Unlikely leader at Toshiba Senior Classic

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - Terry Mauney, a former sports reporter and anchor

for a CBS television affiliate in Charlotte, N.C., would call for heavy

rain today if he could.

Mauney, who shot a fabulous 8-under-par 63 to tie a second-round

record in the Toshiba Senior Classic, is alone atop the leaderboard

following Saturday’s play in the Senior PGA Tour event at Newport Beach

Country Club.

“Who wouldn’t (cheer for a final-round cancellation today because of

rain and unplayable conditions)?” said Mauney, who would claim the

$210,000 first-place prize if today’s final round is washed out, a repeat

of last year when Allen Doyle won the rain-shortened, 36-hole tournament.

Rain is in today’s forecast, but weather reports have been known to

miss on occasion, and more than one California storm has stopped short of

reaching Newport Beach.

Today’s final round of the $1.4 million Toshiba Classic will only be

canceled if the course is unplayable according to Senior PGA Tour

standards. The golfers can play in the rain.

“I was a mudder growing up, so I don’t mind the rain,” said Bob

Gilder, one shot behind Mauney.

Mauney’s 8-under 63 to take the lead after two rounds tied a

second-round tournament record, set earlier in the day when Larry Nelson

posted a 63.

Tee times for today’s final round have been moved up to 7:20 a.m., 40

minutes earlier, in an effort to complete the tournament before what

appears to be inevitable rainstorm.

“It’s going to have to rain pretty hard to cancel this final round,

because the golf course has to be unplayable (and it has been dry since

Thursday),” Gilder said. “Every time I looked up at the sky (Saturday),

it looked OK to me. I don’t see how this course can be flooded out by 6

a.m. (today).”

Mauney, who owns a 12-under 130 heading into the final round, birdied

six of the nine holes on the back nine in his bogey-free round, including

a 22-footer on the par-3 17th.

“The last three holes were awesome,” Mauney said. “The putt at 17 was

the best putt I hit all day.”

Gilder, one of five first-round leaders, followed his opening 65 with

a 5-under 66 on the par-71, 6,584-yard layout. Nelson is in third place,

three strokes back at 133.

Dave Stockton’s 18-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole pulled him into a

four-way tie for fourth place with Tom Kite, Jose Maria Canizares and

John Bland. Stockton and Canizares were also first-round leaders.

Gilder made his second consecutive bogey at the par-4 17th when he

missed a par-saving 5-foot putt.

“The two-shot swing at 17 was the key,” Mauney added. “I knew the game

was on then.”

Mauney, who turned pro in 1972 and posted three top-10 finishes on the

PGA Tour, is hoping to capture his first PGA event.

Mauney, who quit playing golf for two years in the early 1980s because

of severe bursitis in his right shoulder, tied his career-low round with

a 63. Mauney once shot 63 in the former Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open.

“I expected to come out here and compete (on the Senior Tour),” said

the 50-year-old Mauney. “I played the PGA Tour for five years from 1977

to 1982, but I had to leave the tour (because of bursitis).”

Mauney, who worked from 1982 through 1991 as a sports anchor for WBTV

in Charlotte, started preparing for the Senior PGA Tour after leaving the

station.

“I started chasing every tournament I could,” said Mauney, a close

friend of NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, who was killed Feb. 18 at the

Daytona 500.

For the first time, Mauney was able to honor his late friend by

wearing a baseball cap with Earnhardt’s No. 3 on the front with ‘Miss You

No. 3’ written on the side.

“Dale and I were friends from 1980 until the day he died,” Mauney

said. “I’ve dedicated this tournament to him. I really miss him.”

Gilder, meanwhile, is looking to win his second consecutive Senior

Tour event, having won the $1.4 million Verizon Classic two weeks ago in

Lutz, Fla.

Nelson holed a sand wedge from 109 yards on the par-4 No. 12 for

eagle, while carding six birdies in his bogey-free round.

“I got my round going with a birdie at the fourth hole,” Nelson said.

“I didn’t hit the ball as well as I would have liked today.”

Nelson, the 2000 Senior PGA Tour Player of the Year, currently ranks

first on the money list with $537,360. He missed a 12-foot eagle putt on

the 15th hole to match his career-best low round for the 10th time.

Defending champion Doyle fired a 2-under 69 for a 5-under 137. Gary

McCord, the 1999 winner, shot a 68 to pull even with Doyle.