GOLF / THOMAS BONK : North’s Game Has Gone South, but He Won’t Quit Yet

Has the most reviled U.S. Open champion of all time played in his last one? Andy North isn’t sure, but he hopes not.

The 45-year-old two-time Open champion won in 1978 at Cherry Hills and in 1985 at Oakland Hills, but he won only one other tournament in his career.

After six knee operations, four operations to remove skin cancer from his nose and left cheek, after more surgery for bone spurs in his elbows, a shoulder injury and nagging neck pain, North missed the cut at Shinnecock Hills. He has not made a cut in seven tries this year.

North’s 10-year exemption to play in the U.S. Open, earned with his 1985 triumph, has officially run out. The 1996 Open returns to Oakland Hills, but North isn’t going to be there unless he gets a special exemption from the U.S. Golf Assn. or makes it in qualifying.

“If I have to go qualify next year, I’ll be out there qualifying,” North said. “I’m sure going to send in an entry. We’ll see what happens.”

North did not say he deserves a special exemption as a two-time champion.

“I surely can’t answer that,” he said.

Judy Bell, chairman of the USGA championship committee, said North is among those who will be considered.

Of course, he should receive an exemption. One of only 16 golfers to have won more than one U.S. Open, North was never a popular champion and was often portrayed as a flukish winner.

“It’s cost me a fortune what people have written,” North said.

At Cherry Hills, he had a four-shot lead with five holes to play, but by the time he reached No. 18, he needed only a bogey to win. North won with a bogey.

At Oakland Hills, North hit only four fairways and birdied only one hole in his final round of 74, but won when T.C. Chen fell apart with a 77.

In 1988, three years after winning his second U.S. Open, North lost his club endorsement deal. He hasn’t had one since.

“I’m so proud of what I’ve accomplished and produced with what I’ve had to deal with, not just physically,” North said.

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Boo: The Great White Shark is afraid of the dark. Normanophiles will take note that Greg Norman has been scared that snakes were in darkened rooms since he was a kid.

Nobody said anything about bogeys.

In John Feinstein’s new book, “A Good Walk Spoiled,” Norman said he had dreams that snakes were under his bed when he was young and still reaches in to turn on the light before entering a darkened room.

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Ryder Cup: U.S. Captain Lanny Wadkins said he expects to know about half his Ryder Cup team by the end of the U.S. Open.

With the points system weighted heavily toward the majors, Wadkins isn’t sure who will play, but he hinted he expects Corey Pavin, Davis Love III, Phil Mickelson and probably Curtis Strange to be on the team.

If Strange doesn’t make it on points, he is likely to be chosen by Wadkins; Strange won the 1989 U.S. Open on the Ryder Cup course at Oak Hill in Rochester, N.Y., and finished fifth in the 1980 PGA Championship on the same layout.

Golf Notes

Patty Berg will receive the PGA of America’s Distinguished Service Award during the PGA Championship at Riviera in August. Berg, 77, won 57 titles and was a charter member of the LPGA Hall of Fame and the PGA World Golf Hall of Fame. Previous award winners include Bob Hope, Gerald Ford, Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson and Arnold Palmer. . . . HEAR Center’s 14th golf tournament will be Monday at Glendora Country Club. The event benefits hearing- and speech-impaired children. Details: (818) 796-2016. . . . The first Bob Chandler Memorial golf tournament will be Monday at San Gabriel Country Club. The event benefits the Bob Chandler Foundation for cancer research and support for families of cancer victims. Details: (805) 371-9797. . . . Trading hockey sticks for golf clubs, the Dave Taylor Golf Classic, which benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, will be June 26 at North Ranch Country Club. John Van Boxmeer, coach and general manager of the new Ice Dogs of the International Hockey League, will make his first local appearance. Details: (310) 479-8585 or (818) 988-8002. . . . The 11th Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s golf classic will be June 26 at Brookside. The event benefits the sheriff’s support groups. Details: (818) 248-3464.

The Anteater Golf Classic, which benefits the UC Irvine athletic scholarship fund, will be June 26 at SeaCliff Country Club in Huntington Beach. Details: (714) 824-5550. . . . American Golf Corp., based in Santa Monica, has begun a national junior golf club to boost participation of juniors. Details: (310) 315-0200. . . . East Los Angeles College’s All Sports tournament will be Monday at Montebello Country Club. Details: (213) 265-8618.

The 12th Burbank YMCA tournament will be June 26 at Lakeside. The event benefits Burbank’s YMCA youth summer activities. Details: (818) 845-8551. . . . Golf makes its first appearance at the Special Olympics World Games, July 1-9, at New Haven, Conn. The PGA of America has provided funding and training for Special Olympics golf since 1988. . . . Hal Linden, Norm Crosby, Buddy Hackett, Arte Johnson, Harvey Korman, Tom Poston, Robert Morse, Dennis James, Peter Marshall and Mike Connors are among those who will play in the Vista Del Mar/Jaime Beth Slavin celebrity golf and tennis tournament, which will be June 26 at El Caballero. The event benefits Vista Del Mar child and family services. Details: (310) 836-1223.