EIGHT COMPANIES INTERESTED IN WESTERN OPEN TITLE SPONSORSHIP

          Western Golf Association Tournament Dir Greg McLaughlin
     said that eight companies are "considering succeeding
     Motorola" in 2000 as title sponsor of the PGA Tour's Western
     Open in IL, according to Tim Cronin of the DAILY SOUTHTOWN. 
     McLaughlin: "The companies are in the due diligence stage." 
     McLaughlin put the price of the sponsorship at $5M a year;
     $2M for the sponsor fee, $2M for TV and $1M for expenses. 
     Motorola, whose term as title sponsor ends next year,
     "poured up to" $7M into each year's event.  McLaughlin
     didn't disclose the names of the companies, but did say that
     "preliminary inquiries" to United Airlines and Amoco "didn't
     generate interest" (DAILY (IL) SOUTHTOWN, 12/10).
          OFF THE TEE: Sprint signed a three-year deal to become
     the PGA's official telecom provider (Sprint)....The Int'l
     Federation of PGA Tours has selected Victoria, Australia, as
     the host location of the 2001 World Golf Championships
     Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship (WGC).