Westwood denied invitation to St Jude-
Classic because of sponsor's shirt logo
FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By MARK REASON
The organisers of the St Jude Classic, the warm-up tournament to the US Open, have refused Lee Westwood an invitation to this year's event because of a tiny logo on his shirt. The tournament director claimed that the UPS branding clashes with FedEx, who are based in Memphis.
Westwood, pictured, said at the press conference at Quail Hollow that his application for the St Jude had been turned down because of the small UPS logo on his golf shirts. At least reporters thought that it was a joke at the time. It turned out that Westwood was more serious than he knew.
Phil Cannon, the tournament director of the St Jude Classic, said about Westwood's exclusion: "One of his sponsors gives us a little concern. Brown trucks (a reference to UPS) aren't welcome onsite."
It is an extraordinary snub to the No 4 player in the world and disrupts Westwood's preparation for the second major of the season. A fortnight ago Westwood told Telegraph Sport: "I will try to play at Pebble Beach a couple of times beforehand and in Memphis the week before the US Open. The practice rounds at Augusta worked well for the Masters."
Those plans are now in ruins. It is unthinkable that the Scottish Open, the tournament before the Open, would treat a top American with similar contempt. Indeed many have been made more than welcome at Loch Lomond over the years.
The episode gives Westwood extra motivation to win at Quail Hollow this week. A victory in North Carolina would give Westwood automatic membership of the US Tour and straight entry into the St Jude Classic. If that happened Westwood might turn up with an extra big UPS logo, just to make his point.
Cannon says that most of their invites go to past champions and local players. John Daly, a Tennessee resident, has already received an exemption, never mind a career of fines for loutish behaviour. But Westwood isn't welcome because of a couple inches of branding.
Westwood said: "I'm at the point in my career now and the age where I'm at a standard where I can play pretty much where I want, when I want. That's how it is this year, apart from one event where I haven't been able to get an invite."
That event turns out to be the St Jude Classic, presented by Smith & Nephew, a medical firm that brands itself as "helping improve people's lives." They haven't done much to improve Westwood's life.
Westwood, pictured, said at the press conference at Quail Hollow that his application for the St Jude had been turned down because of the small UPS logo on his golf shirts. At least reporters thought that it was a joke at the time. It turned out that Westwood was more serious than he knew.
Phil Cannon, the tournament director of the St Jude Classic, said about Westwood's exclusion: "One of his sponsors gives us a little concern. Brown trucks (a reference to UPS) aren't welcome onsite."
It is an extraordinary snub to the No 4 player in the world and disrupts Westwood's preparation for the second major of the season. A fortnight ago Westwood told Telegraph Sport: "I will try to play at Pebble Beach a couple of times beforehand and in Memphis the week before the US Open. The practice rounds at Augusta worked well for the Masters."
Those plans are now in ruins. It is unthinkable that the Scottish Open, the tournament before the Open, would treat a top American with similar contempt. Indeed many have been made more than welcome at Loch Lomond over the years.
The episode gives Westwood extra motivation to win at Quail Hollow this week. A victory in North Carolina would give Westwood automatic membership of the US Tour and straight entry into the St Jude Classic. If that happened Westwood might turn up with an extra big UPS logo, just to make his point.
Cannon says that most of their invites go to past champions and local players. John Daly, a Tennessee resident, has already received an exemption, never mind a career of fines for loutish behaviour. But Westwood isn't welcome because of a couple inches of branding.
Westwood said: "I'm at the point in my career now and the age where I'm at a standard where I can play pretty much where I want, when I want. That's how it is this year, apart from one event where I haven't been able to get an invite."
That event turns out to be the St Jude Classic, presented by Smith & Nephew, a medical firm that brands itself as "helping improve people's lives." They haven't done much to improve Westwood's life.
Labels: US PGA TOUR, US PRO TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Wednesday, April 28, 2010
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