Iffy: Rock Barn owner wants to keep Champions event

The Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn in Conover has turned into one of the popular spots on the Champions Tour in its six years. In September the tournament will be played again, but there's a chance that could be the final run.

Don Beaver, the owner of Rock Barn, has been trying to find a title sponsor the last three years but hasn't had much luck. It takes about $4 million a year to put on a Champions Tour event, and to say that Beaver has taken a hit financially would be an understatement.

But Beaver says that keeping the tournament going is a priority. Beaver has an option year on the contract with the Champions Tour for 2010 but has yet to sign it.

"We're in negotiations, but with the way things are going in this economy there's really no timetable for our decision," Beaver said about the option year.

Beaver said that normally the Champions Tour would have most of its schedule completed for 2010, but things are different in this economy.

"These aren't ordinary times, and sponsorships and things like that are hard to come by," he said.

In recent years Kia Motors has helped Beaver by becoming a presenting sponsor. And there are several other companies that have lent their support to the tournament.

Beaver wouldn't say how much he has lost each year, but one source said it's about $1 million a year. But with the exposure that the Rock Barn resort has received -- including its spa and two 18-hole courses -- has been good.

"The players do like coming here and it's a nice facility with a championship layout," Beaver said.

Craig Stadler won the first tournament in 2003. Other champions have included Jay Haas and Andy Bean. R.W. Eaks has been the champion the last two years.

One of the benefits to having a yearly Champions Tour tournament is the money that's raised for local charities. Jim Correll, the tournament director, says that nearly $800,000 has been raised in and around the Hickory area since the tournament began.

Beaver says that to raise that kind of money for charity is important to him.

"We're proud of those numbers," Beaver said.

Said Correll: "It's done wonders for the community with the charity, and despite the financial burden there's been on Don, he really wants to keep this thing going."

Beaver, who is an avid golfer, has tried to make it a first-class tournament for the players and, because of that, the fields have been excellent.

This area has been a constant for the Champions Tour. From 1987 through 2002, the Vantage Championship was held at Tanglewood Park in Clemmons (no tournament was held in 2001 because of the Sept. 11 attacks).

"We hope we can continue it because the community has really embraced it," Beaver said.

Mickelson getting support

The news about Amy Mickelson's breast cancer spread quickly around the PGA Tour circles last week.

Amy, the wife of Phil Mickelson, is well liked by tour players and their wives and it showed in the reaction to the news.

Tiger Woods said in a statement that he and his wife, Elin, "are deeply saddened to hear the news about Amy. Our thoughts and prayers are with her, Phil, the children and the entire Mickelson family."

Scott Verplank, who played with Mickelson on two Ryder Cup teams, got the news by way of a text message from Mickelson. He told pgatour.com: "I got one at about 10 o'clock, and I had a hard time sleeping, just thinking about that. My wife was already asleep next to me there, so when I woke up this morning she woke up for a minute, so I told her. So I think she's probably worried about it now. You know, hopefully, it's early and, hopefully, they take care of it."

John Daly said he heard the news while playing in the BMW PGA Championship in Virginia Water, England.

"That is so sad," Daly said. "She's a great girl. My prayers are out to her and Phil."

The couple, who have three kids, met in 1992 when Phil was a senior at Arizona State. They were married in 1996.

Around the green

Bill Haas turned in his best week as a pro earlier this month at the Valero Texas Open when he tied for third after rounds of 67-67-67-65 to finish at 14 under. He won a career-best $353,800 and moved from 96th on the money list to 53rd….

Shelly Baker had her first hole-in-one last week at Colonial Country Club when she used an 8-iron on the par-3 4th hole. What made it a neat experience was that her husband, Brian, was her playing partner. "I was actually saying ‘get in the hole' while the ball was in the air," Brian wrote in an e-mail. "It's one of the rare occasions a golf ball has ever listened to me."…

Greg Norman has committed to play in the U.S. Senior Open in late July at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Indiana. Norman's two other appearances in the U.S. Senior Open were in 2005 and last year. He finished fourth each time. Norman competed at Crooked Stick in the 1991 PGA Championship….

Cheyenne Woods, a freshman on the Wake Forest golf team and a niece of Tiger Woods, has accepted a sponsor's exemption to play in the Wegmans LPGA in Pittsford, N.Y., in late June. Woods is the daughter of Earl Woods Jr., who is a son from an earlier marriage of the late Earl Woods. Also getting an exemption is Amanda Blumenherst of Duke, who just completed her college career last week. Woods and Blumenherst attended the same high school -- Xavier Prep in Phoenix….

Jose Maria Olazabal, a two-time Masters champion, has been elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame on the international ballot. Olazabal will be the second Spaniard inducted, joining Seve Ballesteros who was inducted in 1999. "I am delighted with this news," Olazabal said. "Only a small group of people are privileged to be in the World Golf Hall of Fame, and I have a huge respect for all the players already there."

Andy Smith, 70, shot his age last week in the final round of the Forsyth Seniors at Reynolds Park when he fired a 1-under 70. Smith, who is the active leader in most Forsyth Invitationals played, said that playing later in the day was a key to his round. "I can't play in the mornings anymore," he said. "We need to play these things later in the afternoons."

■ John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or at jdell@wsjournal.com.