The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida • Page 175

D2-The Post, Friday, December 16, 1983 Golf Clampett Offers A Unique Knack yrr World Mixed At a Glance nr Roger Malbie (front). Buddy Gardner seeks refuge from shower that caused 7 I Mill By Chuck Otterson SUM Wrlttr FORT PIERCE Some people would have you believe that all the young players on the men's professional golf tour are double-knit polyester clones with sun-bleached hair and bulging bank accounts. Bobby Clampett has blond hair and more money in the bank than all but a handful of the other 23-year-olds in the world, but the similarity ends there. When's the last time you heard of Hal Sutton, Ben Crenshaw, Keith Fer- gus, Payne Stewart, Vance Heafner, John Cook or Bob Byman playing in knickers? Or hitting the ball while on their knees? "It all started at the 1982 British Open," Clampett said yesterday after shooting a four-under-par 68 to help his foursome finish in a fifth-place tie at 58 in the pro-am competition for the World Mixed Championships at Monte Carlo Country Club. "I never wore knickers before that.

"I led the first, second and third rounds of the British Open wearing knickers two out of the three rounds, so I didn't figure it was such a bad idea. I don't wear them that frequently just when I go over there. "It's a custom there and I like to feel I do what the natives do, so to speak." Hitting the ball while on his knees was something that started much earlier when Clampett was about 14. "I learned it when I was little," he said. "I've always been very interested in swing techniques and, at that time, the teachers were teaching how all the power comes from the legs.

"If you learn golf the way I did it's called the golfing machine system you know there are four power sources. In order to prove that, I started hitting shots off my knees." He even hit one 200 yards from his knees while playing in the U.S. Open, of all places. "I've been working on hitting off my knees left-handed with a right-handed driver," he said. "I can hit it about 200 yards when I catch it right.

I can hit about 240 right-handed on my knees with my driver." In only three years on the tour, Clampett has earned more than $380,000. If he continues at that pace, he may wipe out all the records established by the likes of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson. But if that's his goal, you aren't likely to get him to talk about it. "I'm a person who; sets goals one day at a time, one step at a time, one shot at a time," he said. "I take things as they come, so to speak.

"It'd be nice to say I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do that, I'm gonna win 10 major championships, but in my mind, that's a lot of talk. How you do it is what counts." Clampett is paired with Betsy King in the $100,000 World Mixed Championship, which features 12 teams each made up of one male pro and one female pro representing the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Spain, West Germany, Japan, Australia, South America and South Africa. The competition starts today, with the final round of the pro-am. Each pro will play with three amateur partners; at the end of the round, each female pro's score will be added to that of her male pro partner to give the team a 36-hole total going into Saturday's round. i 1 A WHO: Twelve teems, each made up of one male golf pro and one female golf pro, representing the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Spain, West Germany, Japan, South Africa, Australia and Argentina.

WHAT: World Mixed Championship. WHERE: Monte Carlo Country Club, Fort Pierce (from Fort Pierce turnpike exit, go north on Kings Highway to Angle Road (blinking yellow light), west on Angle to Johnston Road, north on Johnston to Monte Carlo Country Club). WHEN: Today through Sunday. PRIZE MONEY: 5100,000 overall, with to be divided by the winning team, 117,000 for second, $12,000 for third, 110,000 for fourth, ,000 for fifth, 7,000 for sixth, S6.000 for seventh, for eighth, K0O0 for ninth, 13,000 for 10th, $2,000 for 11th and SI, 000 for 12th. TICKETS: 7 today, $10 Saturday or Sunday, $25 for four-day pass.

For information, call 466-GOLF (4M-46S3). FORMAT: Today, each pro ploys with three amateur partners, but pro scores are added together to give each team a 3a-hole totai going into Saturday's round. Saturday, pros play together, using better ball of twosome for score on each hole. Sunday, both players tee off, then select one drive and hit alternate shots until one holes out. SPECIAL EVENTS: Opening ceremonies, 9 a.m.

today; pro-am awards banquet, 7 p.m. today; sponsors reception, 7 p.m. Saturday; closing ceremony, 4:30 p.m. Sunday. PAIRINGS (Saturday and Sunday): Arnold Palmer-Laura Baugh-Cole, Sam Snead-Jo-Anne earner, Ray Fioyd-Patti Rizzo and Bobby Clampett-Betsy King, united States; Dan Halldorson-Barb Bunkowsky, Canada; Sandy Lyle-Jane Chapman, Great Britain; Manuel Plnero-Marta Dottl, Spain; Bern-hard Langer-Barbara Helblg, West Germany; Nobumitsu Yuhara-Ayako Okamoto, Japan; Mark McNulty-Sally Little, South Africa; Roberto DeVicenzo-Silvia Bertolaccinl, Argentina; David Graham-Jan Stephenson, Australia.

The pros will play together Saturday, using a better-ball format to determine their third-round score In Sunday's final round, both partners will hit tee shots and they will select the drive they wish to use and hit alternate shots until one of them holes out. "It's very difficult to play mixed team," said Sally Little of Delray-Beach, who is teamed with Mark McNulty as South Africa's representatives in this tournament. "When you play with men professionals, you want to show them you can play the game. "What has hurt our players over the years is that they don't play their own game. They trjy to do ridiculous things like carry water when they don't have a chance in world of doing it.

"Not in my wildest dreams do I expect to hit the ball like a male professional. But when you play your own game and play with someone you have good rapport with, it's really enjoyable." The other teams seeking the $25,000 first prize are Palmer and Laura Baugh-Cole, Sam Snead and Palm Beach's JoAnne Carner, Ray Floyd and Patti Rizzo, Bernhard Langer and Barbara Helbig, Roberto DeVicenzo and Silvia Bertolaccini, David ham and Jan Stephenson, Manuel Pi- nero and Marta Dotti, Sandy Lyle and Jane Chapman, Dan Halldorson and Barb Bunkowsky, and Nobumitsa Yu-hara and Ayako Okamoto. Langer and amateurs Tom Kiernan, Harold Gay and Joe Gorham put together four eagles, 10 birdies and four pars for an 18-under-par 54 yesterday to take the lead in the pro-am. "I was quite impressed with the golf course," Clampett said. "It's in excellent condition for as new as it is.

I think it's going to be a fun numbers course to play. I didn't feel like I played well and shot a 68." Gunthardt. Accept Mayer might find the going a bit rough today enroute to winning the Hamptons tournament. He is scheduled to meet defending champion Jimmy Connors tonight at 8. Mayer's brother, Sandy, didn't fair as well as his younger brother.

Fourth-seeded Jose-Luis Clerc stopped Sandy Mayer 6-2, 6-7 (7-2), 6-4 in a rain-delayed match yesterday. Clerc; will play Balazs Taroczy, who defeated Shlomo Glickstein 6-3, 6-3 to advance. Chrysler Cirdied any of the same holes." "My theory is if you get it on a green in regulation, with two guys, you're Agoing to get some birdies," said Miller. "Jack's only bad shot was on the last hole. He pulled his drive about 20 feet the right on the fairway I was Eddy today, but Jack, you just 'can't play better than he did." 1 Nicklaus and Miller have teamed together only once before, that was in the 1 973 World Cup in Spain when they I won the tournament's team title and Miller the individual champion.

McCumber and Blackburn actually stood tied with Nicklaus-Miller at 11 under, going into their final hole, but took a bogey as both drove into the rough, then Blackburn missed a 4-foot put for par. "We're one shot behind Nicklaus and Miller, so even though maybe we did ended on a sour note, if we can make mistakes like that and still be here, we're playing pretty well," McCumber said. "We never really had ourselves in trouble all day. We had a lot of very makeable putts and it was a very solid round for both of us This is the first time I've played here. The course is so flat you can't judge the distances by sight." Hummer layed because of problems with the "airplane, the players were dispatched the airport bar.

When everything --was set right, coach Bum Phillips picked up the $600 tab. That's the definition of the right kind of boss. Discovering the obvious. San Diego Chargers owner Gene Klein is as worried as any ABC executive over football's falling television ratings. As a member of the NFL's TV committee, Klein is also angry.

Monday night football started fast, thanks to the unusual blend of talent in the booth, but the ratings are off 15 percent this season. Klein blames those same background voices. "They're turning it into a talk- V- Wade Gates, THE POST momentary interruption X' i Finally, it was discovered Mayer had been wearing away the joint lining in his wrist. And as mysteriously as it started to degenerate, the lining regenerated itself and Mayer was back on the scene. But Mayer isn't a newcomer to injuries.

He has a chronic back problem and has had muscle pulls in his upper thigh and groin areas, too. "It (wrist injury) was the first time I've been hurt," he said. "Injuries are going to A ism 1 From Dl- An eagle by McCumber on the par-5, 515-yard 17th hole on the No. 1 course was crucial for the Jacksonville golfers. "The second shot was a 3-wood, one of those you dream about right on the pin from about 250 yards," McCumber said.

"It stopped about 8 feet behind the pin." Despite playing in the same junior golf programs while growing up in Jacksonville, McCumber and Blackburn have only played as a team once before in the 1976 Florida PGA Team Championships in which they placed fourth. The Edwards brothers, also playing on the shorter No. 2 course, used five birdies on each nine holes to finish with identical 31s. Only three of the top 17 scores were turned in on the No. 1 course, a par-72 layout as the field is scheduled to alternate the first two rounds.

Dave Peoples and Gary Hallberg shot in 31-34 on No. 1 to tie three others with 63s. Peter Oosterhuis and Al Geiberger scored 33-31 and Pat McGowan and John Fought turned in 31-33 as they were two of 10 pairs with 64s. -From Dl- fest," he said. The thought is that Howard, Dandy and Frank have become bigger than the game.

But they should also consider that some of the Monday night games have been real stinkers (look back no further than Green Bay-Tampa Bay). Equal opportunity humor. Great thing about sports is that it can laugh at sensitive subjects. This was the threesome at a recent tournament Chi Chi Rodriguez, Rod Curl (of Indian descent) and Homero Blancas. Rodriguez, of course, had to comment.

"It looked like a civil rights march. People were afraid we were going to steal their hubcaps." died in the emergency room at 7:15 p.m., said spokeswoman Debbie Meredith. She said Merritt suffered a fatal cardiacarythmia an irregular heart beat that was compounded his multiple heart problems, including an enlarged heart. LJQ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Jack Nicklaus and son Gary chart putt's course Golden Bear, Johnny Milter hold first-round lead in Chrysler Ex-Tennessee State Coach Dies -From Dl- happen, there's nothing much you can do about them." That's pretty much the way Mayer, a born-again Christian, has designed his philosophy on life and his tennis career. He simply takes each day as it is served up.

"As you go along, there are are always going to be new postives and new negetives coming up," said Mayer, who finally rejoined the tour in time for the U.S. Open, where he bowed out in the third round to Heinz Mayer sisted. For three and a half months, Mayer complained of sharp pains when he lifted a racquet. Meanwhile, tournaments slipped by. The Italian Open.

The French Open. He sat by and watched as McEnroe beat Chris Lewis at Wimbledon and the U.S. team lost to Argentina in the Davis Cup. "I didn't enjoy it at all," he said. "It took them (doctors) three and a half months to find out what it was.

That -eally makes you think about things." j. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Former -Tennessee State head football coach John Ayers Merritt died last night at Vanderbilt University hospital after a long battle with heart disease, a hospital spokeswoman said. Merritt, 57, collapsed at home and was taken to the hospital where he 2 f4 3E Navratilova Beats Shriver for Title From Pest wire Services ski circuit, suffered ligament damage to her right knee when she fell during Sunday's giant slalom at Val d'isere, France. According to ski team information director John Dakin, team doctor Richard Steadman found two torn ligaments and a small tear in a third ligament in Nelson's knee during an examination.

Rather than repair the damage surgically, and thereby end what probably would be her last chance at an Olympic medal, Steadman and Nelson agreed on a rehabilitation program, Dakin She also will be fitted with a brace. "She could be back on skis by February," Dakin said. Whether she would be ready to ski in the Olympics, which begin Feb. 7 at Saraievo, Yugoslavia, "depends on how she does with the rehabilitation," Dakin said. Nelson, a member of the U.S.

team since 1971, won her only Olympic medal, a bronze, in the downhill at the 1976 Games at Innsbruck, Austria. Wimbledon champion Martina Navratilova defeated Pam Shriver of the United States 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 yesterday to win the $100,000 Diners Club Women's challenge tennis tournament. Navratilova won $40,000, Shriver $30,000 In the two-day exhibition. Kathy Jordan defeat Open, McEnroe at Wimbledon, Connors the U.S. Open and Wilander the Australian Open and since Lendl is the year's leading official money winner, the Volvo Masters could determine which of the five will be named Player of the Year.

Padres Make 'Substantial Offer' To Free-Agent Slugger Darrell Evans Soviet Sets Weightlifting Mark; Koch, N.Y. Looking for NFL Team The San Diego Padres have made a "very substantial" offer for the services of free agent Darrell Evans, according to club president Ballard Smith and the player's agent, Jerry Kapstein. "It was a very substantial multiyear proposal," Kapstein said after meeting with ETC Vladimir Grachov of the Soviet Union set a world weightlifting record with a snatch of 341 pounds in the 148'2-pound class at the Soviet national tournament at Leningrad, the Soviet news agency Tass said. Grachov, 22, broke his record by 2.2 pounds, Tass said New ed fellow American Kathy Horvath 6-0, 7-6 to finish third in the four-player tournament. Jordan received $20,000 and Horvath $10,000 John McEnroe and Navratilova have been ranked the top male and female tennis professionals by Tennis magazine.

An International panel consisting of seven journalists from six countries compiled the rankings for the magazine, which also ranks players according to surface. McEnroe regained the No. 1 spot among men, unseating Jimmy Connors. In 17 tournaments in 1983, McEnroe won six, Including Wimbledon, and was runner-up in four others. His overall record was 63-12.

Connors, winner of the U.S. Open, was ranked second, followed by Ivan Lendl of Czechoslovakia, Australian Open winner Mats Wilander of Sweden and French Open champion Yannick Noah of France. Jimmy Arias was ranked sixth, followed by, In order, Jose Higueras of Spain, Guillermo Vilas of Argentina, Bill Scanlon and Argentina's Jose-Luis Clerc. Navratilova was ranked first among the women for the second straight year. In 1983, she won 16 of the 17 tournaments she played In, including Wimbledon, the U.S.

Open and the Australian Open. Her astonishing 86-1 record was marred only by a loss to Horvath at the French Open. Chris Evert Lloyd, the French Open winner, was ranked second, followed. In order, by Andrea Jaeger, Shriver, Hana Mandlikova of Czechoslovakia, West Germany's Sylvia Hanika, Wendy Turnbull of Australia, Andrea Temesvari of Hungary and Jordan Eliot Teltscher, Tomas Smid of Czechoslovakia and Johan Kriek have clinched the final three berths in the 12-player singles field of the $400,000 Volvo Masters tennis championships to be held Jan. 10-15 In Madison Square Garden.

They oin Wilander, Lendl, McEnroe, Connors, Noah, Arias, Higueras, Andres Gomez of Ecuador and Clerc in the playoff event of the year-long Volvo Grand Prix circuit. Since four different players won the four Grand Slam titles In 1983 Noah the French Smith for about an hour yesterday. "This was the first time that San Diego and I have had a chance to really talk in detail about Darrell. made what I consider a very substantial, multiyear offer," Smith said. "Kapstein said we're one of the finalists," for the 36-year-old Evans, who hit 30 home runs last season for San Francisco.

Evans was selected by 17 teams in the free agent draft, more than any other player. During the recent baseball meetings at Nashville, San Diego tried without success to trade for a power-hitting third baseman. The Padres used Luis Salazar at third last season, but he batted .258 and hit 14 homers. Although Evans spent most of his time at first base during his seven season with the Giants, he played third base for the Atlanta Braves. United States Skier Nelson Injured But Possible for Winter Olympics York mayor Ed Koch, declaring that "New York will always be a major-league town," said the city was negotiating to relocate a professional football team to the city.

He declined to give details of what Consumer Affairs commissioner Simon Gourdine has been doing to attract a new team, but added: "I can say this. There are very strong tides in the Hudson River. It Is a river that flows both ways. What goes west can come east." The New York Giants crossed the river to play In Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey several years ago and the New York Jets recently played their last game In Shea Stadium in Queens. City officials already have been talking to the Miami Dolphins, the Los Angeles Raiders, the Baltimore Colts and the Philadelphia Eagles in an effort to bring them to New York.

Off icials also were said to be talking to a fifth team which would be "a pleasant surprise" to New York fans, but the mayor's office did not disclose which one it was. i Compiled by John Temple Cindy Nelson, a veteran of the United States Ski Team, still has an outside chance at competing in the 1984 Winter Olympics in February, despite suffering a knee injury this week, according to a team spokesman. Nelson, at 28 the oldest woman competing on the World Cup.