1998 Dayton's Challenge
"Are you kidding," I said to Chris Murray, tournament director of the Dayton's Challenge. "You think we can get Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player to come in and play our event? They've never appeared together at a charity event before." We were hard at work putting together the 1998 Dayton's Challenge after completing a successful 1997 event.
The Dayton's Challenge grew out of a discussion Jim Lehman and I had while watching Jim's brother, Tom, play in the 1994 Master's. From the early '80s I had been a volunteer for the Children's Cancer Research Fund (CCRF) raising money for the Pediatric Oncology Department at the University of Minnesota. To supplement fund raising, I was trying to put together a golf event.
"How about if we get Tom to play an exhibition with two or three of his tour friends. We can sell sponsorships and tickets and raise some money, " I said.
"I like the idea," Jim told me. "Tom has talked about getting involved with the University (his alma mater) and this might be a good way to do it. I'm going to talk to him about it."
Soon after, Jim called to say Tom loved the idea and had put together a 'test run' in their hometown of Alexandria, MN during the summer of 1994. He recruited two of his tour friends, Duffy Waldorf and Keith Clearwater, for an exhibition to see if the idea would work. It was a huge success. We were ready for the big city.
The entire run of the event, starting in year one with Norstan as the title sponsor, then moving to Dayton's Department Stores, was marked by wonderful generosity on the part of sponsors. Dayton's, Northwest Airlines, Dockers Clothing, and many others who were incredibly generous, with in-kind gifts, sponsorships, and support.
After a successful 1996 event and a change to Dayton's as the title sponsor, Chris Murray was hired as the tournament director. Chris was an employee of Jim's company, Signature Sports, which was an agent for athletes and managed the Dayton's Challenge. Thirty years old, tall, fit, with blond hair, Chris had a thousand ideas that got bigger every day. Most of them could be immediately discarded, but once in a while his big idea would be a winner. So it was when he suggested we get Palmer, Player and Nicklaus to come to the 1998 event.
"I've already got it figured out as to how we get it done," said Chris. At the time, Tom Lehman was a top player in the world. Arnold Palmer had asked Tom to play in a one day golf event in Latrobe, PA, his home town. "We'll have Tom ask Arnold first. It will be a pay back request by Tom for coming to Latrobe to play Arnold's event. In addition, Arnold is the most likely of the three to agree to come. Jim (Lehman) and Tom are on board."
"Sounds great," I said.
Tom would talk to Arnold Palmer.
"I was so nervous calling Arnold to ask him," said Tom. "I remember exactly where I was - at a Disney Hotel in Orlando on the top floor in a restaurant. I left my party and snuck around the corner to call. I was hoping to break the ice by leaving a voice mail, but Arnold answered the phone. I explained the event and the charity and without hesitation, he agreed to come. From there it was easy to get Jack next and finally Gary."
We would have the three biggest names in golf at the Dayton's Challenge in 1998.
At a press conference in October of 1997 at Dayton's Department store in downtown Minneapolis, Tom announced "the greatest field ever assembled for a charity golf event". In fact, it was too good. Tom was in charge of recruiting players and with the headliners set, it seemed all the rest of the great players wanted to be there as well. The field would include Fred Couples, David Duval (at his peak), Peter Jacobson, Davis Love, Nick Price (a former number one player in the world), Phil Michelson, Tom Lehman and eight other "name" players of the day.
While most events such as the Dayton's Challenge paid fees to players to appear, we held a tournament with a purse. The winner received $100,000, with prize money trailing down to the last place player receiving $25,000. Thus, in effect, we paid for their appearance but there was a competitive aspect to the day. It worked well when US Open Champion, Steve Jones, shot 62 in 1997 and took home the prize. However, Duffy Waldorf, a close friend of Tom's, who played every year, made over $500,000. Duffy's fee would have probably been no more than $10,000 a year. Thus it broke both ways. We were able to attract great players with a big first prize, but when lesser players played well, they won considerably more money than their one day fee.
Without a regular tour stop in Minnesota, golf fans were starved to see the great names. As a result, ticket sales were always brisk, with a limit of 5,000 tickets sold. In 1995, the inaugural year in Minneapolis, with just one foursome playing, we sold out. Big problem. All those people and only one group. Viewing was terrible and we had many people saying they would never return. We were too successful.
The problem was solved by adding more players without increasing the number of tickets sold. Thus in '95, '96, and '97 we added players to the point where in 1998 there were 18 in the field. With the expanded field and pressure for tickets, the authorized sale would be 7,000 in 1998.
Great PGA Tour players, like Tom Lehman, draw people like a magnet. However, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, appearing in the same place are in a different league. Sponsor sales and ticket sales exploded. There was so much demand for tickets, I watched Jim Lehman stand at a copy machine printing them after we were sold out. Estimates were we had 10,000 in attendance.
"Jim, you have a phone call in the pro shop," said Dave Podas, then the golf professional at Minneapolis Golf Club, host site for the event. It was Sunday afternoon before the Monday event.
Jim hustled in to take the call. It was Winnie Palmer, Arnold's wife. "Jim, Arnold is right here and wants to talk with you," she said. Arnold then came to the phone.
"Jim, I know I committed to you to come to your dinner tonight, but am not in a position to get there. I'm sorry, but I will be there in plenty of time to play tomorrow."
"I understand," said Jim, "we'll look forward to seeing you tomorrow."
On Sunday night before each Dayton's Challenge, a Gala Dinner with 500 or more guests was held. The venue was the new Hilton in downtown Minneapolis. It included a large silent auction, along with a live auction. With Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player (although only briefly because of feeling under the weather) in attendance, the entire evening was magic.
High profile players in attendance trigger more involvement in auctions and the prices paid for items go up. Previous live auction events raised $100,000-$200,000. The 1998 Gala Dinner saw two people together spend over $300,000.
Jack Nicklaus appearing at the dinner provided a bonus for the event. Dressed smartly in a dark suit, white shirt, and tie, Jack has never disappointed me. At an evening where some high profile athletes would wear 'what they want', Jack was respectful to the event, in his dress and the verbal commitment he made earlier in the year to attend. I have been around Jack Nicklaus at least ten times since 1965. While I do not personally know him, he has always been friendly, agreeable and forthcoming in limited interaction with me. I have tremendous respect for Jack Nicklaus as a person.
Monday morning, June 29th, presented a perfect day. Starting with a traditional breakfast for sponsors, all players appeared, minus Arnold, flying in on his jet, and the ill Gary Player. It was at the breakfast where it became obvious our field was overloaded with great players. Players who in past years would have commanded attention were relegated to the background with Nicklaus and Tom Lehman drawing the crowds.
What this star studded line up allowed was unusual access to the other players. I sat with Peter Jacobson, who annually hosted a similar event in Portland, talking about how our event could be better. Peter would play his guitar on stage at the post round gathering as a part of his band Jake Trout and the Flounders. Peter Jacobson is one of the best people I have ever been around in the game. Approachable, friendly with tremendous people skills, Peter Jacobson would be successful in any walk of life.
Nick Price was another example of a top player, lost in the background of the tremendous field. Nick was still near the top of his game, having been the number one player in the world for 43 weeks in 1993 and 1994. One of the nicest men I have ever been around on tour, we chatted as the media crowded around Jack later in the morning.
In the eight years the Dayton's Challenge ran there was never a problem with a player. We found nearly every player to be accommodating, honoring their commitment, and friendly. Much of this is credit to Tom Lehman, in charge of recruiting the field. Having been at tour events where the players are inflexible, it was refreshing when the schedule set for the day by Jim was greeted warmly.
Arnold Palmer arrived and walked out of the locker room where Bill Kelly, a volunteer, waited to escort him to the practice area. "I'm sorry to tell you your caddie, who paid $22,000 to carry your bag, knows nothing about golf, " Bill stated. It was the set up for a practical joke to be pulled on Bill's roommate from college and Arnold's caddie, Joe Ryan. Upon giving the background, Arnold jumped in with both feet, promptly asking, "Have you got any dirt on him?"
Bill proceeded to tell Arnold about Joe's college girl friend. As Arnold was introduced to Joe, he said, "What a coincidence, I met a woman that know's you, Barb King. She is a looker, it's too bad she dumped you!"
Joe stood stunned until Bill could not take it, breaking out in laughter. There was a reason Arnold Palmer was loved by all golf fans; he was a great guy.
I stood on the first tee as the three greatest players of the past 40 years shook hands with sponsors and chatted amicably with each other. It was a bit of a surprise to see how small in stature the three of them were. At age 68, Arnold had lost some of his height, once said to be 5'10," his hair having turned from brown to white. He always impressed me with how strong his hands were and the size of his forearms. He looked vibrant and was still active. Dressed sharply in a white shirt with his multi colored umbrella logo on the left chest, golf hat, and perfectly tailored light blue pleated slacks, he had a sparkle in his eyes as they darted around the gathered crowd.
Jack, standing in front of the enormous gallery, at age 58 was still maintaining his 5' 10" frame. Arnold and Jack conversed in a friendly manner with Gary, who was all in black with the black knight logo on his hat. Gary was hanging back and showing signs of his not feeling well.
At every tee the group was greeted with a warm welcome as they shook hands with sponsors, having paid to have the opportunity to do so. They could not have been more congenial.
Even at 58 Jack still had game. Driving the ball long and straight, Jack shot 69, in a round full of distractions and conversation. Arnold, always giving it 100%, had 74, while Player, just trying to get through the day not feeling well, shot 79. "You could tell Gary was sick because he and Jack normally have a lot of banter together but didn't that day," said Tom to me later. "There was always more chemistry between Gary and Jack, than Jack and Arnold. Not that they weren't good friends, Gary and Jack were just closer." So it was as I watched Jack and Arnold walk down the first fairway enjoying a laugh together, Gary hanging back.
No matter what the scores, it was a treat for the event and the fans in attendance to see the three giants of the game. All three thanked Tom Lehman walking off the 18th green and headed to their respective private planes, having given a great performance.
At the award ceremony immediately following play, the balance of the great players could step forward. "This is the greatest field ever assembled for a charity golf event," Tom Lehman stated in his remarks. It was a surreal experience standing amongst the top players of the day; Nick Price, Peter Jacobsen, US Open Champion Lee Jansen and Phil Michelson.
Master of Ceremonies and local media person, Michele Tafoya introduced David Duval, winner of five tournaments in his previous ten starts and the best player in the world the previous 16 months. "This should be an official PGA Tour event. Look at this field," said Duval who shot 66 to win the event and take home $100,000. For being on the winning team, Duval won an additional $10,000 which he donated back to CCRF.
The Dayton's Challenge benefited the Children's Cancer Research Fund at the University of Minnesota. For David Duval it was his second trip to the event. Later that year, in a 'Sports Illustrated' story, he revealed he had been a bone marrow donor for his brother, who eventually died of leukemia. David's family broke apart. His parents divorced and David was left alone to deal with the tragedy. It was a burden he found heavy to carry. He blamed himself for the death of his brother. David Duval was a bone marrow donor and never said a thing about it, as he spoke to the group, in accepting the winner's check.
All through college and in his early pro career he was considered a difficult person. Many surmised his personality was guided by the burden. He may have been a different person had the bone marrow transplant been successful.
Presenting a check for $1,007,644 to the Children's Cancer Research Fund was the high point in the eight year run of the Dayton's/Marshall Fields Challenge. At the time it may have been the largest fund raising golf tournament in Minnesota history. Over those eight years, we raised four million two hundred thousand dollars to cure cancer in kids. With some of the money a $2,000,000 endowed chair in the name of the Lehman Family was established at the University of Minnesota, guaranteeing ongoing research.
I asked Tom if the establishment of the Lehman Family Chair was one of the greatest things he had ever been involved with. "Yes," was his answer.
The tremendous field stuffed with the greatest names current and past, made all future events pale in comparison. While we held three more great events, none carried quite the excitement of the 1998 event.
It was a thrill to be around the three greatest players in my generation. However, it was even more gratifying to know we would help save the lives of kids with our work In A Life of Golf.
Pictured at the award ceremony of the 1998 Dayton's Challenge, Tom Lehman, Melissa Lehman, Cal Simmons and on the right, Michele Tafoya, not knowing a picture was being taken!
