Let's watch some golf

7/11/2007

Greetings from Highland Meadows. If you re heading out to the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic on Thursday morning and want to find a good place to stand, I recommend the 10th hole tee starting at 8:40 a.m.

First you have Farr legend Nancy Lopez teeing off at 8:40 a.m. At 8:50 a.m. comes Morgan Pressel. At 9 a.m., Natalie Gulbis, Se Ri Pak and Brittany Lincicome. At 9:10 is Paula Creamer. At 9:20 a.m., Cristie Kerr rounds out the morning group.

Looking at the rest of the pairings, I can t believe anyone will be anywhere else.

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You might have seen Natalie Gulbis dad, John, around the course last year, especially with her in contention. He was one scruffy guy, a Harley-Davidson stereotype at its finest.

Last week for Gulbis reality show on The Golf Channel, John got a makeover. He got a haircut (it s still to his shoulders) and highlights, shaved his long beard and got a new wardrobe, including some suits.

I like my hair, but the beard is coming back, John said. It worked out really good. I hope I didn t embarrass myself too much.

On the Gulbis front, here is some gossip: it seems she has become friendly with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Gulbis dad got the makeover in Daytona Beach because they were down there for the Pepsi 400. This column says they spent some time together and she planned to watch from the Budweiser suite.

In an earlier story, John said Natalie talks to a well-known NASCAR driver but would not identify his name.

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Today was a beautiful day and there was some good golf as well. Toledo Mud Hens president Mike Miller made an eagle on Hole No. 9. On the par-4 hole, Miller knocked in his second shot from 100 yards away using a 52-degree wedge. He played in a group with professional and notable fashionista Christina Kim.

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I ran into an unexpected face today. Loren Hargrove, a senior linebacker at Bowling Green State University, is interning this summer for a local television station. He is a sport management major and thought it would be the best way to see as many sports in the community as possible.

Hargrove has been to Mud Hens games, Browns minicamps, a WNBA game and now the Farr Classic. But he s on the other side of the camera from what he s used to.

I like to see the whole process, Hargrove said. Some of it is busy work, but sometimes you have to be pretty quick. It s good to see the other perspective.

Hargrove works out five or six days a week in the morning before coming up to Toledo for the day. The TV people love him, because he can carry the tripod for a good length of time without falling over in exhaustion.

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All right, I m off to the drug store because my sunglasses crumpled in my hands today and sunglasses are necessary for survival out here. I ll be back Thursday.