Hope goes for youth movement Celebrities could attract new crowd to tournament
Source:By Larry Bohannan -- The Desert Sun... November 30, 2001 Submitted by Skye
RANCHO MIRAGE -- Boy bands, Cy
Young Awards and two long-time
players will dominate the celebrity field of
the 43rd annual Bob Hope Chrysler
Classic.
A.J. McLean and Brian Littrell, two-fifths
of the singing group Backstreet Boys,
and �N Sync member Justin Timberlake
are among the first-time players in the
Classic next month. Other first-time
players include actor Kyle MacLaughlin,
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Randy
Johnson and professional wrestler/actor
Bill Goldberg.
They are among 28 names released by
the Classic Thursday for the tournament�s
pro-am, to be played during the first four
rounds of the five-day PGA Tour event.
The celebrity field is slanted more toward entertainment figures and less
toward athletes this year, though tournament director Mike Milthorpe and
president Steve Morton said it was not a specific effort.
And while Classic stalwarts like Glen Campbell (28 years) and Andy
Williams (30 years) will also be in the field, the additions of McLean,
Littrell and Timberlake aim the celebrity field at a different demographic.
"What you are doing with Brian, A.J. and Justin is you skew to a younger
crowd," Milthorpe said. "And hopefully you�ll get these kids who will talk
the parents into taking them out. Then they can experience golf."
Goldberg, who wrestles under just his last name and has also dabbled in
acting, may also attract a younger crowd to the Classic, Morton said.
"I think what may happen is that kids will come out and maybe they will
like golf and maybe they will strike up an interest in it," Morton said.
New among the actors in the field are MacLaughlin and Matthew
McConaughey. Returning players include Samuel L. Jackson and Joe
Pesci.
Johnson, who won three game as the Diamondbacks defeated the New
York Yankees in the World Series, will be one of three Cy Young winners
in the field. Johnson (four Cy Youngs) will be joined by Roger Clemens of
the Yankees (six) and Greg Maddux of the Atlanta Braves (four).
Other sports celebrities in the field include Yogi Berra, Ann Myers
Drysdale and Emmitt Smith.
Actors in the field include William Devane, David James Elliott, Thomas
Gibson, Kevin Sorbo and Leslie Nielsen. Singers Glenn Frey and Alice
Cooper return to the Classic, as do comedian Tom Dreesen, radio
personality Rick Dees and television personalities Stone Phillips and Joe
Kernen.
Milthorpe said one or two other could be added in the next week. The
Classic accepts that some of the celebrities may have to cancel because of
new work commitments, but Milthorpe said each of the announced 28
celebrities has formally committed.
"As of right now and from what we have been told by the publicist and
from them personally, they are coming," he said.
Classic officials will wait until after the PGA Tour qualifying tournaments,
being played this week in Florida, before releasing names of professionals
who have committed to the field. Both defending champion Joe Durant and
2000 champion Jesper Parnevik, who did not defend his title because of
the birth of a child, are expected to be in the field. Milthorpe said the
Classic has extended a sponsor�s exemption to European Ryder Cup
member Paul McGinley of Ireland.