Hale, Hale, Gang’s All Here for Kite to Make His Picks

Just as the final countdown is set to begin for the Ryder Cup, a new (old) name entered the picture at the PGA Championship.

Hale Irwin.

The 52-year-old Irwin, who has won six times on the Senior PGA Tour this year, may be a longshot to make Tom Kite’s Ryder Cup team as a captain’s pick Monday . . . but maybe not.

If Kite has to use his two captain’s picks for Davis Love III, who will be on the team one way or another, and for Fred Couples, then Irwin won’t be in Spain in September.

But say that Love makes the team on points. Kite probably will select Couples with one pick, but there are no real cinch picks after that, because no one after No. 10 on the points list has been tearing the golf courses up.

This may be where Irwin comes in. The five-time Ryder Cup member could be just right for Valderrama, with his ability to hit the ball straight off the tee.

But at the same time, Kite risks alienating all the other players who have been grinding for two years to try to make the team.

Irwin made his case to Kite on Tuesday when they played a practice round together.

“I was out giving Tom a demo ride, to see if he liked my action,” Irwin said. “He’s faced, I think, with a difficult choice. Players 11 through 20 [on the points list] . . . somebody needs to step up.

“I don’t harbor any grand hopes that it’s going to happen for me. But if it did, I’m flattered that somebody would think about it.”

Kite said he has not made up his mind.

“Nobody’s knocking the door down right now,” he said.

Couples is No. 16 on the points list and Tom Watson is No. 17. Payne Stewart may have a better than outside chance at No. 30 if he has a good PGA because he has Ryder Cup experience and that’s something five of the first 10 do not have.

As for the European team, Seve Ballesteros is facing a much more difficult situation. Jose Maria Olazabal fell out of the top 10, so if he remains there, he probably must be chosen because he is a Spaniard. That leaves Ballesteros only one other pick to use on either Nick Faldo or Jesper Parnevik.

“It would be difficult to see a Ryder Cup team without Nick Faldo on it,” Colin Montgomerie said.

*

Now it can be told: The night he won the British Open, Justin Leonard walked out of the Marine Hotel at Royal Troon carrying a dinner tray. Leonard had dinner beside the 17th green, where he had birdied the 71st hole and wrapped up his first major title.

*

Here is today’s diet news. Two years ago, Montgomerie went on a diet and lost 35 pounds. This summer, he gained all but 15 of those pounds back.

Now, Montgomerie is losing again--he has dropped 17 pounds--and he thinks it may help him in his quest to win his first major.

“I’ve got to keep it off now and I feel better for it,” he said. “People say I look younger, so I’ll take more off.”

*

Just wondering, but how many in the gallery at Winged Foot might be following the threesome of Tiger Woods, Leonard and Ernie Els the first two days?

*

Corey Pavin withdrew because of the death of his father. Jack Pavin, 70, died of an apparent heart attack Tuesday night.

*

The PGA of America announced that the 2001 PGA Championship will be held at Atlanta Athletic Club.

The site of the 1976 U.S. Open and the 1981 PGA Championship, Atlanta AC was the home course of Bobby Jones.

The 1998 PGA Championship will be held at Sahalee Country Club in Seattle; the ’99 PGA at Medinah Country Club in Chicago and the 2000 PGA at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.