Toshiba Senior Classic Golf: High tech Irwin

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - Hale Irwin, arguably the hottest golfer on the

Senior PGA Tour, is merely a product of his environment.

While the Senior Tour’s all-time leading money winner and career

victory leader with 33 tournament titles is doing it again in 2002, Irwin

said his strong start can be attributed to the latest technology in golf

clubs and golf balls.

“I have a new driver and a new fairway wood in my bag. In fact,

everything’s new except my putter,” Irwin said late Wednesday afternoon,

moments after arriving in town for the eighth annual Toshiba Senior

Classic at Newport Beach Country Club.

“I’m looking at the driver for more effectiveness, more distance, more

length. That’s the way it is now with new golf clubs. And then you have

the golf balls, like the (Titleist) Pro V1 star ball. That all helps.

There have been few constants in my bag since the start of this year.”

That doesn’t sound like someone who is second on the Senior Tour money

list after four official events (Irwin won the Senior Skins Game in

January, an unofficial event).

“I’m learning what I can and can’t do with the new equipment,” said

Irwin, who captured the ACE Group Classic in Naples, Fla., on Feb. 10

with a 16-under 68-64-68--200, then finished second at the Verizon

Classic and tied for second at the Audi Senior Classic, before taking

last week off.

Tom Kite passed Irwin on the money list last week when he won the SBC

Senior Classic at Valencia Country Club.

Irwin, who has already won $510,500 this year on the Senior PGA Tour,

will forever be remembered in Toshiba lore for winning the 1998 title,

shooting a course-record 62 in the final round with a huge assist from

the Famous Bunker Rake at the par-3 17.

Irwin started the Sunday round five strokes behind, but passed 11

players on his way to his first of seven titles in ’98 and second

straight Player of the Year Award.

“It was a terrific break,” Irwin said of his tee shot at 17, which

rolled off the green, but was stopped from going into the drink by a

bunker rake -- now autographed by Irwin and proudly displayed in the

Newport Beach Country Club clubhouse.

With the break from the rake, Irwin was able to get up and down for

par on his way to a record finish.

“Other than that shot, I played very, very well in that round,” Irwin

said. “I think that shot stands out as a terrific break. I’ve had a lot

of breaks in my career, and I’ll be the first to recognize that.”

Irwin, who also has six senior major titles, was the Senior Tour

Player of the Year and leading money winner in 1997 and 1998. He claimed 20 titles on the PGA Tour, highlighted by three U.S. Opens (1974, 1979,

1990).

Harold Henning, who shot his age (67) earlier this year at the ACE

Group Classic, made a hole-in-one during a pro-am round Wednesday on the

par-3 No. 4 at Newport Beach.