LITTLE ROCK — How about a windmill on No. 13?
When it comes to hazards on the golf course, the Australian PGA Championship has a real dinosaur.
OK, it’s not a real one, but there is a 26-foot mechanical TRex at the Palmer Coolum Resort between the ninth green and 10th tee, and it flips its tail and opens its mouth for a menacing roar when anyone approaches.
The T-Rex is nicknamed “Jeff” and is activated by movement.
Golfers playing social rounds recently have taken “dinosaur mulligans” when the roar occurs during a backswing on the 10th tee.
“I’ve heard it sounds like we are going to Jurassic Park, so this will be interesting,” Robert Allenby said.
The owner, billionaire Australian mining magnate Clive Palmer, has at least agreed to turn it off during the tournament.
Defending champion Greg Chalmers was taken aback by the prehistoric beast.
“I’m glad it’s not roaring. That’s a good start,” Chalmers said. “It is just a little strange. It is not what Iexpected to see.”
It’s also one reason the Australian PGA will be leaving Coolum after 11 years.
Palmer wants to import more molded dinosaurs and turn the ocean resort into a theme park or maybe a casino. But his plans have clashed with a tournament that dates to 1905. The owner already has put up more than 60 signs around the golf course to promote his interests, which include his plan to build a replica of the Titanic.
Some of those signs, however, are in the landing areas on the fairways. That forced organizers to mark those areas “ground under repair,” where golfers will be able to move the ball if the shot is affected by the signs.
Sith apprentice
Matt Kenseth, who spent 13 years in a Ford with Roush Fenway Racing, took his first Toyota test drive for Joe Gibbs Racing in NASCAR’s 2013 car Tuesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.
Kenseth tweeted a picture from inside the car, where a Darth Vader mask hung from rearview mirror, and made a joking reference to moving over to thedark side.
He later admitted to being anxious before arriving at the track and over-revved his engine before the lunch break, forcing the No. 20 crew to swap engines.
“It was probably the first time I’ve been nervous in a race car, getting in there and going out for the first time, in as long as I can remember,” Kenseth said. “I guess it was a good icebreaker.
My last run, I proceeded to go from second gear to first gear and over-revved the engine. So, I think the guys are in love with me right now. Like, ‘Where did we find this clown? Give us the other one back.’ ” Cut above
Brad Dickson of the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald on the student in Texas who was sent home from school because he had Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel’s likeness cut into his hair: “My question: Where do kids find barbers capable of cutting these images of athletes? I’m lucky if my sideburns are even.”
Dickson added: “Because it’s Texas, the kid was sent home because the image in his head did not include Manziel’s jersey number or any stats.”Quote of the day
“There was no faceto-face meeting. There was no interview. My interview was my time
working with him.” New Arkansas defensive coordinator Chris Ash, who held the
same position for Coach Bret Bielema when both were at Wisconsin, on
the process for filling the Razorbacks’ position
Sports, Pages 20 on 12/12/2012