Maginnes: How did I not know about Bermuda?

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Dr. Ewart F. Brown, the Premier of Bermuda, presents Jim Furyk with a pink jacket after the final round of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf.

TUCKER'S TOWN, Bermuda -- Have you ever lost track of time? As in, put your watch away, turn off your cell phone, ignore your e-mail and completely forget what day it is? Neither had I until I went to Bermuda this week to do a couple of shows for XM from the PGA Grand Slam of Golf.

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In case you missed it, the two-day event was on TNT and it pitted Padraig, Retief, Furyk and Trevor Immelman against each other. By the time Trevor is 30, he will be a one-name guy as well ... as long as there are no other Trevors on the PGA TOUR winning majors.

The assignment that I drew was terribly taxing, as you might imagine. The shows were interview shows that included guests such as Michael Douglas and the Premier of Bermuda. It is a wonder that I survived at all. I also realized that people like Oprah and Ellen must have a terribly guilty feeling that they don't work for a living. I know because I got a twinge of that on the beach a few days ago. Not to worry -- I swallowed that feeling pretty quickly.

The competition was actually quite compelling. For the second consecutive year, Padraig lost in a playoff. Last year Angel Cabrera eagled the first playoff hole; on Tuesday, Furyk repeated the feat.

So without winning a TOUR event in 2008, Jim takes home the $600,000 that is reserved for members of the very elite fraternity of major championship winners. In his post-round news conference, Furyk said the irony of him actually being in the Grand Slam of Golf this year was enough in and of itself, but to win made it all the more unusual.

Obviously Immelman and Harrington earned automatic births in the field by winning majors this year (two in Harrington's case). The remainder of the field is then filled out by former major championship winners who earned the most points based on their finishes in the four majors this year.

With two spots open, Furyk was actually third on that list behind Phil Mickelson and Goosen. But Mickelson turned down the right to play, giving Furyk the opportunity ... and he took advantage in more ways than one.

He brought his own cheering section to Bermuda. Between Furyk and caddie Fluff Cowan, they brought 18 people and arrived on Friday before the event started. I suppose when you are guaranteed a few hundred thousand dollars just for showing up, you can afford to play a bit.

Jim ended up making more than a few with solid and consistent play over the two days. He, along with his playing companions, put on quite a show. And why wouldn't they?

The truth is that Padraig's pro-am group played the slowest on Monday because he spent so much time outside the ropes talking to kids in the gallery and signing autographs. He has grown into his role of major championship icon and wears it as well as anyone could hope. He is gracious and endearing to fans of all shapes and sizes.

Bermuda as a whole truly appreciated having these players and TNT here to showcase not only the fabulous Mid Ocean Club but the whole island. This was my first trip to Bermuda and I was completely blown away. The people are friendly in a way that makes you feel welcome. There is a genuine desire to show off their beautiful island and make everyone feel welcome.

Couple that with the fact that from the east coast, it is a shorter flight to paradise than it is to Dallas and it seems crazy that it took so long for me to find it.

As a golf destination, Bermuda may trump some of the more popular snowbird destinations. It is warmer than Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head and closer to Boston and New York. The airfare is comparable and golf is every bit as good.

Of course, there are a couple of downsides. Everything is a bit more expensive in Bermuda. Food and drinks are fancy-hotel-in-big-city prices. And if you spend enough time lying on pink sandy beaches, you just may forget what day it is.

The motto of Bermuda, as I learned from the Premier as he sipped a beverage after the pro-am, is "feel the love." To be honest with you I thought that it was a little hokey when I first heard it. Three (or four?) days later, it feels better than a crisp 4-iron ripped off a perfect lie.

I am only sorry that I have to come home eventually. But I think that I will worry about that tomorrow or the next day.

John Maginnes is a columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily reflect the views of the PGA TOUR.