I can just see it now. Kauai, the Poipu Bay Resort golf course in particular, will be the site of a record attendance for playing hooky in the state's history. Tiger Woods will be
worth price of ticketA thousand youngsters -- all wearing Nikes and golf caps with that patented Swoosh -- will be saying, "I am Tiger Woods, I am Tiger Woods."
Who can blame them if they miss school on Nov. 18-19? The dates fall on Tuesday and Wednesday on a school week.
"Eh, sorry teacha, but I cannot come school those two days. Here's a written excuse from my folks. I'll be with them both days."
It just so happens that it is when the MasterCard PGA Grand Slam of Golf -- involving the winners of golf's four major championships -- will be held.
Featuring Tiger Woods, golf's young phenom, of course.
Although he hasn't yet officially said yes, Woods became the first to qualify for golf's most elite event by winning the Masters.
Woods has said he will be coming to Kauai for his first appearance here as a professional . He'll be en route back from Japan.
He will be joined by Ernie Els, who won the second major of the year, the U.S. Open.
Winners of the British Open at Royal Troon, Scotland, on July 17-20, and the PGA Championship at the Winged Foot Golf Club in New York the following month will round up the foursome for the $1-million event.
In the event either Woods or Els wins his second major of the year, an alternate will be named based on points on how they finish in the four majors.
RON Kiaaina, Poipu Bay's director of golf, is pulling for Tom Lehman, the defending Grand Slam and British Open champion, to be the next qualifier.
"Or Fred Couples or Tom Watson," says Kiaaina.
Well, as far as I'm concerned, anybody but Mark Brooks. He might be a decent guy, but Brooks was a no-show in the press conference after both rounds last year. He might have finished last -- fourth to put it nicely -- but he did pocket $150,000, which at least should have merited a postround grumpy comment or two.
But whoever the golfers completing the field are, Woods alone is worth the price of admission.
Tickets will go on sale beginning Monday and it will only be by telephone or fax, according to Michael Castillo, Poipu Bay's head pro.
It'll be limited to only 6,000 per day, so you'd better hurry. The number to call is 1-800-PGA-TCKT (742-8258). Only 12 season tickets can be purchased per call.
Season tickets are $40 (for both rounds and Monday's pro-am) or $20 each for Tuesday and Wednesday.
BUT we were talking about kids, weren't we? Kids most likely playing hooky to see Tiger Woods. And, yes, junior any-day tickets will be available to youngsters 18 and under for $5.
There's a hitch, though. They can be purchased only daily and on site in the company of a ticketed adult. Proceeds from that sale will go to the Kauai junior golf program.
So what we have here is not only kids playing hooky to see Tiger Woods. But they'll be doing so for a worthy cause. Now, what self-respecting teacher can object to that? None, to my way of thinking.
The gallery limitation of 6,000 spectators was suggested by the PGA of America in order to provide the best possible viewing conditions to experience the event. After all, everybody will be following just one foursome, unlike a regular tour event.
And considering that Tiger Woods is in the foursome, it's going to be a humongous one-group gallery.
It figures to be a whopping logistical problem in terms of parking, air traffic and accommodations. But Kauai is bracing for it.