Clarke unperturbed by T-Rex sighting

Jeff the tyrannosaurus rex overlooks the 10th tee at Coolum. Picture: Glenn Barnes Source: The Courier-MailIf you though the only dinosaurs roaming around these days were print journalists, think again. Darren Clarke spotted a T-Rex called Jeff in Australia this week.

The Australian PGA at the Palmer Coolum Resort has been steeped in controversy following resort owner and “billionaire” Clive Palmer’s stand off with the Australian PGA over a new sponsorship deal.

Things got acrimonious. PGA signs were bulldozed and the upshot is that it the deal won’t be going ahead and the event will be moving elsewhere in 2013.

Tim Tucker in The Courier-Mail reported: “Sources indicate the Palmer Coolum Resort was happy to keep hosting the event but did not want to be a sponsor of the tournament, which is part of the hosting rights package.”

As for the dinosaur, it’s just one of a number of stunts created to publicise Palmer’s Titanic II project. Others include 61 signs painted on the grass on the course. Several are in landing areas, which has forced the PGA to impose a free drop rule if they land on the paint or the dinosaur this week.

“There are a few of us old guys out there, but it is the first time I’ve seen a dinosaur on a golf course,” Clarke, 44, said with a wry smile after saluting Peter Senior’s Australian Open triumph at 53.

As for Senior, who became the oldest winner of the Australian Open on Sunday, he gave Wayne Hemming of the Sydney Morning Herald the quote of the week:

Last week’s Australian Open champion Peter Senior said he didn’t see a problem with the painted signs or the position of the dinosaur, nicknamed “Jeff”.

“It (dinosaur) doesn’t worry me as long as it doesn’t crap everywhere,” joked Senior.