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The Champions Tour's Charles Schwab Cup Championship tournament started yesterday and continues through Sunday, Nov. 2.

Jay Haas and Fred Funk currently sit at No. 1 and No. 2 on the Charles Schwab Cup points list and, although Bernhard Langer, Eduardo Romero and John Cook still have a mathematical chance to take home the $1 million prize, Haas and Funk are the odds-on favorites to be hoisting the gold cup come Sunday evening.  On Tuesday afternoon, however, they were more like a comedy act in the style of Abbot and Costello as they joked with the crowd at the annual Youth Clinic.

Both player's talked to the group of about 100 about the etiquette of the game and then competed against each other is a series of challenges; hitting shots to a flag around 100 yards away, 145-yards away, 205-yards away, and finally a driver to a spot at the far end of the driving range.  As usual, the most impressive part of the clinic was when both Haas and Funk were hitting their drivers, bringing gasps from the young members of the crowd. What was interesting was the banter between the two players and the strong competition that was clearly there, even in a fun arena. 

Toward the end of the clinic the range-cart was on the driving range picking up golf balls when both players decided it would be good to try and hit the picker, just like any golfer has done at their local range anywhere across the country. 

Both players hit low shots that just missed the caged cart, it was like both Haas and Funk were back on the range in their formative years having a challenge at the end of a long practice day.  Funk failed to hit the cart, but Haas finally scored a direct hit and celebrated by raising his arms in the air and doing a celebratory dance; score 1-up to Haas.

As the clinic closed, Funk asked the kids in attendance how they could improve at golf; a few answers were yelled out and Funk gave his theory - work hard in school and practice hard on the driving range.  Perhaps in another 35 years, some of the kids in the crowd will have used this advice to compete on one of the grandest stages in the game.

Anyone interested in purchasing tickets can still do so at Sonoma Market or by contacting the Charles Schwab Cup Championship office at 939-4131.

ON MONDAY, THE Legends Pro-Am took place at Sonoma Golf Club, unofficially opening tournament week. 

Some of the greatest players of all time made the trip to showcase the games that helped them claim multiple tour events and major championships over the years. 

The unofficial master of ceremonies for the event was Bob Goalby, 1968 Masters Champion and uncle to Jay Haas, who told some stories about the players that were in attendance - players such as Billy Casper, who won the United States Open at San Francisco's Olympic Club in 1966; Jack Fleck, who also claimed the U.S. Open at the Olympic course back in 1955 in a playoff over the great Ben Hogan; Don January, who is one of the key members of the group that got the Champions Tour off the ground back in the early 1980s; and Lee Elder, who is the first African American to play in the Masters. 

Although many of these players are in their 80s now, they can still play at a high level and possibly more importantly, provide a link to the game of yesteryear.

Coming in first place in the Pro-Am was the team of Ted Bacci, Todd Barsotti, Jeff Wilson and Clem Firko, who teamed with professional Jim Ferree to shoot a scramble score of 54. One-shot behind was the local team of Doug Nickle, Terry O'Prey, Roy Jordan and Richard Davison, who were captained by professional Fred Hawkins. 

At 85-years old, Hawkins was one of the older competitors in Monday's event, but his strong short game and stories about the play of contemporaries Ben Hogan, Lloyd Mangrum and Tommy Bolt made the day an event to remember. Third place went to Bill Carson, Rich Coombs, Rick Hansen and Paul Kelly, who were teamed with professional Doug Ford. 

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