Retief Goosen SpeciAl SecTion Frys.com Open PgA golf Tournament Grapes & Greens: Golfers Uncorked by Robert Kaufman When it comes to swinging and sipping, golf and wine are as natural a pairing as Lennon and McCartney. But while it would be difficult to identify one winemaker who has ever tried playing professional golf or designing a course, all one needs to do is turn the bottle around to discover a blend of notable professional golfers, past and present, who have managed to uncork their taste for the wine industry. A glance at many pro golfers’ profiles will typically indicate their off-course interests leaning towards activities like hunting or fishing, but nowadays a sizable group of Tour players have invested heavily in the world of wine as a happy diversion from competitive golf and are turning out top-quality vintages. Even the golf kingdom’s original “Big Three,” Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, with 34 combined Major Championships, have their own wine labels. Along with their fellow oenophile golfmates, whether they own a winery or simply partner with a vintner to lend their name, it is a business to capitalize on the lifestyle that wine represents. Stamping their identity on a wine label, much like attaching their name on a golf course design, provides an opportunity to expand their brand in a way that can lead to substantial financial rewards beyond the links. Fortunately, the ability to travel the globe for their sport puts these elite golfers in an 28 www. n A PAVA L L E Y L I F Emagaz ine .com advantageous position to explore the world of wine by visiting vineyards and enjoying the local wines. And thanks to the PGA Tour’s seasonopening event, Frys.com Open at Silverado Resort, there is at least one vino-passionate competitor eyeing this event with great anticipation. South African Retief Goosen, a two-time U.S. Open champion (2001 and 2004), competed in last year’s Frys.com Open at CordeValle Resort in the South Bay, but this year will mark his firstever visit to the Napa Valley. For someone who leapt into the wine field ten years ago, Goosen, who now resides full-time in Florida, is looking forward to visiting one of the world’s premier wine capitals. “I definitely want to take time to explore the wine country around Napa to see how some of the famous wineries operate on a much grander scale than my little boutique winery,” says Goosen. “Needless to say, I’ll be driving around with a chauffeur, tasting wine.” In 2004, after several years kicking the idea around, Goosen, who doesn’t drink spirits, These professional golfers already know their way around a winery “I definitely want to take time to explore the wine country around Napa and see how some of the famous wineries operate,” says Retief Goosen.
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