The 1987 Shearson Lehman Brothers Andy Williams Open … which became the Shearson Lehman Hutton Andy Williams Open … which became the Shearson Lehman Hutton Open … which became the Shearson Lehman Brothers Open … which became the Buick Invitational of California … which became the Buick Invitational … which became the Farmers Insurance Open … which is scheduled to become the Multiple Personalities Disorder Open … is famous for Craig Stadler’s disqualification for “building a stance” in that tournament’s third round.
A television viewer ratted out Stadler whose DQ cost him over $37,000. After hitting an errant drive on Torrey Pines’s 14th hole, Stadler found his ball in a muddy lie under a tree with low-hanging branches. He was overheard saying to his caddie, “If I hit this shot on my knees, I’m gonna get my pants dirty and it’s gonna cost me $1.79 to dry clean them.”
That was impetus enough for Stadler to place a protective towel on the ground, kneel on it, and hit his shot … a clear violation of USGA Rule 13-3 — Building a Stance with a Stolen Holiday Inn Towel.
PGA Tour Commissioner Deane Beman moved quickly to manage this public relations nightmare. He appointed Perry Kleener as the VP of Tour Martinizing and in 1988, every tournament had an on-site dry cleaning machine that players could use at cost: Polyester Pants: 49 cents; Polyester Shirts with a Pocket & Stiff Collar: 39 cents; Polyester Underwear: 15 cents; Plastic White Belts: $1.99.
Dry-cleaning machines disappeared from PGA Tour events in 1999 when it became more economical for players to simply throw away soiled clothing and request replacement garments from their apparel sponsors.
