HOUSTON (February 23, 2009) – Golf Digest’s John Barton, ESPN.com’s Bob Harig and Ian O’Connor of The Record (N.J.) were all double winners in the Golf Writers Association of America’s annual writing contest.
O’Connor won the Daily Column award for his column on Kevin Streelman’s gift to his father and took first in Daily Features with a story on Drew Weaver and the Virginia Tech tragedy. Barton won Internet Features with a story on the media gathering at Augusta National and won Non-Daily Special Projects with a look at Golf In China. The wins give Barton and O’Connor three career wins.
Barton’s Special Projects win was Golf Digest’s seventh win in that category in the last eight years.
Harig’s story on Hank Haney calling Tiger’s U.S. Open win his greatest won the Internet News category and he teamed with Jason Sobel to win Internet Special Projects with Arnold Palmer’s week at Augusta.
Mike Kern of the Philadelphia Daily News and Jaime Diaz of Golf Digest each picked up the third wins of their careers – Kern in Daily News (Tiger Woods wins Open); Diaz in Non-Daily News ( relationship between Paul Azinger and Nick Faldo). Diaz also finished third in both Non-Daily Features and Columns.
Golf World’s Jim Moriarity picked up his second career win with a story on Erik Compton’s second heart transplant in Non-Daily Features, while Sports Illustrated’s John Garrity won Non-Daily Columns with Nick Faldo blamed for Europe’s failings.
Mike McAllister of PGATOUR.com was a first-time winner with his Internet Column on Tiger’s U.S. Open win and Scott Michaux of the Augusta Chronicle won his third career first place for a Daily Special Project on Zach Johnson. Michaux’s look at three players from Milton, Fla., finished second in Special Projects.
All winners will be honored at the GWAA’s Annual Awards Dinner April 8 in Augusta, Ga.
The following is a full list of winners, including honorable mentions. There were 481 entries in the contest. (Note: Categories with fewer than 20 entries had first, second and third places, no honorable mention.)
2009 GWAA CONTEST RESULTS
DAILY
DAILY COLUMNS – 1, Ian O’Connor, The Record, Streelman’s gift to his father; 2, Ron Green, Jr., Charlotte Observer The reasons we love golf; 3, Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times, Tiger is a Drama King.
Honorable mention: Dan Manoyan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Perry keeps his word; Randall Mell, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Judy Rankin raises breast cancer awareness; Scott Michaux, Augusta Chronicle, Repercussions of Tiger’s U.S. Open win; Ian O’Connor, The Record, Gary Player at Augusta.
DAILY NEWS – 1, Mike Kern, Philadelphia Daily News, Tiger Woods wins U.S. Open; 2, Hank Gola, New York Daily News, Padraig Harrington outduels Sergio Garcia at PGA; 3, Hank Gola, New York Daily News, U.S. wins Ryder Cup.
Honorable mention: Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times, Big Three plays at the U.S. Open; Ian O’Connor, The Record, Hunter Mahan takes Barclays lead; Art Spander, Oakland Tribune, Sergio Garcia ends criticism, wins THE PLAYERS.
DAILY FEATURES – 1, Ian O’Connor, The Record, Drew Weaver and the Virginia Tech Tragedy; 2, Marla Ridenour, Akron Beacon Journal, Kim conquers demons; 3, Randall Mell, South Florida Sun Sentinel, Denis Watson’s long battle.
Honorable Mention: Doug Ferguson. The Associated Press, Feherty gives his heart and laughter to the troops; Bob Gillespie, The State, Goalby reflects on 1968 Masters; Ron Green , Jr., Charlotte Observer, Jim Nantz deals with his father’s death.
DAILY SPECIAL PROJECTS – 1, Scott Michaux, Augusta Chronicle, Life and career of Zach Johnson; 2, Scott Michaux and David Westin, Augusta Chronicle, Three players from Milton, Fla; 3, Hank Gola, New York Daily News, The mind of Tiger Woods.
INTERNET
(added 2007, previously with Daily)
INTERNET COLUMNS – 1, Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.com, Tiger wins U.S. Open on one leg; 2, Jeff Babineau, Golfweek.com, Padraig Harrington isn’t afraid of hard work; 3, (tie) Evan Rothman, Golfweek.com, LPGA’s language rule; Ron Sirak, GolfDigest.com, Sports and Tiger led to Obama.
Honorable mention: Matt Ginella, GolfDigest.com, Bayonne CC and 9/11; Melanie Hauser, PGATOUR.com, Rocco’s living a dream at the U.S. Open; Jeff Neuman, RealClearSports.com, Tiger’s Open Sunday.
INTERNET NEWS – 1, Bob Harig, ESPN.com, Haney calls Open victory Tiger’s greatest; 2, Gary Van Sickle, Golf.com, Tiger takes Torrey on one leg; 3, Melanie Hauser, PGATOUR.com, Greg Norman reflects in the gentleman’s changing room.
Honorable mention : Helen Ross, PGATOUR.com, Padraig Harrington wins Open Championship; Jason Sobel, ESPN.com, Annika enters last phase of her career; Eric Soderstrom, Golfweek.com, U.S.celebrates Ryder Cup victory in style.
INTERNET FEATURES – 1, John Barton, GolfDigest.com, Media gathering at Augusta National; 2; Tim Rosaforte, GolfWorld.com, A side of Vijay Singh few know; 3, David Shefter, USGA.org, Midnight Golf.
Honorable mention: Michael Bamberger, Golf.com, NBC crew wings it for U.S. Open; Bob Harig, ESPN.com, Brits love to bet, especially on the Open; Sam Weinman, Golf.com, PGA Tour’s split with Westchester CC
INTERNET SPECIAL PROJECTS – 1, Bob Harig and Jason Sobel, ESPN.com, Arnie, a week at the Masters; 2, Jim Moriarity, GolfWorld.com, The Boo Chronicles; 3, Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.com, Inside the world of Scotty Cameron.
NON-DAILY
NON-DAILY COLUMNS – 1, John Garrity, Sports Illustrated Golf Plus, Nick Faldo blamed for Europe’s failings; 2, Bob Verdi, Golf World, Why golf doesn’t have Olympic appeal; 3, Jaime Diaz, Golf World, Players’ responsibilities in the wake of an economic recession.
Honorable mention: Dave Anderson, Golf World, Seve fights from the rough; Dave Kindred, Golf Digest, Three members of a foursome die in plane crash; Alistair Tate, Golfweek, Beggars outside Delhi Golf Club
NON-DAILY NEWS – 1, Jaime Diaz, Golf Digest, Up-and-down relationship of Paul Zinger and Nick Faldo; 2, Michael Bamberger, Sports Illustrated Golf Plus, Rocco Mediate’s savior; 3, Bill Fields, Golf World, Padraig Harrington wins a very British Open
Honorable mention: Michael Bamberger, Sports Illustrated Golf Plus, How NBC covered the Open; John Garrity, Sports Illustrated Golf Plus, Norman is making a comeback; Tim Rosaforte, Golf World, Is Tiger Woods’ knee injury career ending?
‘NON-DAILY FEATURES – 1, Jim Moriarty, Golf World, Erik Compton recovers from second heart transplant; 2, Tom Callahan, Golf Digest, What makes Padraig Harrington tick?; 3, Jaime Diaz, Golf Digest, Behind the scenes of Tiger’s tumultuous year.
Honorable mention: Alan Bastable, Golf Magazine, Arjun Atwal; John Hawkins, Golf World, Open playoff for the ages; Jim Moriarty, Golf World, The world according to Mark Calcavecchia.
NON-DAILY SPECIAL PROJECTS – 1, John Barton, Golf Digest, Golf in China; 2, Rex Hoggard, Golfweek, Argentinian golf; 3, Gene Yasuda, Adam Schupak, Brad Klein, Rex Hoggard, Golfweek, Municipal golf in the U.S.
Honorable mention: John Barton, Mike Stachura, Jerry Tarde, Ron Whitten; Golf Digest, Golf’s effect on the environment; Chris Millard, Brett Avery, Bob Carney, Golf Digest, Economy’s affect on golf; Adam Schupak, Brad Klein, James Achenbach, Golfweek, USGA’s new leadership and transformation
Contact:
Melanie Hauser
Golf Writers Association of America
713/782-6664
