HOUSTON (February 20, 2008) – Sports Illustrated’s Alan Shipnuck broke through with his first two first-place Non-Daily wins, Lisa D. Mickey picked up her second consecutive first-place in Internet Feaures and Ron Sirak’s look at the humanitarian mission to Rwanda by six LPGA players in Golf World gave Golf Digest Companies its sixth first-place in seven years in Non-Daily Special Projects in the Golf Writers Association of America’s annual writing contest.
Shipnuck won Non-Daily News for his account of Tiger Woods’ 13th major championship victory – the PGA Championship – and also won the Non-Daly Features category for his story on Angel Cabrera’s trip from the barrio to U.S. Open champion. Mickey’s winning story was on Duramed Futures Tour player Jenny Hansen, whose husband was killed in Iraq. Hansen was also the subject of Jim Gorant’s winning Internet Column on SI.com. It was Gorant’s first win.
Sirak’s winning project, which chronicled LPGA players helping orphans from AIDS and the genocide in the tiny African nation, was his first win. Golf Digest Companies swept both the Non-Daily Special Projects and Non-Daily Columns.
PGATOUR.com picked up two first-place awards. Dave Shedloski won for third time, this one for his Special Project on Tiger’s first decade. Melanie Hauser’s winning News story on Steve Stricker’s victory at The Barclays was her second first-place.
Randall Mell of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and Mike Kern of the Philadelphia Daily news also both won for the second time. Mell won Daily Columns with a look at Mark Wilson’s win; Kern for his Daily Special Project on Tiger Woods’ Masterful Decade. Mell also finished second in Daily Features.
First-time winners were Jim McCabe of the Boston Globe for his Daily News story on Phil Mickelson bringing Dave Pelz to Oakmont, Hank Gola of the New York Daily News with his Daily Feature on Meaghan Francella beating the odds and Annika Sorenstam, and Golf For Women’s Betty Cuniberti with a Non-Daily Column on envying members of private country clubs. McCabe also finished second in Daily Columns.
All winners will be honored at the GWAA’s Annual Awards Dinner April 9 in Augusta, Ga.
The following is a full list of the winners, including honorable mentions. There were 475 entries in the contest.
2008 GWAA CONTEST RESULTS
DAILY
DAILY COLUMNS – 1, Randall Mell, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Mark Wilson; 2, Jim McCabe, Boston Globe, Tribute to John Mineck’s passion; 3, Ian O’Connor, The Record, Investing in Zach Johnson.
Honorable mention: Gary D’Amato, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Arnold’s ceremonial shot; Gary D’Amato, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, A day in the rain at St. Andrews; Art Spander, Oakland Tribune, John Daly trying to regain control.
DAILY NEWS – 1, Jim McCabe, Boston Globe, Phil brings Dave Pelz to Oakmont; 2, Ed Sherman, Chicago Tribune, Final round of the British Open; 3, John Dell, Winston-Salem Journal, MacKenzie sizzles in first round of Wyndham Championship.
Honorable mention: Doug Ferguson, Associated Press, Daly grips, rips in Tulsa; Bob Gillespie, The State, Zach Johnson wins Masters; Ian O’Connor, The Record, Brutal conditions at Augusta.
DAILY FEATURES – 1, Hank Gola, New York Daily News, Meaghan Francella beats odds and Annika Sorenstam; 2, Randall Mell, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Martin “The Fat Man” Stanovich; 3, Jim Owczarski, Naperville Sun, Curtis Malm makes it to Nationwide Tour.
Honorable Mention: John Boyette, The Augusta Chronicle, Masters chairman Billy Payne; Gary D’Amato, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Allen Doyle deserves more respect; Ian O’Connor, The Record, Brett Wetterich at the Masters.
DAILY SPECIAL PROJECTS – 1, Mike Kern, Philadelphia Daily News, Tiger Woods – a Masterful Decade; 2, Scott Michaux, The Augusta Chronicle, The various sides of Phil Mickelson; 3, Gary D’Amato, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Model for private clubs in death throes.
Honorable mention: Doug Ferguson, Associated Press, Reconstructing Tiger’s ’97 Masters; Bob Gillespie, The State, Toughest Course hosts Senior PGA; Ed Sherman, Chicago Tribune, Golf Courses and trees.
INTERNET
(added 2007, previously with Daily)
INTERNET COLUMNS – 1, Jim Gorant, SI.com, Jenny Hansen dedicates game to husband’s memory; 2, Rex Hoggard, Golfweek.com, Erik Compton is a medical miracle; 3, Eric Soderstrom, Golfweek.com, Inside Isleworth with Tiger and the Stanford team.
Honorable mention: Mercer Baggs, GolfChannel.com, Who’s better – Tiger or Federer?; Beth Ann Baldry, Golfweek.com, Time for a new LPGA Qualifying School venue? ; Lisa D. Mickey, LPGA.com, Se Ri Pak has led a nation.
INTERNET NEWS – 1, Melanie Hauser, PGATOUR.com, Steve Stricker wins The Barclays; 2, Gary Van Sickle, golf.com, Scott Verplank’s win was a dream come true; 3, Cameron Morfit, golf.com, Padraig Harrington wins British Open.
Honorable mention: Jay Flemma, cybergolf.com, John Daly in the hunt at the PGA Championship; Cameron Morfit, golf.com, Zach Johnson wins the Masters; Eric Soderstrom, Golfweek.com, Greensburg’s unexpected gift.
INTERNET FEATURES – 1, Lisa D. Mickey, duramedfuturestour.com, Jenny Hansen; 2, David Shefter, USGA.org, Daffodil Sanchez; 3, Jeff Babineau, Golfweek.com, Dennis Pines Golf Club
Honorable mention: Mercer Baggs, GolfChannel.com, Kim Julian fights ALS after it takes her husband’s life; Mercer Baggs, GolfChannel.com, Scott Draper; Ron Sirak, GolfDigest.com, Traveling with six LPGA players to Rwanda
INTERNET SPECIAL PROJECTS – 1, Dave Shedloski, PGATOUR.com, Tiger’s first decade; 2, Jason Sobel, ESPN.com, Life as a caddie; 3, Stina Sternberg, Golfforwomen.com, Blogs from the Solheim Cup.
Honorable mention: Brett Avery, PGATOUR.com, Blog from first day of Bob Hope Chrysler Classic; Jay Flemma, cybergolf.com, Bulls Bay; Ron Sirak, GolfDigest.com, A trip through Sweden.
NON-DAILY
NON-DAILY COLUMNS – 1, Betty Cuniberti, Golf for Women, Envying members of private country clubs; 2, Joe Queenan, Golf Digest, Defending “slackers” who play golf; 3, Dave Kindred, Golf Digest, Millionaire Sid Frank.
Honorable mention: Tom Callahan, Golf Digest, Phil and Tiger grow closer; Jaime Diaz, Golf World, What Tiger does or doesn’t owe the PGA Tour; Dan Jenkins, Golf Digest, Age takes its toll in golf.
NON-DAILY NEWS – 1, Alan Shipnuck Sports Illustrated, Tiger wins 13th major; 2, John Garrity, Golf Magazine, Johnny Miller; 3, Jaime, Diaz, Golf Digest, Michelle Wie’s bewildering decline as a player.
Honorable mention: Jeff Rude, Golfweek, Johnson wins Masters; Jeff Rude, Golfweek, Harrington overcomes burn at Carnoustie; Alan Shipnuck, Sports Illustrated, Zach Johnson wins Masters; Ron Sirak, Golf World, Cristie Kerr wins U.S. Women’s Open.
‘NON-DAILY FEATURES – 1, Alan Shipnuck, Sports Illustrated, Angel Cabrera fights from barrio to U.S. Open champion; 2, E.M. Swift, Golf Digest, Oakmont members revel in misery; 3, Ron Whitten, Golf Digest, Profile of legendary caddie Carl Jackson.
Honorable mention: Bill Fields, Golf World, Ben Hogan’s last Masters; Dave Kindred, Golf Digest, Profile of Billy Payne; Jason Lusk, Golfweek, The town of Milton, Fla., has produced unlikely PGA Tour trio.
NON-DAILY SPECIAL PROJECTS – 1, Ron Sirak, Golf World, LPGA players travel to Rwanda on humanitarian mission; 2, Dave Kindred, Tom Callahan, Pete Finch, Golf Digest, Adventures on a golf trip in a mobile home; 3, Pete McDaniel, Jaime Diaz, John Huggan, Peter Morrice, Mark Soltau, Bob Verdi, Ron Whitten, Golf Digest, 10th anniversary of Tiger Woods’ 12-stroke win at Augusta.
Honorable mention: Beth Ann Baldry, Golfweek, Korean domination may be coming to an end; John Garrity, Sports Illustrated, Conversations with golf’s ghosts; Rex Hoggard, Golfweek, Australians strive for Masters prize.
Contact:
Melanie Hauser
Golf Writers Association of America
713/782-6664
