Myrtle Beach to get north tower beam

Myrtle Beach has been the home of the FDNY 9/11 Memorial Golf Outing every year since 2002, and the hospitality the city has shown hasn't gone unnoticed.

The city of Myrtle Beach is being presented a ribbon beam from the north tower of the World Trade Center on Wednesday from tournament organizer and retired New York City firefighter Kevin O'Brien as a show of appreciation for the city's hosting of the event.

The presentation will take place at 5 p.m. at Springmaid Pier during FDNY tournament week. Marketing cooperative Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday has been a sponsor of the tournament since '02.

"We appreciate everything Myrtle Beach has done for us, including the FDNY," O'Brien said. "The businesses and golf courses all around have opened their arms to us and we've had a great 10 years here."

Golf Holiday president Bill Golden said there are plans to build a 9-11 memorial that will be the permanent home to the beam. Locations are being considered and Golden said the memorial should be completed this summer, in time for a dedication ceremony that will take place on or near the 10-year anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. A total of 343 firefighters died at the World Trade Center site.

"It's a tremendous honor and a privilege to have a piece of that north tower here in Myrtle Beach," Golden said.

This year's FDNY tournament has the second-best attendance in the event's history, according to O'Brien, with about 810 participants representing 41 states. The tournament is open to anyone but O'Brien said nearly all participants are either firemen or friends of firemen.

The tournament is Wednesday at six courses - Arrowhead Country Club, Blackmoor Golf Club, Wachesaw East, Myrtle Beach National West and Legends Resort. Events began Sunday and participants have blocked off tee times at more than 30 Grand Strand courses throughout the week.

Wednesday's festivities include a belly-flop competition at 3 p.m. and barbecue picnic at 4 p.m. The cost of Wednesday's events is $40.

Sessions holding tourney

NBA and former Myrtle Beach High guard Ramon Sessions is hosting his first charity golf tournament on July 16 at Heron Point Golf Club. The event will benefit Myrtle Beach High athletic programs.

Sessions and Heron Point head pro William Currin will be playing in one group, and Currin said Sessions may recruit other professional players to take part.

The tournament has a traditional four-player captain's choice format and a 9 a.m. shotgun start.

The entry fee of $65 per player includes prizes and food from local restaurants including Hooters, T-Bonz, The Tilted Kilt and Hard Rock Cafe. Call Heron Point at 650-6664 or Currin at 340-1140 for information.

Quail closing postponed

The closing of Quail Creek Golf Club at Coastal Carolina has been postponed at least a week.

Course operators planned to close the course Monday for three months to upgrade the greens to mini-verde Bermuda and perform other work, including the moving, refurbishing or removal of bunkers and the addition of approximately 250 yards to the 6,883-yard Gene Hamm layout. Designer Craig Schreiner is a consultant on the project.

Operators now plan to close by June 1 and reopen by early September, just after CCU students return to the campus. Signet Golf Associates of Pinehurst, N.C., won the bid and a final review of the contracts by state officials is necessary.

World Am discount deadline

Golfers have until June 3 to receive an early entry discount when registering for the 28^th GOLF.com World Amateur Handicap Championship, being played Aug. 29 through Sept. 2.

More than 3,000 golfers from 50 states and at least 20 countries are expected to converge on 60 Myrtle Beach area courses for the week. Registration for the 72-hole tournament is $550, but can be obtained for $500 for new players and $450 for past participants before June 3. Entry into the tournament includes four rounds of golf, a gift bag upon arrival, and four evenings of food, drink and golf exhibits at the "World's Largest 19th Hole."

For more information or to register call 1-800-833-8798 or visit WorldAmGolf.com.

Johnson against changes

The PGA Tour Policy Board - consisting of a handful of players and tour executives - has given preliminary approval and continues to consider a proposal to eliminate the jump directly from the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament to the tour.

A preliminary plan would allow access only to the feeder Nationwide Tour, and a three-tournament series at the end of the season would provide additional PGA Tour exempt playing cards.

Coastal Carolina alumnus Dustin Johnson, for one, doesn't like it. "It forces them to play a year on the Nationwide, which isn't a bad thing, but I think you should have an opportunity to make the PGA Tour," he said.

A select number of PGA Tour players who don't make the top 125 to qualify for the PGA Tour Playoffs for the FedExCup will be eligible for the tournaments, as would the top Nationwide players. Numbers being mentioned are 75 PGA Tour players and the top 50 players on the Nationwide money list, with the top 50 players from that three-event series earning their cards.

The top 25 players on the Nationwide Tour automatically earn cards under the current system, and typically the top 25 and ties at Q-School earn cards.

That system would eliminate jumps to the PGA Tour by young stars coming out of high school or college, as well as players who have toiled on mini tours but kept their dream alive.

Johnson and J.B. Holmes are among those who went straight from college and won in their rookie seasons, and Rickie Fowler went from Q-school to a spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup Team last year as a rookie.

"I don't like it at all," Johnson said. "There are a lot of guys that come through Q-School. It takes away like strong players coming out of college, giving them a chance to come straight to the PGA Tour. You know, it takes an opportunity for those who want to do that away."

The PGA Tour is likely seeking ways to strengthen the Nationwide brand, since the Nationwide Insurance company has said it won't renew its contract after the 2012 season.

Auction aids courses

Golf courses in the Carolinas, Georgia and Virginia will benefit from the third annual Rounds4Research.com auction, which netted more than $80,000 to help underpin turfgrass research.

The Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association administered the week-long online auction last month. Several Grand Strand layouts were among the 500 facilities that participated.

Successful bids ranged from just over $2,000 to as little as $15 to secure a tee-time for four.