Toshiba Senior Classic Golf: Big Mac still drawing a crowd

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - The largest gallery during the Toshiba Senior

Classic Pro-Am rounds Thursday at Newport Beach Country Club wasn’t for

Fuzzy Zoeller, Tom Watson, Chi Chi Rodriguez or Lee Trevino, all of whom

played in the morning under a steady rain.

For the third time in three pro-ams this week, former baseball slugger

Mark McGwire teed it up for charity and drew the biggest following among

golf fans.

McGwire, a certain Hall of Famer after hitting 583 career home runs,

including a record-breaking 70 in 1998, hammered golf balls out of sight

again and signed autographs for fans Thursday afternoon between holes.

Senior PGA Tour pro John Jacobs, a former long-drive champion and

McGwire’s playing partner Thursday, said Big Mac “has got a perfect swing

and a good grip. With the right equipment, he could win any (bleeping)

long-drive contest anywhere.”

Quipped McGwire, with a smile: “This is what you’re supposed to do

(after retiring), isn’t it?”

McGwire, whose tee shots flirt with the 350-yard range, said Bill

Mitchell of the Irvine Co. was one of the people to coax him out to the

Toshiba Classic Pro-Ams this week.

George Archer, who won the inaugural Toshiba Classic in 1995 at Mesa

Verde Country Club, won the pro-am Thursday at 6-under-par 65 -- the same

score Tom Watson posted Wednesday to win.

“That’s pretty good for an old bird like me on a cold, windy day,”

said Archer, 62. “I hit the ball well today, but I wish I could have

saved it for Sunday.”

Archer made seven birdies and one bogey on the par-3 hole No. 17.

On site, the biggest change in the Toshiba Classic this year is the

beefed-up security, which is evident everywhere you turn.

Old friend Larry Ziegler, who played in the Crosby Southern (later

called the Newport Classic Pro-Am), has returned to Newport Beach after

missing last year’s Toshiba Classic.

After losing his playing privileges last year, Ziegler defied the odds

and regained his fully exempt status by finishing second to Howard Twitty

last fall at the National Qualifying Tournament.

At 62 years, three months and four days, Ziegler became the second

oldest player to earn his card via Q School. J.C. Goosie was three months

older when he qualified in the 1980s.

Ziegler played in only one tournament after August, but said his

losses in the stock market prompted him to use his one trump card -- a

one-time exemption into the final round at Q School.

Without having to play in a regional or sectional qualifier, Ziegler

stepped up to the plate in a one-time shot for one week and “putted

better than I’d putted all year. I would have never expected that.”

Ziegler had played in every Toshiba Classic since the tournament

started in 1995 at Mesa Verde Country Club, but did not receive a

sponsor’s exemption last year.

His goal this year he said is to win a tournament.