ON THE FRINGE

By Doug Ferguson

updated 10:07 p.m. ET Dec. 25, 2007

Ben Curtis is a glass half-full kind of guy, which is why he saw his 2007 season as one for the history books.

By finishing in last place at the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship, he became the first player to receive FedEx Cup points. And with some help from the draw at The Barclays, Curtis was the first to hit a shot in the inaugural PGA Tour Playoffs.

That didn’t earn him a bonus, or even an asterisk.

Even so, he played his part in a “new era of golf” that featured some familiar themes. Tiger Woods won the most tournaments and the most money by taking the fewest strokes. And for the seventh straight year, someone won a major for the first time.

But there’s always something different outside the ropes that make golf memorable beyond the birdies and bogeys.

———

John Daly got off to a tough start this year, one omen coming at Riviera.

Shortly before he teed off in the first round on No. 10, his sand wedge came loose at the hotel. An equipment rep took it to the truck for a quick repair, telling Daly he would get it back to him as he was walking down the fairway.

Daly hit a driver through the green into a back bunker. Looking around, there was no sign of the equipment rep. Left only with a 52-degree wedge in his bag, it took him two shots to get out of the bunker, and Daly started with a bogey.

The rep showed up on the 11th tee.

———

Tiger Woods’ last good chance to win the Masters ended on the 15th hole when the 3-iron he tried to cut around the trees hopped off the bank and into the pond fronting the green. He did well to escape with par, but couldn’t make birdie the rest of the way and wound up two shots behind Zach Johnson.

The next day, a group of guests were on the 15th hole when one of the caddies stood on the bank of the pond with his back turned to the green. He looked into the murky water, then back toward the fairway, trying to figure out the path of Woods’ errant shot.

Finally, he spotted a ball in the water. He dipped a wedge into the pond, scooped up the ball and balanced it on the face of the club as he slowly lifted it out of the water. Sure enough, there was that unmistakable swoosh.

But the grin faded when the caddie flipped the ball into his hand and noticed a corporate logo.

He tossed it back in the water and went to tend the flag.

———

Rich Beem showed how a little kindness can go a long way.

He was having dinner in the bar at Maggiano’s in Charlotte, N.C., and customers stopped by to either wish him luck or tell him how much they enjoyed his victory in the ’02 PGA Championship at Hazeltine.

The bartender came over and began spinning a yarn about a distant relative who knew Beem’s mother-in-law. Instead of a hollow stare to end the conversation, Beem whipped out his cell phone and called her.

“Mom? Hey, it’s Rich. How are you? I’m in North Carolina this week. Hey, listen, there’s a guy here who says he’s related to someone who you might have known ... hang on, Mom, I’ll let you talk to him.”

And with that, Beem handed the phone to a very startled bartender.

“Hello? Uh, yes ma’am, I have an aunt on my wife’s side ...” the bartender said.

This went on for a few more seconds until the bartender’s eyes grew wide. “Right! Right! That’s her!”

After a few more minutes, the bartender handed the phone back and was positively beaming.

The bill for dinner arrived later, and Beem was charged only for two glasses of wine for him and his guest. He paid the bill, then left the bartender a $100 tip.

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