Pained by Defeats, Stewart Ready to Ryder to Rescue

At age 42 and two years removed from elbow surgery, Payne Stewart seems intent on reinventing himself as a golfer. He doesn’t have an equipment contract or a bag deal, and he’s using an experimental putter someone gave him on the putting green last week at Pebble Beach, but Stewart might be on his way to becoming a player to worry about again.

Stewart, who won for only the second time in eight years last week in the rain-shortened, 54-hole, mud-caked, waterlogged AT&T; at Pebble Beach, probably showed the first signs of renewed life last year. He finished second by one shot at the U.S. Open after leading the first three rounds and ended the 1998 campaign with $1.19 million--his second-best money year in 17 years on the PGA Tour.

Financially secure, he says that all he’s concerned about now is winning tournaments, maybe another major to add to the 1991 U.S. Open and 1989 PGA Championship.

And there’s one other thing.

The Ryder Cup? He needs to be on the team, Stewart says, basically because he’s tired of losing when he isn’t on it.

“I know that I haven’t been on the team and we haven’t been winning and that bothers me.

“I’m tired of being represented and getting beat, and that’s why I have to do something to get Payne Stewart on the team. I can’t rely on the captain to pick me.”

Stewart, who played on the winning U.S. Ryder Cup teams at Kiawah Island in 1991 and the Belfry in 1993, said his fiery nature, energy and enthusiasm were key missing ingredients at U.S. defeats at Oak Hill in 1995 and Valderrama in 1997.

“I’m disappointed I haven’t been on the teams, and I’m disappointed that we are losing.”

Stewart said he agrees with Tiger Woods, who said that the pressure of international team competition is intense, perhaps too much so.

“It should be,” Stewart said. “I haven’t been on the same team that Tiger has been on, but I wouldn’t be afraid to go up and grab him by his collar and say, ‘Hey, we are going to win, so suck it up.’ That’s just my nature, though.”

TEMPUS IS FUGITING

Stewart was asked to compare himself to when he won his major titles.

“I’m a lot older,” he said.

RIVIERA UPDATE

After the 2000 Nissan Open, the tournament’s contract expires with Riviera Country Club. There was speculation that the event would be moved to the Mark O’Meara-designed TPC Stadium Course under construction in Valencia, but negotiations have begun between the L.A. Junior Chamber of Commerce and Riviera executives on a contract extension to keep the tournament at Riviera.

At the same time, the group of Japanese investors who own Riviera appears to have renewed its commitment to hang on to the property. Recently, a group headed by Ben Crenshaw made a tentative offer to buy the club for a sum in the range of $62 million and was turned down.

Part of the reluctance on the part of Riviera to sell is believed to be the club’s hopes to host a U.S. Open. The next available U.S. Open date is 2004, although Shinnecock Hills is the acknowledged front-runner, which means 2005 is the first U.S. Open date without a site.

However, the USGA may have cooled on its desire to stage its premier event at Riviera, despite the wishes of USGA Executive Director David Fay. Stay tuned.

MORE RIVIERA

Nissan Open sponsor’s exemptions were given to Robert Allenby, Carlos Franco, Robert Karlsson, Jose Maria Olazabal, Robert Gamez, Brett Quigley, Kazuhiro Hosokawa, Kaname Yokoo, Katsumasa Miyamoto and Rick Fehr. Four more spots will be filled in qualifying today and Tuesday at Los Serranos.

Henry Liaw, the 13-year-old from Rowland Heights, is scheduled to try to qualify Tuesday. Liaw did not qualify for this week’s Buick Invitational when he shot a 72, four shots behind the leaders.

LAST CALL

This is the final weekend to try to finish in the top 64 in the official world ranking and qualify for the $5-million Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship at La Costa, the week after Riviera.

Last week’s big winner was Craig Stadler, who moved up from No. 70 to 59 with his third-place finish at Pebble Beach.

Because No. 14 Jumbo Ozaki doesn’t want to play at La Costa, the top 65 in the rankings will get in.

Right now, No. 64 is Stephen Leaney of Australia, who is playing in the Australian Masters in Melbourne. Leaney holds a .0015 lead over No. 65 Nick Faldo, who is playing the Dubai Desert Classic, as is No. 66 Karlsson.

What’s the difference? No. 65 plays No. 1 Woods . . . and No. 64 plays No. 2 David Duval.

PUDDLE BEACH WRAP-UP

Best line No. 1: Two soggy fans were huddled under their umbrellas, sitting by themselves in the huge array of bleachers by the 18th green Sunday at Pebble Beach, just before the last round was officially washed out. Two other fans walked by and one of them yelled: “Hey, you’re in our seats!”

Best line No. 2: Craig Bestrom of the San Jose Mercury News reported that PGA Tour tournament director Arvin Ginn was briefing a group of players before the washout. Kelly Gibson asked Ginn if there was a chance the tournament would be canceled.

Said Ginn: “There’s a chance of anything.”

Said Gibson: “Is there a chance you’ll give me the winner’s check?”

Best line No. 3: From Clint Eastwood when asked what he thought of players who might not return to play Pebble Beach because of all the bad weather in recent years: “Candy-asses.”

NEXT, THE SHOTPUT

Bill Murray throws an elderly female fan into a bunker. Again.

Good thing or bad thing? Good thing, insists Peter Jacobsen, because it livens up the proceedings and shows that golf encourages different personalities.

Says Jacobsen: “It’s kind of a dwindling breed. There aren’t many guys [like that] anymore. Everyone wears sunglasses, got the chew, goatee, you know. . . . Of course, my daughters date guys like that.”

AND PASS THE MAYO

Jacobsen has won the Bob Hope. He also has won the AT&T.; So he is probably the perfect player to compare the two celebrity golf events.

“The Bob Hope is kind of like an extended cocktail party at the four courses. There are cocktail parties going on the left side of the fairway and the right side. People run back and forth with hot dog buns or mustard from one place to the other and you are trying to play over it.

“I love the Bob Hope, but it’s more of a party atmosphere. You are more concerned about . . . ‘Do you have any onion dip there? Here’s the clam dip, I’ll be right over.’ The AT&T; is not like that. It’s real golf.”

WELL, THERE IS THAT

Stadler says that other than the PGA Championship and the Sprint International, he’s not going to be playing any tournaments in the summer.

Why?

Said Stadler: “It’s too damn hot.”

IT’S A HARD-KNOCK LIFE

Thinking of planning ahead for the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach? Thinking of corporate hospitality? Better be thinking about printing some money to pay for it.

International Sports Management Inc. of Chicago is offering a Gold Class Patron hospitality package that includes:

Continental breakfast, champagne reception and hors d’oeuvres, gourmet luncheon, afternoon buffet/cocktail hour, color television monitors in its facility, daily programs and newspapers, uniformed staff, shuttle service, fairway passes, private parking and (of course), fully stocked open bar.

The tab? For 10 guests a day for four days, a mere $42,500.

Now that’s real golf.