Sports

A Mickelson and Chicago Cub will play in SLO’s Straight Down Fall Classic this weekend

By Scott Middlecamp
Phil Mickelson walks from the first green to the second tee box with his caddie Tim Mickelson during the final round of the British Open Golf Championship in Carnoustie, Scotland, July 22. Tim Mickelson will play in the Straight Down Fall Classic in San Luis Obispo, California, on Saturday and Sunday.
Phil Mickelson walks from the first green to the second tee box with his caddie Tim Mickelson during the final round of the British Open Golf Championship in Carnoustie, Scotland, July 22. Tim Mickelson will play in the Straight Down Fall Classic in San Luis Obispo, California, on Saturday and Sunday. Jon Super AP

San Luis Obispo’s Straight Down Fall Classic golf tournament will feature a Mickelson and Chicago Cub, among other top golfers this weekend at the San Luis Obispo Country Club.

Tim Mickelson, the older brother and caddy for Phil Mickelson, and Chicago Cubs player Ian Happ will compete in the two-day tournament, which is free to the public, that opens Saturday.

Mickelson is fresh off of caddying for The Match, an 18-hole competition between his Hall of Fame brother and Tiger Woods. Mickelson will pair with Cal Poly men’s golf coach Scott Cartwright, who has played in every year of the tournament and won the event in 1998.

Happ has hit 39 home runs for the Cubs over the past two seasons and finished eighth in the 2017 Rookie of the Year voting in the National League. Happ will pair with David von Hoffman.

Chicago Cubs’ Ian Happ swings at a pitch during the third inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Chicago, on Saturday, Sept. 15. Happ will play in the Straight Down Fall Classic golf tournament Saturday and Sunday in San Luis Obispo, California.
Chicago Cubs’ Ian Happ swings at a pitch during the third inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Chicago, on Saturday, Sept. 15. Happ will play in the Straight Down Fall Classic golf tournament Saturday and Sunday in San Luis Obispo, California. Jeff Haynes AP

Some other top player’s in the field include PGA Tour winners Arron Oberholser, Paul Stankowski, Steve Pate, Kevin Stadler, U.S. Open champion Scott Simpson and Cal Poly alumnus Loren Roberts. Jason Gore will also compete after finishing the final PGA Tour event of 2018 two weeks ago.

Oberholser, a San Luis Obispo native, is now a commentator for the Golf Channel and was once ranked top 25 in the world. Stankowski is also a Golf Channel commentator and won twice on the PGA tour.

Roberts is a longtime fixture at the tournament. He won eight times on the PGA Tour and 13 times on the PGA Tour Champions.

Also competing is Stewart Hagestad, No. 15 in the world amateur rankings who has played in the last two U.S. Opens.

Tee times range from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday and 7:30 to 9:45 a.m. Sunday, the tournament’s final day, with top golfers finishing around 4 p.m.

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