Tuesday, September 07, 1999
Kroger lures top seniors
Players impressed by money, course
BY MICHAEL PERRY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Don Schumacher, the first-year general chairman of the Kroger Senior Classic, was really able to enjoy his holiday weekend.
Last Thursday, the ever-popular Lee Trevino, Bruce Fleisher (No.2 on the Senior PGA Tour money list), John Jacobs (No.9) and Jim Dent (No.19 and the 1990 Kroger champion) officially committed to play in this year's event. The day before, Allen Doyle (No.3 on the money list) entered.
That gives the event nine of the top 10 money leaders — missing is No.7 Gil Morgan — and 20 of the top 25.
The top three money leaders — Hale Irwin (5 victories), Fleisher (5) and Doyle (4) — have combined to win 14 of 28 events this year. Doyle won the TD Waterhouse Championship in Kansas City over the weekend.
The Kroger Classic has struggled in recent years to attract the top names on the circuit. Schumacher said there are three contributing factors to the turnaround:
• Prize money has increased to $1.4 million from $1.1 million, tying the tournament for fourth-best purse on the Senior PGA Tour.
• The Golf Center at Kings Island course has been altered, addressing players' criticism that it was too easy.
• Schumacher went out in February, March and April to personally meet players and ask them to participate this year. He sent a letter two weeks before hitting the road to inform players of the changes taking place.
Schumacher met Trevino in April in Birmingham, Ala. They talked for 15 to 20 minutes on the putting green, and Trevino said he'd come. He has not competed in Cincinnati since 1995.
“He was as good as his word,” Schumacher said.
“... Our goal is to really make this year's competition the best competition the tournament's had in 10 years and build on that next year.”
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