whom are worthy winners, none of whom are golfers. Yet, in some way golf is connected, because when the people behind the Mark Bavis Leadership Foundation - the Bavis family, Mark's friends and former teammates, and Merilyn Sullivan, who pulls it all together - needed a vehicle to drive toward success, they came up with their celebrity tournament.
They sound like fun and they are, but they're not easy to organize and pull off. To their credit, organizers have done so for seven summers, each time at New Seabury, and there's a reason it works. "People keep coming back. That's because there's not another sport where the players stick together like the hockey players," said Pat Bavis. "It's an unbelievable community."
It's also a reason so many of these charitable tournaments work. None more passionately than the Mark Bavis Leadership Foundation event.
OK, so they played on July 14.
But it's on this day, Sept. 11, that you are reminded why they played - for the laughs and good times, yes, but also to find a positive spin within a pain that will never go away.
Wie gets LPGA out of rough
Though LPGA Tour officials have seemingly had a love-hate relationship with Michelle Wie, right now there's no question where their emotions should be. The LPGA owes the teenager a huge thank you. The onetime phenom's decision to attend the LPGA Tour Qualifying Tournament has for the first time in two weeks led to talk about something other than the "English proficiency" issue that was a public relations nightmare.GolfWeek reported last week Wie was going to send in her entry form and the news has since been confirmed by LPGA Tour officials. Wie will tee it up at sectional qualifying for four rounds beginning Tuesday at Mission Hills CC in Rancho Mirage, Calif. The low 30 and ties advance to the final stage in Daytona Beach, Fla., (Dec. 1-7), but if she falls short at Mission Hills, there's a safety net with LPGA Tour qualifying. Because Wie paid an extra $1,000, bringing her total to $5,000, there's a second sectional qualifier Sept. 30-Oct. 3 in Venice, Fla., she could attend.
Currently practicing in the Palm Desert, Calif., area, Wie - who'll turn 19 Oct. 11 - knows the Mission Hills course, having played in four Kraft Nabisco Championships. She played in the final group as a 13-year-old in 2003, though she slipped to T-9, and she followed that with a tie for third, a T-4, and a fourth. In 16 rounds at Mission Hills, Wie has been in the 60s four times, broken par nine times, and been over par on five occasions. But with her career in a tailspin since early in 2006, Wie has missed each of the last two Kraft Nabisco Championships.
There was a time when the teenager showed more enthusiasm for taking on the challenge of men's golf tournaments. But that fascination seems to have simmered; her entry into the qualifying process indicates for the first time since she turned pro in 2005 that Wie wants to be part of the LPGA Tour.
College reportedly still remains in the plans, but Wie does not have to report to Stanford for her next quarter until Sept. 22.
The decision to enter Q School addresses one of the loudest criticisms directed at Wie - she has played in 45 LPGA Tour events since 2002, all but her six US Women's Open appearances coming from sponsor's exemptions. But with Q School as a backdrop, there are no exemptions; this time it will all be on her.
Bonus question: Why does PGA ignore Singh's subpar behavior?
It was disappointing to see the way PGA Tour officials reacted to another classless moment by the insufferable Vijay Singh. Having all but clinched a $10 million bonus for winning theOK, he blows off print reporters all the time, but to brush off NBC, which pays a hefty fee to televise these affairs and thus is hugely responsible for the exorbitant purses players such as Singh are afforded? Ridiculous.
Double bogeys to anyone who buys Singh's explanation - that the FedEx Cup was still up for grabs, because Jim Furyk was on the course with a chance to win the BMW. Singh had the equivalent of a 12-game lead with 13 remaining and no matter what Furyk did, the big Fijian was going to be the FedEx Cup leader after that tournament, so the least he could have done was stop for the NBC cameras and offer thanks to FedEx, the PGA Tour, and even NBC.
Instead, he showed the lack of social grace that defines him.
How the PGA Tour would have been cheered had they offered this sort of memorandum: "Mr. Singh, for your continued lack of respect toward the very people who allow you to prosper - i.e. sponsors, TV reporters, print reporters, tournament volunteers, PGA Tour staff members, fans - we are fining you $9,999,999.98. Feel free to keep your 2 cents worth."
But, no. Proving once again that the inmates run the asylum and that the PGA Tour all too often acts as enablers to childish behavior, officials set up a teleconference two days later, spoon-feeding Singh a mulligan so he could finally get around to thanking FedEx and providing him a comfortable forum to do what he does best - blame the media and ignore the character flaws that surround him.
"Let me congratulate Vijay Singh for phenomenal play here during the year," gushed commissioner Tim Finchem, who might want a redo on that one. Singh missed the cut at the Players, the British Open, PGA Championship, and finished T-65 in the US Open - four sub-standard performances in tournaments players of his caliber are judged on. That he prevailed in the FedEx Cup to turn his season around is admirable, but it doesn't change the fact his lack of appreciation is shameless.
Etc.
Gardner GC's Egan was old-schoolHe was a throwback to a different era, to a time when club pros felt a kinship to the golfers of the club because the feeling was mutual. Gardner Municipal Golf Course was a huge part of J. Michael Egan's life, but so, too, did he personify the club. That is what made last week's news so tough to take for the small, but passionate community at that Central Mass. club. A good man with a passion for his family and his work, Egan died Sept. 2 from injuries suffered two weeks earlier in a fall at home. Egan, 59, had been on life support at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester and his death left many of his friends in shock. Just a few weeks earlier, Egan made a rare competitive appearance, shooting 74-74 in the New England PGA Senior Championship at the Woodstock Inn Golf Course in Vermont. A shoulder injury prevented him from playing as much as he would have liked, but it didn't stop Egan from putting in long and devoted hours to the golfers at his course. Egan was hired in 1976 when he was 27 and in addition to his great work at Gardner Municipal, he also coached the Gardner High School golf team for many years. He is survived by his wife, Cathy, daughter Caitlin, and son Ben, who works for the NEPGA.
Strong finish cements Kenyon's status
With the pressure on, Sarah-Jane Kenyon responded and because she did, the Aussie earned full exempt status on the LPGA Tour for 2009. Knowing the top five on the Futures Tour money list earn cards, Kenyon came into last weekend's season finale in Albany, N.Y., sitting eighth, only to roar to victory on the strength of a 64-71-69 effort. The win pushed Kenyon to third, behind 18-year-old Vicky Hurst and Mindy Kim, who combined to win seven of the 17 tour stops. M.J. Hur and Jin Young Pak were the other two who secured full exempt status and it should be noted that during a ceremony after the tournament, they were among three South Korean women who stood and delivered their thanks in a speech given in English. Yes, LPGA Tour commissioner Carolyn Bivens was in attendance . . . When she closed with weekend rounds of 69-70 in Albany, Andover's Briana Vega finished joint 12th and thus moved to 21st for her best finish on the money list.
Poulter, Montgomerie's feudal society
Fairway news: Denials come from all sides that Ian Poulter and Colin Montgomerie had a confrontation inside a popular London restaurant.
Clubhouse view: Actually, they stopped and chatted. Monty said he thinks Poulter looks good in pink. Poulter said that Monty's putting stroke is getting better, if only the hole were 6 inches larger.
Some won't have standing
For years, spots in the coveted Tour Championship went to the top 30 players on the money list, but no more. Now they are granted to the top 30 in the
Playing Jupiter can be out of this world
What do you do when the wind's blowing 40 miles per hour in south Florida? You go play Jupiter Dunes, a par-3 Tom Fazio design that measures roughly 1,960 yards. "It's a great place, a lot of fun when the wind's like that," said Jason Caron, the South Yarmouth native who has been on the DL for most of this Nationwide Tour season. He broke the middle finger on his right hand when he jammed a club into the bag ("A freak accident, but a lesson learned," he said) several months ago, but while he's physically able to play now, he's so far down the money list he can't get in a tournament. "That's all right, I'm just going to get ready for Q School," said Caron, who was headed to Jupiter Dunes with his brother-in-law, Mark Carens; fellow New Englander and PGA Tour member Brett Quigley; and Jim Kaat, the onetime major league pitching star and perennial gold glove winner. "We got friendly from playing at The Medalist [in Hobe Sound, Fla.] and I'd guess we play two or three times a week," said Caron.
Some familiar names got in game
If you scanned the results of the US Mid-Amateur championships and saw some familiar names, it's because they are familiar names. Tim Mickelson, the man who finished second in qualifying? Indeed, that is Phil's brother. Also in the men's competition were Raymond Floyd, son of, well, Raymond Floyd, and Jordan Byrd is the brother to PGA Tour winner Jonathan. They all made it into match play, as did Lisa McGill - sister of the LPGA Tour's Jill - on the women's side.
