Saban, Malzahn, other celebs go clubbing at Greystone for Regions Tradition Pro-Am
University of Alabama Head Football Coach Nick Saban appears at Wednesday's Regions Tradition Pro-Am. Saban loves golf, even though he says he tends to be out of practice this time of year, just after spring training. (Chris Jones/Alabama NewsCenter)
Bo Jackson knows how to get a laugh.
The former Heisman Trophy winner had just watched Alabama basketball coach Avery Johnson shank his tee shot on the opening hole of the Regions Tradition Pro-Am on Wednesday morning when he reminded Johnson of a bet they had.
“That just shows when you’ve been working,” said Johnson, suggesting he didn’t have time for practice.
Replied Jackson: “That just shows when you’ve got somebody working for you.”
The playful exchange – Johnson said there was no bet, as that’s against NCAA rules – was one of the highlights of the return of the Regions Tradition Champions Tour golf tournament to the Founders Course at Greystone Golf & Country Club.
Celebrities, pro golfers mix it up at Regions Tradition Pro-Am from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
The pairing of tour pros with local and national celebrities has been a favorite part of the tournament for the past quarter-century. The tournament began at Greystone before moving to Ross Bridge and, more recently, Shoal Creek.
Bruno Event Team puts on the annual event. President and CEO Gene Hallman said this year’s tournament has a likely economic impact of $20 million to $25 million, based on a University of Alabama study done a few years ago.
Hallman said the return to Greystone is a mix of old and new.
“It’s very familiar, but we’ve changed a lot of the way that we stage the tournament,” he said. “There are new features that are more spectator-friendly. The golf course has had some changes, which I think make it better from a player standpoint. All in all, it’s just great to be back at Greystone.”
Pro-Am celebrities included former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former American Idol winner Taylor Hicks and nationally syndicated radio and TV star Steve Harvey.
Harvey laughed when a fan asked him to sign a photo of him as the host of the Miss Universe pageant. He made headlines when he announced the wrong winner of the 2016 pageant.
The “Family Feud” game show host politely signed the photo, saying later that he had moved beyond the well-publicized mistake.
“I done did a Super Bowl commercial off of it,” he said. “I ain’t really mad about that.”
Johnson joked that he might seek fashion advice from Champions Tour pro John Daly “because I’m trying to take my wardrobe to the next level next year on the sideline.” That was before seeing Daly wearing pineapple-plastered slacks.
Johnson said he has long been a fan of Daly. “And the same thing with Bo,” he continued. “This was even before Alabama and the other school, with their rivalry.”
Football coaches from the Southeastern Conference drew some of the loudest cheers from fans. The consensus of coaches was that Ole Miss’ Hugh Freeze was the coach with the best golf game.
“I love competing in golf,” he said. “That’s one of the few things I can compete in any more. I can’t run or jump, but I like trying to get that ball in the hole.”
Alabama’s Nick Saban said his golf game is “not good.”
“Never is this time of year,” he continued. “You’ve got to have time to practice. Maybe we’ll get some now.”
Auburn’s Gus Malzahn said he lost sleep after falling to Freeze in an event on Tuesday. “I’m looking to redeem myself today,” he said.
Steve Shaw has been a fixture of the Regions Tradition, volunteering as the announcer at the pro-am for his 25th time this year. He noted that a special touch this year was having youngsters who have been treated at Children’s of Alabama accompany celebrities as they were introduced.
“They’re warriors,” he said of the young patients. “That’s the rewarding part of the day.”
