Big name players like Woods could consider the Safeway Open due to its philanthropic commitmentGETTY IMAGES
The PGA Tour's '18-19 season-opening Safeway Open at Silverado Country Club in Napa, Calif., has "pledged all proceeds from ticket sales to go to fire relief in the Napa Valley area." The additional "philanthropic commitment is as good a reason for some of the tour's bigger names to consider playing in the event -- most specifically, TIGER WOODS." It would be understandable if Woods "opted not to, but magnanimous if he did." The Safeway Open would "follow a likely stretch of five events in a six-week period for Woods." The Safeway Open is "not among the bigger draws on the PGA Tour" (GOLFDIGEST.com, 8/30).
TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME: Golfer PATRICK REED took in the Marlins-Red Sox game at Fenway Park on Wednesday with his wife, JUSTINE, and sister-in-law. Reed took to Twitter and Instagram to "voice his displeasure (via a sarcastic thank you) about the seats the PGA Tour gave them for the game" (GOLFWEEK.com, 8/30). Meanwhile, JUSTIN THOMAS threw "out the first pitch" at Wednesday's game (BOSTONHERALD.com, 8/30).
THE GOOD STUFF: The Raiders will make a $250,000 donation to "help save the youth sports programs that the Oakland school district had put on the chopping block" (SFCHRONICLE.com, 8/28)....The Univ. of Oregon's football program will help Titans QB MARCUS MARIOTA's Motiv8 Foundation "raise funds for those affected by Hurricane Lane" (OREGONLIVE.com, 8/28).
BOOK SHELF: ESPN's ADAM SCHEFTER's book "THE MAN I NEVER MET: A MEMOIR," shares the "most personal details" about his life to date. The story centers on JOE MAIO, the man who was married to Schefter's wife, SHARRI, before he "perished in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Towers." The book, which hits shelves on Tuesday, uncovers a "deeply private side to Schefter and his family not even some of his closest friends had known" (NYPOST.com, 8/30). Meanwhile, RICK PITINO's memoir, "PITINO: MY STORY," releases Tuesday. Pitino "defends himself" in the memoir and claims his firing "ruined players' careers" (NYPOST.com, 8/30).
NAMES: The first lawsuit in the Jacksonville "Madden NFL 19" tournament shooting last Sunday "has been filed." Gamer JACOB MITICH has "filed suit against" Electronic Arts, the game's manufacturer, plus the "mall and restaurant where the event was held" (DEADLINE.com, 8/30)....PepsiCo is seeing some tie-in for its products in new menu items at AT&T Stadium for this football season, including Cheetos Mac N Cheese Balls, a Doritos Chicken Wrap and a Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with crushed Cool Ranch Doritos (Mike Sunnucks, Staff Writer)....Ohio State trustee JEFFREY WADSWORTH "resigned last week, saying it would be 'hypocritical' of him to continue after he fundamentally disagreed" with the BOT's decision to suspend football coach URBAN MEYER "for three games." In his resignation email dated Aug. 22, Wadsworth said that he "heard enough in the meeting that he did not 'want to be a party, through endorsing today's decision or remaining on the board, to implicitly or explicitly support current or future action on such issues'" (DISPATCH.com, 8/30)....A sportswriter who was "sued for access to his Twitter account has countersued BH Media, parent company of The Roanoke Times, alleging defamation in its handling of the case." ANDY BITTER, now with The Athletic, is "asking for damages upward of $150,000 in the lawsuit" (RICHMOND.com, 8/30)....Ottawa Citizen sports columnist WAYNE SCANLAN said that Friday is his "last day on staff" after 31 years (TWITTER.com, 8/30).
