Quartet Exhibits Nice Mix Sorenstam, Jacobson Lead Way For The ‘97 Junior Golf Exhibition

The Junior League of Spokane, in putting together a foursome for its 1997 golf exhibition, seems to have stumbled upon a near-perfect blend of youth, experience, charisma and character.

“This foursome has the makings of yet another memorable day in local sports history,” Jan House, chairman of the golf exhibition, said Tuesday after announcing that Annika Sorenstam, Tom Weiskopf, Tom Lehman and Peter Jacobsen will play in the Junior League’s eighth non-profit charity event on Monday, Sept. 15, at the Spokane Country Club.

“I’m thrilled with the people we have,” House said. “It’s just the right mix.”

House admitted, however, that it is not the exact mix she and her committee members had in mind as late as last Wednesday, when they were still holding out hope of signing three-time U.S. Amateur champion and PGA rookie sensation Tiger Woods to an appearance contract.

But Woods, according to House, could not be pinned down because of the uncertainty of his future schedule.

“It would have been such a coup,” she said, adding that, anticipating Woods’ decision to turn pro, the Junior League had pursued him since last April. “But it’s his first year and I think, rather than burn him out by signing up for everything that comes down the pike, (his advisers) are holding back and starting out slow as far as outings like this go.”

Still, House and her committee came up huge once again in assembling a quartet of golfers with vast and varied golfing talents and worldwide name recognition.

In Sorenstam, the two-time defending Women’s U.S. Open champion, they landed a Swedish-born superstar, who at 24 becomes the youngest to play in the popular exhibition that has drawn some of the biggest names in golf since its inception in 1971.

In Weiskopf, 54, they reeled in a veteran of 31 seasons on the PGA and Senior PGA Tours and the 1995 U.S. Senior Open champion.

The likable Lehman, who labored for nearly a decade on the foreign and Ben Hogan tours before qualifying for the PGA Tour seven years ago, has become Mr. Everyman of professional golf. He led the Tour in earnings this year with $1,780,159 and won both the Tour Championship and British Open.

And in Jacobsen, the selection committee hooked a real character. The Portland native has won six events and nearly $5 million since joining the PGA Tour in 1976. Each year, he hosts numerous clinics in which he imitates the swings of other touring pros such as Arnold Palmer and Craig Stadler.

The previous seven golf exhibitions have netted more than $1 million that has been used to promote volunteerism and benefit local charitable organizations and projects. The last event, held in 1993, raised $275,000. House said she would like to net $300,000 next fall.

Tickets for the event, which will feature a late-morning clinic for 800 people and an early afternoon 18-hole exhibition round for a limited gallery of 3,300, will go on sale March 17 at all five Hamer’s clothing store locations in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene.

Prices are $155 for the clinic and exhibition and $75 for the exhibition only. Other revenues, according to House, will be generated by sponsors’ donations and advertising sales.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo