This Guy Is No Social Climber

The most dangerous job during the Nissan Open Sunday belonged to Warren White, the guy who climbed the ladder and manually changed the numbers on the large scoreboard behind the 18th green at Riviera Country Club.

White’s partner, Scott McOwan, received updates on each player through his walkie-talkie. Every time one of the leaders completed a hole, up the ladder White went to add a number.

The rain Sunday made getting up that ladder a little tricky. White, however, was not deterred.

“I’ve got hiking boots on,” White said. “I won’t slip.”

White takes his responsibility seriously because he knows there are hundreds of people who view his work each day. He also knows it has to be right.

“This scoreboard is official,” White said. “Those electronic scoreboards are not official.”

There were no accidents reported by the scoreboard crew Sunday, but Saturday, McOwan slipped on the mud at the base of the scoreboard and cut his hand.

“We weren’t prepared [Saturday],” McOwan said. “I didn’t have my golf shoes on because we heard it wasn’t going to rain.”

The perils of the job are worth it, however, because the location of the scoreboard is one of the best vantage points on the entire course.

However, with No. 18 playing as the most difficult hole in the final round--yielding only one birdie in regulation--the quality of the golf remains suspect.

“Yeah, we get to see some golf here,” White said. “It’s not been very good golf, though.”

How much for that ball? Robert Allenby won the tournament with a birdie on the first playoff hole, but a par save at the eighth also played a role.

He pulled his drive left on the eighth and his ball landed between the beer and candy bars in a concession tent.

He got a free drop and hit his approach between two trees to the green.

It’s in the mail: Because of the weather Sunday, there was no official trophy and check presentation after Allenby’s victory.

Allenby received his trophy in the media center, but there was no sign of the oversized check traditionally presented to the winner.

Allenby probably didn’t have room in his suitcase for it anyway.

They would have played in a monsoon: Rain-soaked Riviera finally became saturated Sunday afternoon, but PGA Tour officials insist that despite standing water and mud throughout the course, there were never thoughts of pulling players off the course and postponing play until today. “The water wasn’t anywhere the players were playing from,” a tour spokesman said. “They were able to squeegee the greens and keep the players moving through.”

Surely, the decision had nothing to do with the tour moving to Florida for its next stop.

At what cost, dryness? The tents around Riviera are normally reserved for VIPs and corporate-types that pay upward of $20,000 a day for the privilege of hobnobbing around a bar and a television.

This year, for the first time, the average fan had the opportunity to join in. Each daily ticket included admission to The Past Champions Tent between the ninth and third fairways.

Inside was a 25-foot television, a bar serving $6 cocktails and a buffet where a hamburger cost $8.50.

Check the fine print, though. The tent was subject to closure in case one of those corporations wanted to pay more money. Saturday, the tent was closed for a pharmaceutical company.

Hey, let’s see your parking pass: The players’ parking lot at Riviera was packed with courtesy cars, but a blue stretch Mercedes limousine stood out.

No, Tiger Woods hasn’t begun taking limos to tournaments. The driver said he was waiting for one of Riviera’s owners.