Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Season really begins when Arnie steps on course

Brian Hilderbrand's golf notebook appears Wednesday. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. Reach him at [email protected] or 259-4089.

The 1999 golf season officially began last weekend in Hawaii with the Mercedes Championships, but many feel the season really won't begin until Arnold Palmer tees off next Wednesday in the first round of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

Palmer, 69, will begin his 45th year in professional golf next week in Indian Wells, Calif. Although he won't contend for the tournament title, Palmer said he will continue to play in the event he won five times -- as long as his health holds up.

And, by the way, Palmer insists his health is just fine after a successful battle with prostate cancer in 1997.

"I have just had my checkup after radiation (treatment) and I have a good report back," Palmer said last week during a teleconference.

In fact, Palmer said his health is the least of his concerns as he prepares for his first tournament of 1999.

"I have played very poorly (the past two years)," he said. "I guess through the midst of the radiation, I underestimated how strong the stuff really is. I was weak and my game just went bad.

"Only recently has it started to come back and I'm pretty pleased with what has happened in the last couple of weeks. I've been starting to hit the ball pretty well."

The man who won seven major championships and 60 PGA Tour titles and has been golf's greatest ambassador for five decades said he would like to step up his playing schedule in 1999.

"You know, I really want to go out and do the same thing I did 30 or 40 years ago, but it gets more difficult all the time," Palmer said last week on The Golf Channel. "I'm going to play the 'Hope' ... and the (Senior) Skins Game (Jan. 30-31).

"If my game is reasonable I'll play a little bit (more). And I'll play the Masters because I think that's a great tradition and it's something that I enjoy doing."

But, for now, Palmer is focusing on the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic -- a tournament he first won in 1960 and the site of his final PGA Tour win in 1973.

"It has been so much fun for me playing in the Bob Hope and Bob himself, I understand, is going to be there to hit the first shot -- at 95 years old," he said.

"Hopefully, I'll play some kind of reasonable golf."

* GAMEZ IN HAWAII: Las Vegas native Robert Gamez received one of eight sponsor exemptions to play in this week's Sony Open in Honolulu. It will mark the first tournament of the season for Gamez, who lost his tour card after finishing 195th on the money list in 1998.

Gamez reportedly was in Hawaii last week, familiarizing himself with the Waialae Country Club.

Also in the 144-player field for this week's Sony Open is former UNLV All-American Chris Riley.

* SCHOLLIAN NAMED: Mike Schollian, a former member of the UNLV golf team, has been named vice president of golf operations for the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino.

Schollian will oversee the development and construction of the two new MGM Grand golf courses being built in Boulder City, which are scheduled to open next year.

Prior to joining MGM Grand, Schollian served as vice president of development and operations for the Primm Valley Golf Resort and also was involved in the development of Shadow Creek Golf Club.

* FRYATT CASHES: Former UNLV All-American Edward Fryatt tied for 27th place and earned $1,637 at the Nike Tour's season-opening South Florida Classic last weekend in Pompano Beach, Fla.

Fryatt held the first-round lead in the tournament after shooting a 4-under-par 67, but posted rounds of 71, 76 and 71 and finished at 1-over-par 285 for the tournament.

Fryatt is tied for 27th on the Nike Tour money list after one event. The top 15 money winners on the Nike Tour this season will earn their PGA Tour cards in 2000.

* UPCOMING EVENTS: The PGA Tour remains in Hawaii this week for the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club. John Huston shot a tour-record 28 under par to win last year's tournament. ESPN will televise all four rounds live in prime time beginning Thursday. ...

The LPGA Tour opens its season this weekend with the HealthSouth Inaugural at Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, Fla. Kelly Robbins is the defending champion of the event, which will be televised Friday through Sunday on ESPN.

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