Jordan still packs them in
Michael Jordan waved past a gallery of cheering rubberneckers standing near the 18th hole. Hip-hop thumped from his golf cart, painted in a baby-blue hue, an homage to his University of North Carolina.
Jordan's approach shot landed on the speedy green of Shadow Creek, about 20 feet from the cup. Pivoting like a giant with a giant's shoulders, he hit his putt and actually sent it arching in the air until it rolled 3 feet from the hole. Quite impressive.
Then the towering legend drove his cart to a swollen pack of 100 or so fans and autograph sellers, who were holding Sports Illustrated magazines and Air Jordan shoes. Brazen.
They yelled at him. Imagine -- yelling at a legend who once turned basketball nets into angelic harp strings.
"I know who you are," Jordan told them, grinning. It was unclear to the rest of us who they were.
The frenzied scene on a Thursday afternoon came courtesy of the Michael Jordan Celebrity International.
And there were antics. Retired NHL star Chris Chelios sank a 45-foot eagle putt at the 18th flag and celebrated by cannonballing into the lake to wild applause.
Teeing off Thursday: Roger Clemens, Wayne Gretzky, Penny Hardaway, Larry David, Mario Lemieux, Jerome Bettis, Marcus Allen and many more.
If you fancy seeing them, single tickets and weekend passes (through Sunday) range from $25 to $300.
Tourney stars have partied this week at club Haze and Eva Longoria's Beso restaurant. Tonight, Jamie Foxx performs for celebs and invitees at Aria to raise more money for tourney charities, including Nevada Cancer Institute.
An after-party fills Gold Lounge, whose logo, incidentally, is a woman with a feline tail raised high as if anticipating shenanigans.
PRE-SIGHTINGS
Funny actor Danny McBride hosts Saturday at club Tao, a week before the release of the new comedy "Your Highness." ... Kelis hosts tonight at club Tao. ... "Crank" actress Amy Smart parties tonight at club Chateau. ... Taylor Makakoa, wife of Terry Fator, hosts a Maxim magazine party tonight at club Jet. ... Enviable Tao Beach opens Saturday with Sports Illustrated bikini-cover girl Irina Shayk. ... Nick Cannon hosts Saturday at club Chateau, as wife Mariah Carey verges on birthing twins. And "Holly's World" Playmate Jayde Nicole (who has "respect" tattooed under her bikini bottoms) hosts club Posh's debut inside Crazy Horse III strip club.
Doug Elfman's column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Contact him at delfman@reviewjournal.com He blogs at reviewjournal.com/elfman.
