Skins game about giving back to golf

By Cleve Dheensaw, Victoria Times Colonist

VICTORIA - Ken Venturi, the noted golf personality and twice second at the Masters, showed Jeneece Edroff how to tip her cap after draining a putt on the practice green Wednesday at Bear Mountain Golf Resort.

"If I could putt like that, I would have made a lot more of them," quipped Venturi, who followed his 14 PGA Tour victories with a 35-year career as golf colour analyst on CBS.

For her part, Edroff said she prefers mini golf.

"Maybe one day I'll try the real game if I have the strength," said Edroff, a Grade 10 student who suffers from neurofibromatosis, a condition in which tumours grow on nerve pathways in the body.

The two were part of a media conference held for the 2010 Telus World Skins game to be staged at Bear Mountain June 21-22.

The 78-year-old Venturi, who counted the likes of Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby as friends and running mates, was taken by the young Victoria fundraising dynamo, whose Jeneece Place is the charity of choice for the Telus Skins Game. Jeneece Place will provide accommodation and support near Victoria General Hospital for families of sick children.

"It's hard to believe the idea has come this far. Go for your dreams and never give up on them," said Edroff.

The 2010 Telus Skins game will feature veteran great Fred Couples, the 1992 Masters champion and 1991 and 1992 PGA player of the year, appealing young PGA Tour star Camilo Villegas of Colombia and the 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir of Canada. The final two golfers for the TSN-televised event will be announced Monday.

Villegas phoned in to Bear Mountain Wednesday and was asked by the gathered media about an array of topics.

"I always remember what Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan told me: ‘Be good to the game and give back,' " Venturi advised Villegas, on the conference call.

The Colombian prodigy, who won the Honda Classic three weeks ago by five strokes, was in agreement.

"We're very privileged to do what we do," said Villegas.

"We have to appreciate what we have and that we're in a position to be positive influences."

At the leading edge of the next generation's array of PGA Tour stars, the progress of the dashing and handsome Villegas is being closely watched in the sport.

"Every time you walk into the media room and people ask about Tiger (Woods) and Phil (Mickelson). But I can only control what I do. I can only control my own outcome," he said.

"It's hard to believe it's already been five years since college, and I suppose I am starting to establish a personality but I just want to keep headed in the right direction in the game. If you are trying to be an entertainer, your game can go south. Putting extra pressure on yourself like that is not the best strategy. If you express yourself playing your game, people will enjoy that game."

Villegas was the 2008 Telus Skins Game champion at Predator Ridge in Vernon, B.C., but realizes Weir will be the home-country hit among the gallery of this Skins Game at Bear Mountain.

"Mike is a good friend and such a great example for not only golf, but Canada," said Villegas, adding he was proud to have represented his own country in international play.

That garnered questions from the media, wondering what he feels about his homeland's sometimes bruised past reputation.

"Every country has its problems and people tend to focus on only the bad things that have happened in my country and take for granted the good things," he said.

"But the Nationwide Tour coming to Colombia has helped to change the image and the misconceptions some people have."

Meanwhile, Villegas, Couples and Weir will all be a part of it as the Woods circus rolls into Augusta this month for the Masters.

"It's going to be crazy there with a lot of distractions," said Villegas.

"I wish Tiger the best on his return. Tiger has done a lot of great things for the game. The rest of the guys are excited to have him back. Tiger was raised to win golf tournaments and has a strong mind. Whenever he has come back before from time away, he has always come back strong."

About the 2010 Skins Game, Villegas said: "I've heard great things about it (Bear Mountain). You are going to see a lot of birdies, but birdies may not even be enough (to win holes)."