“The punishing schedule that Kevin Stadler has followed this year has taken its toll. More than 30 tournaments in countries as far apart as New Zealand and Scotland represent a lot of golf. So it is little wonder that Stadler missed his past two cuts, at the Australian Masters in Melbourne and at the Blue Chip New Zealand Open, played at a wet and windy Gulf Harbour outside Auckland.
– Scotland on Sunday”

This quote, quoted by Truth and Rumors on SI, appears to take Baby Stads to task for his globe-trotting. Nothing could be more distant from the truth. Stads Puppy had no reputation, nothing to preserve nor defend, when he won the Johnnie Walker last year. The victory earned him a spate of exemptions into every event Gary Player ever won. Why not spread some Tiny Walrus love all over the world? Who knows when, the next time his status on the PGA Tour is non-exempt, where he will get to play, thanks to his good-will tour. He is young, good looking, and fit (all right, I lied about the “young” part.) Why shouldn’t he rock the world? That’s how he rolls.

A generation of international golf fans that loved his dad, will turn out to see the wee walrus any day of the week. That adds up to ticket, concession, and apparel sales. Stads did the right thing. Now that he is exempt to the PGA Tour for 2007, it is time to determine what matters more: Stads II the brand or Stads JR. the exempt tour player in 2008.

Permalink 6 comments