| Troy Bicentennial Golf Classic |
 Three-time U.S. Open golf champion Hale Irwin will be in Troy Monday, August 4 for the Troy Bicentennial Golf Classic at the Troy Country Club. He will be joined by two-time tour winner and former Wright State star Frank Lickliter. They will conduct a clinic at 1 p.m. and play 18 holes at 1:30 with others to be named later. The Troy Hall of Fame is the presenting sponsor and proceeds will go to Hospice of Miami County. The exhibition is open to the public and a limited number of tickets at $20 each will go on sale June 15 at various location in Troy, including the Troy Country Club, Miami Shores Golf Course, Hole Hunter Golf, Troy Sports Center, For All Seasons in downtown Troy, and at the Piqua Country Club and Echo Hills Golf Course. Irwin has a link to Troy. His daughter married former Trojan and 1987 Troy High graduate Tim Meyer, who, along with his parents, Pat and Don Meyer, plan to be in town for the event. "This is a great addition to our celebration events," said Stan Kegley, co-chairman of the city's bicentennial committee. "Hale Irwin is one of the greatest players ever, a hall of famer. Seeing him will be a treat for Troy Golf fans." Irwin won 20 times on the regular tour and holds the all-time senior tour victory record with 45, 16 more than Lee Trevino, who is second and has more than double the number of wins by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus combined. At 68, he still plays regularly on the Champions Tour and will be coming to Troy from a tournament in Minnesota. This is the second golf exhibition celebrating the city's heritage. The first one was 50 years ago during the sesquicentennial. In 1964, career grand slam champion Gary Player and '64 PGA champion Bobby Nichols played with host pro Dixie Rutherford and Troy Country Club pro Jim Geram at Miami Shores. Nichols shot 67, Player 68, Geram 74, and Rutherford 76. Irwin will be remembered for his sprint along the ropes giving fans high-fives after sinking a 45-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole during the final round of the 1990 U.S. Open, which he later won in a playoff with Mike Donald to become the oldest champion at 45. |
| He played on five Ryder Cup teams and was captain of the 1994 Presidents Cup team. He's a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. At the University of Colorado, Irwin was an unusual two-sport athlete. He was a four year letterman in golf, winning two Big 8 titles and the 1967 NCAA championship, as well as a two-time All Big 8 selection as a football defensive back. |
| Lickliter, who grew up in Franklin and played college golf at Wright State, turned pro in 1991. He's won twice on the PGA tour and is in the top 125 career money winners with nearly $12 million. He had his best year in 2001 when he won once, finished in the top 10 eight times and earned almost $2 million, 19th on the money list. He has been bear hunting with Fuzzy Zoeller in Alaska, visited troops on the front lines and is an active supporter of the Wounded Warrior Project. |
| Joel Walker, former publisher and editor of the Troy Daily News, is chairman of the bicentennial golf committee. Other members include attorney Jim Utrecht, Jr., whose father was chairman of the '64 committee; Paula Marko, president of the Troy Country Club; Nate Combs, Troy Country Club manager; retired TCC pro Paul Fobian, Susan Walker-Hemm, director of marketing and development for Hospice of Miami County, attorney John Maxa and award-winning, national golf writer Dave Shedloski, who will emcee the 1 P.M. clinic. |
