golfrewind.com

Interestingly, pgatour.com are NOT running THIS STORY .

A real shame IMO.

''We wanted to have him, but Sony had others on their list,'' tournament director Ray Stosik said. ''Dean was one of those right near the top. At the time when the selections were made, it was looking like he had a good chance.''

Sounds like something you'd say when you know you were in the wrong and that Dean never had a chance.

The real shame is the has-beens that got in that knocked him out. While I have a lot of respect for Kite and Stadler, they have had their time and it is now time for them to allow the current players to have their shot.

Thats a real shame. Like it or not, sponsor exemptions can be give to who
the **** they want. Lets hope he retains his card this year and then he'll get
a spot next year.

(PS i personally think he deserves to be in the field more than Michelle Wie!)

I agree with that as well - Stadler is making top money on the Champions Tour, and has little chance of winning this event. Why does he need to take a sponsors exemption away from guys who could use the shot?

Wow, I'd say disgrace...the only Hawaiin on the PGA Tour and he's not competing? That's wrong IMO. Like others said, it's sad that Kite and Stadler and other washed up players would be so selfish as to enter and take a spot from someone trying to earn their living.

Well, he deserves to be there more than Steve Jones or Omar Uresti, for sure.

Shade

Sounds like Dean Wilson needs to shoot lower scores somewhere along the line and this would be a moot issue. He's a no-name struggler that people don't want to see. He obviously has had past success but sponsors have a "what can you do for me today?" mentality. "He deserves to be there..." is a crock. And Card...There's a PGA Tour event real close to me. Does that mean because I happen to live close by that I should expect an invitation to play? I'm not holding my breath! Earn his way or build a bigger name for himself and he won't have this problem.

Those of you that dogged Kite and Stadler....ask yourself this question. Who do the ticket buyers in Hawaii want to pay to see? Michelle Wie doesn't belong there either but she sells tickets (like Kite And Stadler) and the sponsors are within their rights to invite whomever they choose. That's life on the PGA Tour.

Didn't Stads win on the regular tour just last year ? I wouldn't be too quick to sell him short. I think that Kite is kidding himself, though, and should concentrate on trying to close the deal once in a while on the Champion's Tour which is where he belongs.

Yeah, he won the BC, Right? The Walrus is a colorful character on the TOUR but Kite needs to skip the free vacation because his name does not sell tickets any longer.

While it's debatable how much of a draw Kite or Stads are anymore, I would think that the local guy playing in the event would be somewhat of a draw...certainly moreso than Omar Uresti and Steve Jones. But he's not there, and I guess we'll all have to deal with it.

Oh, league, when you get some status on tour, I'll campaign for you to get an invite to your local event as well...no reason for the local guys not to get a shot with all else being equal IMO

I can agree with the Uresti assessment but Steve Jones is a US Open winner.

Don't hold your breath waiting for me to get tour status! The closest I get is playing Warwick Hills (site of the Buick Open) from the monuments! My mid 70's from there won't make the cut at that birdie fest! (Although I have birdied every hole there at one time or another!)

I don't know but I would assume the Sony is sold out so they aren't really worried about the "draw." I know the Heritage sells out every year even without Mickelson and Woods. Els and Singh play every year though.

iF THEY DID GIVE HIM A SLOT, HE WOULD BE A DRAW, BUT ONLY FOR 2 DAYS

Dean Wilson is in the SONY tournament and made the cut yesterday.

http://www.pgatour.com/players/score...9668/r006/2005