Pebble Beach
– So who are the hardest working celebrities in show
business?
If one criteria is whose golf game needs the most work, it might
be Kevin James and Ray Romano.
Pebble Beach – So who are the hardest working celebrities in show business?
If one criteria is whose golf game needs the most work, it might be Kevin James and Ray Romano.
The “King of Hearts” and “Everyone Loves Raymond” stars got an opportunity to see virtually every piece of real estate on five holes Wednesday during the charity portion of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
Not that several hundred fans following the two actors – along with Kevin Costner, Carson Daly, Kenny G, Andy Garcia, George Lopez, Danny Gans, Don Cheadle, Huey Lewis, Kelly Slater and Bill Murray – were concerned too much about great golf shots.
Nor were they that concerned about the showery, windy weather, which kept the crowds smaller than usual.
Autographs and pictures were more on the fans’ minds, and the entertainers obliged. There was also the good-natured kidding between master of ceremonies Bob Murphy and the entertainers, who were competing as two-man teams in a modified scratch event for $29,000 to be doled out to the charities of their choice.
Murphy, the retired former San Jose State University athletic director, poked fun at the celebrity golfers, such as James and his weight issues. And James retorted, “The Civil War called. They want to have your diary.”
Murphy asked Romano about retirement and he replied, “I am unemployed, not retired.” And Romano also got the last word in. “When you went to school, it must have been so much easier because there was no history.”
When it was Kenny G’s turn to hit off the first tee, Lopez began humming out loud one of his saxophone solos.
And Cheadle, the “Hotel Rwanda” star, gave a discourse on the thickness of the human skull. “When the ball hits it, it careens back into play.”
The stars were cordial but not as personal as one might expect. There were humorous exchanges but it was mainly banter among the entertainers and occasionally Murphy.
There were no “Happy Gilmore” moments. Even old “Tin Cup” himself, Costner, showed his serious side when he teamed with Daly to win $26,000 up for grabs on the 18th hole in the charity shootout. Lewis and Slater teamed to birdie the tough first hole, taking the initial $3,000.
The Pebble Beach National Pro-Am is one of the most fan-friendly events on tour, although nothing tops the feeling of entering the “amphitheater” on the 16th hole at Tournament Players Club-Scottsdale, which was the previous stop on the PGA Tour. There, fans surround the players much like an intimate amphitheater setting.
“There you hit a shot 30 feet from the hole and get booed,” said professional Aaron Baddeley only half in jest. “It’s definitely a different event.”
And yet Baddeley, who won last week’s FBR Open, relishes the opportunity to play at Pebble Beach. He may only be 27 years old, but he still has the sense of history and lore that have been part of this popular event since the days when it was Bing Crosby’s clambake.
This is where the stars come out and where the fans come to see them as much as they do the top professionals.
Yet, some of these guys are as serious about their games as some of the fans are about getting their autographs.
Michael Bolton, Kenny G, Huey Lewis, Craig T. Nelson and Chris O’Donnell boast handicaps of 10 or less – which makes you wonder how much time these guys are spending on their golf games.
