A breeze at The Resort
Former Major League Baseball player Mark Mulder celebrates his Showcase win in 2019 at The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course. Mulder returns on Saturday to defend his title. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
Former Spokane Chief Ray Whitney, left, and former NHL player Brenden Morrow, in blue, congratulate Mark Mulder on his Showcase win Saturday at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course.
Former NHL player Brenden Morrow tees off during The Showcase Saturday at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
Fans watch former professional baseball, hockey and basketball celebrities tee off to the floating green during the Showcase celebrity golf exhibition Saturday at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
Former Major League Baseball pitcher Roger Clemens watches one of his tee shots at Saturday’s Showcase celebrity golf exhibition at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
Former professional hockey player and future Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Guy Carbonneau watches his putt during Showcase celebrity golf exhibition Saturday at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
Six time NFL Pro Bowler and former running back Eric Dickerson watches one of his tee shots during the Showcase celebrity golf exhibition Saturday at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
Former Major League Baseball player Shane Victorino watches one of his iron shots during the Showcase celebrity golf exhibition Saturday at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
Fans in the VIP deck watch former professional baseball, hockey and basketball celebrities finish the 18th hole during the Showcase celebrity golf exhibition on Saturday at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
LOREN BENOIT/Press Former Major League Baseball pitcher Mark Mulder hits a ball out of a bunker during The Showcase celebrity golf exhibition on Saturday at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course.
Former Portland State and NFL quarterback Neil Lomax watches his tee shot on the third hole during The Showcase celebrity golf tournament Saturday at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. Lomax nearly made a hole-in-one on the shot. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
Former Gonzaga basketball player Adam Morrison tees off during the Showcase celebrity golf exhibition at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course on Saturday. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
Actress Janet Gretzky, wife of Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky, waves to the crowd after finishing at The Showcase celebrity golf exhibition Saturday at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
Former professional hockey player Barret Jackman signs two golf balls for two young fans at Saturday’s Showcase celebrity golf exhibition at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
COEUR d’ALENE — For a first-timer at The Showcase golf exhibition, Mark Mulder was pretty impressive with the clubs in his hands.
Even if he didn’t think the same.
“To be honest, I was playing terrible coming into this tournament,” said Mulder, the former pitcher for the Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals, who shot a 5-under 66 in Friday’s first round of the 36-hole tourney. “I played really well on the back nine yesterday. This course is doable on the back nine and sets up with a few very reachable par-5s and I had the mindset of not doing anything stupid that gets you in trouble.”
Mulder got it to 7-under for the tournament through the first 11 holes in Saturday’s round, before finishing at 6-under 136 to win the sixth annual event at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course.
“I had a three-shot lead coming into today, and after the first nine it was five, maybe six,” Mulder said. “So I was just trying not to mess it up. I just tried to keep the ball in front of me, and I was able to do that. I was able to eagle the 17th hole after a terrible three-putt on the island hole (the Floating Green). It’s kind of the way it goes.”
The 6-foot-6 Mulder, who finished 103-60 in his career, has finished runner-up in the American Century Championship at Lake Tahoe the past two years — most recently two weeks ago. Showcase event organizers, noting his showings at the Tahoe event, contacted Mulder about playing in Coeur d’Alene.
“It’s a similar setting,” Mulder said of the Lake Tahoe course. “You’ve got the water on the one side and the mountain on the other. It’s not quite mountains, but there’s hills. It’s the same beautiful setting, with temperatures in the mid-80s and wind. The wind like it was today was enough to make you nervous, but it’s a fun tournament. The vibe and atmosphere here is great. You can’t recreate this stuff.”
Defending Showcase champion Ray Whitney, the former Spokane Chief who went on to play for the San Jose Sharks, finished second with a 2-over par 144.
“The wind was really difficult today and really separated the men from the boys,” said Whitney, who led the Chiefs to the Memorial Cup title in 1991. “The one man was Mark Mulder, because he handled it really well. I had a couple of bad swings and in this wind, a couple of bad swings is going to cost you a double bogey, and that was the difference today.”
Whitney was three shots behind Mulder after Friday’s play.
“You could tell he’s been playing tournament golf for a while,” said Whitney of Mulder. “He’s played the Tahoe event a few times, and he’s pretty patient with his game. He keeps hitting the fairways, keeps hitting the green and doesn’t get himself into too much trouble. With the way the wind was today, any mishit is multiplied by three or four, and he maybe had one all day today. That’s a tribute to him. He’s a good golfer.”
Former Portland State quarterback Neil Lomax very nearly walked away with a brand new BMW after missing an ace by 5 feet on the 110-yard third hole.
“I hit a great wedge,” Lomax said. “I’ve got to admit, I love coming here and the conditions are awesome. But the ball just carries and I knocked it about 5 feet away. But then I misread the putt.”
Lomax, who played in a three-some with retired NHL players Sheldon Souray and Guy Carbonneau, teed off at 9:40 a.m., when wind wasn’t as much of a factor. By the time the group arrived at the 14th hole, with the Floating Green, conditions had changed.
“I was more proud of the shot I hit on the 14th,” Lomax said. “We got to 14, and the wind was blowing maybe 40 miles an hour. We all hit hard eights or sevens, and barely got on. I was happy it stayed in the air and stayed on the green, and walked away with par.”
Lomax made his fifth appearance at The Showcase, which raises funds for the Community Cancer Fund.
“(Event organizers) Ryan Gee and Fritz Wolfe, and I’m good friends with Jerid (Keefer),” Lomax said. “The foundation is great, and I’ve known (Gonzaga men’s basketball coach) Mark Few forever. I appreciate them letting me come back and will continue to do so as long as they let me.”
David Justice, making his first appearance at The Showcase, won Friday’s team best ball round alongside sponsor Zak Designs with a 31-under 111, edging Team West, including Tampa Bay Lightning standout Tyler Johnson, the former Coeur d’Alene Laker and Spokane Chief; and Team Gretzky by one stroke.
“My wife knew someone that was part of the event,” Justice said. “But I didn’t know just how beautiful this was going to be. I’d never been to Idaho before, and this is just a beautiful course and a great event. If they’ll have me out here every year, I’ll definitely be back.”
Final money raised from this year’s event had yet to be announced. The previous five Showcase events raised a total of $13 million, including $4 million last year.
GROSS RESULTS — 1, Mark Mulder, 66-70—136. 2, Ray Whitney, 69-75—144. 3, Marshall Faulk, 74-71—145. 4, Brenden Morrow, 72-74—146. 5, Ryan Longwell, 75-72—147. 6, Grant Fuhr, 74-74—148. 7, Jermaine Dye, 77-73—150. 8 (tie), Guy Carbonneau, 75-77—152; Bryan Walters, 73-79—152; Neil Lomax, 74-78—152. 11, Roger Clemens, 77-79—156. 12, Barret Jackman, 79-78—157. 13, Ron Harper, 74-88—162. 14, Fred McGriff, 82-82—164. 15 (tie), Shane Victorino, 77-88—165; Truck Robinson, 85-80—165. 17, Jim McMahon, 81-89—170. 18 (tie), Kevin Dillon, 89-86—175; Russ Courtnall, 88-87—175.
NET RESULTS — 1, David Justice, 66-60—126. 2, Janet Gretzky, 60-69—129. 3 (tie), Wayne Gretzky, 68-67—135; Sheldon Souray, 67-68—135; Sidney Rice, 64-71—135. 6, Eric Dickerson, 69-68—137. 7 (tie), Adam Morrison, 70-68—138; Bobby Ryan, 66-72—138; Val Bure, 70-68—138. 10 (tie), Seth Joyner, 67-73—140; Desmond Mason, 72-68—140; Kelly Chase, 66-74—140. 13 (tie), Richard Dent, 70-73—143; Tyler Johnson, 69-74—143. 15, Jon Cooper, 70-74—144. 16 (tie), Doug Weight, 73-74—147; Roy Green, 76-71—147. 18, Marcus Allen, 74-85–159.