Toshiba Senior Classic Golf: Strong field rating still intact for

Toshiba

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - Graham Marsh dropped out of the Toshiba Senior

Classic field Tuesday for personal reasons, but it will not affect the

tournament’s rating as one of the strongest fields on the Senior PGA Tour

because Marsh did not finish among the top 31 money leaders last year.

Marsh was 32nd.

First alternate Bobby Walzel replaced Marsh in the Toshiba field,

which has attracted 30 of the top 31 money leaders for the second

straight year.

An analysis directed by the Senior PGA Tour to determine the different

tournament fields throughout 2001 concluded that the Toshiba Classic had

the second-best field last year and ranked No. 1 among non-majors.

Of last year’s top 31 money leaders, Bruce Lietzke is the only one not

playing this week at Newport Beach Country Club. Bob Murphy was the only

player not to make it last year.

Chi Chi Rodriguez was the biggest name at the golf course Tuesday

during a quiet players’ practice round.

Only a handful of players, including the top two money leaders from

last year, Allen Doyle and Bruce Fleisher, found their way to the course

Tuesday.

Today begins the first of the official two-day Toshiba Senior Classic

Pro-Ams. It is mandatory for the players to play at least one round in

the pro-ams to be eligible for the weekend competition.