For some players, Bellerive CC a reminder of 9/11

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ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Padraig Harrington cleaned out his locker at the TPC Boston, signed a stack of flags from the British Open and PGA Championship, then headed to St. Louis to play on a course that brought mixed emotions.

It had nothing to do with his golf.

Badz/PGA TOUR

Padraig Harrington needs a top-five finish at Bellerive Country Club to make the field for THE TOUR Championship.

Harrington was among the first to arrive at Bellerive Country Club, where he has to finish fifth at the BMW Championship starting on Thursday to avoid becoming the first double major winner to be ineligible for THE TOUR Championship.

Amid whatever pressure he might face, perspective comes easily.

"A journalist asked me a few weeks ago to talk about the golf course," Harrington said. "Even what little I remember, I can't even talk about that. Because it all relates to September 11. How can I talk about the golf course when it's all so insignificant? Yes, it will be awkward to go back."

The last time Bellerive hosted the best players in golf was seven years ago for a World Golf Championships event, and the city was humming. St. Louis had not seen this caliber of tournament golf since the 1992 PGA Championship. The course was in perfect shape. The sun was blazing. Even for a Tuesday morning, grandstands were filled.

Harrington had left his hotel and was headed to the course. Tiger Woods was out early, as usual, playing a practice round with Mark Calcavecchia. Vijay Singh had boarded his private plane in Florida, on the tarmac waiting to take off.

It was September 11, 2001.

"As soon as I got to the course, I went to the locker room and someone said, 'Quick, come watch on TV. Something has happened,'" Robert Allenby said. "The first plane had just hit the tower."

Golf never felt so meaningless.

The rest of that Tuesday, players sat in front of the television and tried to fathom the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Some went to the practice range or chipping area to take their minds off it. PGA TOUR officials tried to sort out the next step. One day later, the American Express Championship was canceled.

For so many players at the BMW Championship, there always will be an emotional connection to September 11.

"It will be kind of strange," Allenby said. "I think it's good that we're going back, primarily because it's such a good golf course. But it's sad we're going back because of the reason we didn't play the first time."

Even for those who weren't in St. Louis the last time, the golf still might be meaningless.

Singh has won the first two events in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, in a three-man playoff at The Barclays and by five shots at the Deutsche Bank Championship. He has a 12,225-point lead in the chase for the FedExCup and could secure the $10 million prize this week.

Harrington has no qualms about plunging from No. 4 to No. 44 in the FedExCup standings after missing the last two cuts. It has helped being at Bellerive so early, a chance to return his focus to golf -- trying to get into THE TOUR Championship, the Ryder Cup in two weeks.

"But it will be hard to think about anything but September 11," he said. "There will always be that connection for us. There will always be a reminder that there are bigger things than golf events."