Instinet an instant classic in Princeton

Senior PGA tournament expected to return to TPC at Jasna Polana in 2001

By: Jane Karlicek
   PRINCETON TOWNSHIP – The Instinet Classic is expected to return to the Tournament Players Club at Jasna Polana next year after an overwhelmingly positive response to the Senior PGA tournament that ended Sunday.
   The 2001 version may take place a little earlier in the year, according to the tournament’s executive director.
   "For a first-year event, it was amazing how well everything went," said Mary Ann Saleski. "Everyone was happy, tournament officials, volunteers …"
   The number of people who visited the weeklong tournament were estimated at over 75,000, Ms. Saleski said.
   "The staff and I feel there’s such a great future for growth because of the response," she said.
   Ms. Saleski said she is working on an earlier date for the Instinet Classic because "somebody else has to be up against the British Open," she said with a chuckle.
   Ms. Saleski said she is hoping to hold the Instinet Classic sometime in June rather than mid-July.
   While a contract with the Tournament Players Club at Jasna Polana isn’t signed, Ms. Saleski said she expects to return next year and bring the Instinet Classic with her. Instinet has signed a three-year contract to be the title sponsor of the Senior PGA golf tournament, she added.
   Most of the proceeds from the Instinet Classic benefit The Leonard and Madlyn Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. Ten percent will go to a local charity, which has yet to be announced.
   Tournament officials weren’t the only ones pleased with how the event proceeded. Princeton Township police, who worked with police from Lawrence Township, said things went smoothly from a traffic perspective.
   "We dealt with all the traffic on the outside (of the golf club)," Princeton Township Sgt. Mike Henderson said. "Everything from our perspective went very smoothly."
   Sgt. Henderson said the only kink in the weeklong tournament was the parking issue off of Carson Road in Lawrence. General ticket holders were supposed to park on fields off Carson Road and did on Friday. However, Jasna Polana officials said they discontinued parking off Carson Road for the rest of the tournament because the fields were too muddy (see story on Page 1A). Parking was instead provided at the Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. parking lot.
   There were some traffic tie-ups Friday night at Province Line Road and Route 206, which was aided by the regular Friday night traffic, he added. But, he said, "it flowed very smoothly," as did the traffic on Sunday, the last official round of the Instinet Classic.
   "It was definitely well-planned," Sgt. Henderson added.
   For spectators, the tournament went just as smoothly. Scores of people scurried from hole to hole Sunday with portable chairs, looking for the best view. Others chatted about golf techniques, how they would have hit the ball and the regular golf talk you’d find at a tournament.
   Ten-year old Jeff Budzinski of Lawrence Township excitedly showed his baseball hat covered with 11 Senior PGA golfers’ signatures.
   "This is my first time on a golf course besides miniature golf," Jeff said. "I’m not really that good at (golf) yet. My dad and neighbor are good at golf."
   Jeff had been collecting signatures all day. The area where the golfers came off the 18th hole was lined with people of all ages, including Jeff, trying to get them to sign their programs, hats or posters. Jeff said his friend, Pat Moore, was able to get an even more precious trophy, an autographed golf glove given to him by Senior PGA player Tom Shaw. Then Jeff ran off to get more signatures. He returned 20 minutes later with his own golf glove signed by Senior PGA golfer Jim Albus.
   Pat DeCrosta, who works in the Lawrence Township Clerk’s Office, was enjoying herself as well, with her sister-in-law Beverly Lombardo, a Bristol- Myers Squibb employee.
   "I’m having a great day," Ms. DeCrosta said. And so was Ms. Lombardo.
   "We’re so fortunate to live so close to have the senior tour here," Ms. Lombardo said.
   Ms. Lombardo’s husband, Vince, works at the Tournament Players Club at Jasna Polana as its full-time course advisor and had been working the entire tournament, she said.
   "My husband told me he couldn’t get over how friendly and down to earth all the pros are," said Ms. DeCrosta.
   While their husbands were off enjoying the tournament play, Kelli Kerlin of East Windsor and her friend were sitting by the 18th green catching up on each other’s lives.
   "Even if you don’t love to golf, it’s a gorgeous day to be on the course taking in the sights," Ms. Kerlin said. "I’m trying to imagine what it was like before it was a golf course. It’s beautiful."
   The Renfrow family of Yardley was busy enjoying the beauty of the course. "We wanted to see the grounds," Craig Renfrow said. "When they were building it (the course), we read about it in the papers. I would love to play here."
   Mr. Renfrow, his wife, Chloe, and 10-year-old son Justin were all having a good time and used many adjectives to describe the course at Jasna Polana including "lovely," "gorgeous" and "beautiful."
   Anne Marie Walsh of Pennington was also enjoying herself as she sipped a beer alongside the 18th fairway.
   "I just came to be a part of it all," Ms. Walsh said.