GOLF: In Atlanta, Glenn Sheeley wrote that 2001 PGA
Championship Exec Vice Chair Don Moss said that half of the
corporate hospitality at the Atlanta Athletic Club, with
packages "that run as high as" $155,000, have been sold for
the week. The ticket campaign will begin next August
(ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 8/26)....GOLFWEB's Bill Blighton
reported that the PGA of America "moved swiftly to settle a
dispute" with the U.S. Ryder Cup team caddies, who
"complained it would cost them money to attend a practice
session." Ten Ryder Cup members and their caddies will fly
by private charter jet to Boston for the practice (GOLFWEB,
8/26)....FSN's Tom Murray reported that Tiger Woods "has
told the PGA of America that a scheduling conflict prevents
him from playing in the PGA Grand Slam of Golf," which is
the "made-for-TV" event that "pits the winners of this
year's four majors against each other" in HI in November.
Murray: "So eager is the PGA to have Tiger participate, that
they're feverishly working on trying to change the date"
(FSN, 8/26)....GOLFWEB reports that the European women's
golf tour is expected to announce today the Solheim Cup will
be played in Sweden in 2004 (GOLFWEB, 8/27).
MORE NOTES: In N.Y., Richard Wilner writes that the
U.S. Open and the USTA is "unlike most other sports industry
organizations, and that is good news for city taxpayers."
Wilner, on the U.S. Open recently funding its own stadium
"out of its own pocket": "It's a sports business story
rarely, if ever, written in this town" (N.Y. POST,
8/27)....In Charlotte, Pat Yasinskas reports that 12 NFL
game balls will be "off limits" as the league "attempts to
put all kickers and punters on equal ground." Anyone
"caught tampering" with a kicking-only ball "will be
subject" to a fine of up to $25,000 (CHAR. OBSERVER, 8/27).
