January 29, 2003

GALLOWAY, OH — Current MELC Championship winner Jason Watson, known to friends as Randy and widely known as lead singer of the funk band Sexual Chocolate, confirmed his intention to contend for back-to-back Major victories with the Spackler Business Office today.

Some people have said this about Randy: ?That boy is good!?, but only whenever he was onstage, and never while he was on the golf course.  That could all change now.  Watson, who took a break from the band late in 2001 to concentrate on honing his game for the upcoming season, surprised many by winning his first Major title late last September at Golfapalooza.  Although Watson finished third in the 2002 CSOC in April, and tied for the second-highest score of the tournament with a final round NOOG score of 38, he started very poorly with a NOOG score of 21 in round one.  ?Consistency, consistency, consistency.  That?s the one thing I needed to improve on if I wanted to take Golfapalooza last year, especially after finishing third in the CSOC last year.  I knew I could do better, and I proved it.?

Many players didn?t think Watson had the right attitude for the game.  Mike Trojanowski, who goes by Troj and was last year?s controversial 2002 CSOC winner, had this to say:  ?He?s always been a Peter Jacobsen type of player.  I mean, he?s funny and can perform onstage, but did anybody think he could contend for titles?  Not really.?

Trojanowski was a little miffed for being asked about Watson?s chances to become the first back-to-back Major winner.  ?Who cares?  I think I can be the first to win back-to-back Golden Jackets.  Shit, the guy?s a singer.  Hell, there has to be something up with the CSOC VP of Tournament Rules winning Golfapalooza last year.  I said as much at the last CSOC Captain?s Club meeting, and all I got was a bunch of B.S.!  Who checks his scorecards??

Watson, a tremendously active member of the Captains club, has not only assumed responsibilities as CSOC VP of Tournament Rules again this year, he also doubles as the CSOC VP of Player Recruitment.  He responded to Trojanowski?s statement by saying:  ?Although our investigation last year did not produce anything other than circumstantial evidence, we?ll be watching the field even more closely this year.  Everyone should remember that SNN will have cameras rolling everywhere.  Without naming names, somebody better be careful.?

Well, that makes two more high-profile players with tension brewing between them, and both serving as Captain?s Club members to boot.  It?s only January, but this year?s Open is already gearing up to be the most talked about tournament since The Woods Classic in ?78.  You can catch it all in June on SNN.