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 An increase in developmental tours the past few years, however, offers a shot — and hope — for players who might have the talent to achieve the ultimate goal. On the West Coast, the A.G. Spanos California Tour is poised for a banner season this year. Alex Spanos, the owner of the largest family-owned construction company in the nation and the NFL’s San Diego Chargers, began funding the former California Golf Tour in 2004. “I have always wanted to be part of a golf tour,” said Spanos, who was a scratch player in his younger days. “My goal with this tour is to have it become the biggest and best in this state, if not the country, where young professionals and amateurs get the opportunity to show their talent and ability.” In the tour’s first two years, there were 12 events in California. There will be 16 this year, with the possibility of more if momentum continues to build. Some of that momentum came from last year’s qualifying for the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, where six players had ties to the A.G. Spanos California Tour, including Jason Gore, who split his time between the Spanos and Nationwide tours before qualifying for the PGA Tour and becoming an overnight celebrity. Adding more financial clout to the tour this year is presenting sponsor Ameriquest Mortgage Company, which will ensure that 100 percent of tour members’ entry fees go to tournament purses. All told, there will be $2.5 million up for grabs this season, including the $250,000 A.G. Spanos California Open in Stockton in June. “If we hadn’t gotten Mr. Spanos on board, it wouldn’t be the same,” said tour director John McCarthy, who has been operating golf tournaments in California since 1983. “We became a very structured tour when he got involved with us.” The structure of the tour, which employs a two-weeks on, one-week off scheduling approach, has attracted young talent such as recent Long Beach collegiate stars John Merrick and Peter Tomasulo, and older players such as PGA and Nationwide veteran John Wilson. Two of the biggest goals remaining are increasing the number of spectators and earning affiliation with the PGA Tour so select members could bypass early stages of Qualifying School or achieve some status on the Nationwide Tour based on performance. “Being affiliated with the PGA Tour would give these players recognition, something they don’t get a lot of,” McCarthy said. “What I would really and truly like to see happen is for the [PGA] Tour to evaluate what we do.” The A.G. Spanos California Tour begins its 2006 schedule February 13 at Carlton Oaks Country Club in Santee. Other Southland stops include Chula Vista, Temecula, Sunland, Moreno Valley, Beaumont, La Quinta and Murrieta. Events run through late August. The tour is open to pros who do not have regular status on the PGA or Nationwide tours. The cost to join is $15,200 for 16 events, based on an entry fee of $950 per event. In addition, there is a $600 membership fee. Full-field purses are $120,000 per event. For more information, call (877) 364-4653, or visit www.agspanostour.com. |
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