MADISON n Only at the Viking Classic.
Shortly before 1 p.m. Sunday, professional golfer John Daly was walking off of the 18th hole's green at the Annandale Golf Club. At the same time, roughly 200 yards away, “the New South's leading chef” Robert St. John was preparing to entertain an eclectic crowd of about 175 people by preparing chilled yellowfin tuna with mojo mustard and wasabi cream.
“I know there's not a lot of tailgating at golf events, but we're gonna do it anyway,” St. John told the crowd as he prepared the appetizer, a combination of artichoke and crab dip.
St. John and Daly, except for equally ample midsections, have nothing in common. But that was part of the charm of this event, sponsored by Viking Range Corp.
St. John, who since 1987 has operated the Purple Parrot in Hattiesburg, dubbed his 90-minute show “a tale of two tailgates.”
And judging by those in attendance, from homemakers in capris to golf enthusiasts in visors and sunblock, the mix of golf and cooking was a palatable pairing.
“All these people are coming out this year not just for the golf, but for the cooking,” said Jim Keeton, 67. “This thing has been great. It appeals to the whole family. Viking has made all the difference.”
Keeton, whose BankPlus team in Wednesday's ProAm shot a 13-under to finish in the top 20, was taking in St. John's performance, not to mention some shade and air conditioning, with his 7-year-old granddaughter, Hannah Hoover.
“With all the coverage the event is getting, from the Golf Channel on down, I honestly think this thing will only get better,” said Keeton, a physician at the University Medical Center in Jackson. “This is great for Mississippi.”
In the first year of its four-year sponsorship contract, Viking Range Corp. is - along with Entergy, the Canadian National Railroad, the Mississippi Development Authority and BankPlus - footing a $1.8 million bill. It's been worth it.
“We've gotten a really good response,” said Dale Persons, vice president of corporate development for Viking. “Everybody, no matter their interests, seems to love the theme - the pairing of professional golf and professional cooking. It's bringing out a wide range of people.”
Take, for example, Susan Polk. Sipping wine Sunday on the terrace of the Viking cooking school's building, Polk admitted that she knows nothing about golf.
“We came for Viking,” said Polk, from Brandon. “To be honest, we didn't come for the golf.”
With Polk was her friend, Alisha Kennedy, also from Brandon.
“We just got done walking through the cooking school,” said Kennedy. “We might stay for the Steve Azar concert, if we aren't too tired.”
Azar, a country music star from Greenville, was scheduled to perform at the 5:30 p.m. after-party.
The combination of golf, cooking and music was bound to bring out big crowds, said Frank Leflore, who manages Giardina's in Greenwood.
“It's been interesting,” said Leflore, who was in Madison helping the Viking cooking team. “I've personally had a great time, and so has everyone I've talked to. Certainly the culinary aspect is different, but exciting. I've heard a lot of people come by and mention that they can't wait for next year. People are excited about this thing.”
When asked which golfer he wanted to see perform, Leflore said, “You know it's Jim Gallagher Jr. I've got to support the hometown boy.”
Gallagher, a professional golfer since 1983, is from Greenwood.
Persons, standing outside Viking's crowded hospitality room just above the 18th green, said that while the first year was great, it can only get better.
“This year we definitely had a learning curve,” he said. “We've already seen some things we would like to change for next year. Not that anything was wrong; everybody has had a wonderful time. But I can already tell that next year, after seeing the success this year, we will be putting a lot more energy into the event to make it that much better.”
Persons said he hadn't had a chance to check official attendance numbers. But, he added, “if we haven't set a record, I'll be real surprised.”
Bill Crump, vice president and director of governmental affairs for Viking, said that the response to the event n in which professional golfer Chad Campbell finish first, claiming $630,000 from the $3.5 million purse n exceeded his expectations.
“Of course the weather helped us out a lot,” said Crump. “But this first year has been a great experience. We've been pleased with the crowds that came out.”
Crump said Viking is already geared up for the 2008 edition of the Viking Classic.
“Over the week, we've learned a lot of things that we can't wait to get back next year and improve on,” he said. “We're looking forward to it already.”
It was a sentiment apparently felt by Fred Carl Jr., founder, president and CEO of Viking.
“I hadn't seen (Carl) in over 20 years,” said Tommy Browning, a resident of Pearl who went to Greenwood High with Carl. “I was telling him yesterday that everyone I talked to said how much fun they were having. He looked at me and said, ‘Just wait ‘til next year.'”
