Here, the Golfer With the Worst Score Will Win

Most golfers brag about how well they play, but four men will compete today over the Tournament Players Course to see who is the nation’s worst golfer.

Kelly Ireland, of Tyler, Tex.; Jack Pulford, of Moline, Ill.; Joel Mosser, of Aurora, Colo., and Angelo Spagnolo, of Fayette City, Pa., teed it up for a practice round Tuesday before they decide for sure who actually is the Worst Avid Golfer in America.

Hackers and duffers from across the nation claiming to be bad golfers were screened by Golf Digest magazine, which is co-sponsoring the tournament with the Professional Golfers Assn.

But there were qualifications that had to be met, Peter Andrews of Golf Digest said.

“We didn’t want any whiners,” Andrews said. “We only wanted men who, despite their demonstrated inadequacies, remain passionately devoted to the game.”

Andrews said the duffers had to be men of reasonable physical ability who played a minimum of 21 rounds a year and carried at least a 36 handicap, the highest handicap recognized by the United States Golf Assn.

Officials at the TPC were ready for the “hot rollers” and shanked shots the foursome will hit.

“I just hope we’ll have a course left when they get done,” one official said.

PGA Tour Commissioner Deane Beman will referee the tournament.

“I think it will be a great opportunity for the average--or below average--players to get some recognition,” Beman said. “It’s time that we realized there are others out there who enjoy the game besides the tour pros.”