Toshiba Senior Classic Golf: Zinni taking home bread

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - There are a few players on the Senior PGA Tour

whose last name begin with the 26th letter in the alphabet, including

two, Fuzzy Zoeller and Larry Ziegler, who played in the eighth annual

Toshiba Senior Classic at Newport Beach Country Club.

But the golfer with the most zing by tournament’s end, and who is

starting to earn more respect from his peers, is no-name Monday qualifier

Michael Zinni.

You will not find Zinni in this year’s Senior PGA Tour media guide.

That’s because Zinni isn’t listed. Anywhere. He has a real job as head

golf professional at Mankato Golf Club in Mankato, Minn., about “an hour

southwest of Minneapolis.”

But Zinni made one of the biggest splashes of the year Sunday at

Newport Beach when he finished tied for third at 11-under 202 with Dave

Stockton.

Zinni, 53, enjoyed a career-best $99,000 paycheck for his top-three

finish, the highest by an open Monday qualifier on the Senior Tour since

Jim Ahern won the 1999 AT&T; Canada Senior Open Championship as a Monday

qualifier.

Zinni has sizzled as a Monday qualifier this year, making the cut

three out of five times -- that’s finishing in the top three in an open

field of 144 players. The two times Zinni missed Monday qualifying this

year, he lost in a playoff in Tampa, Fla., and was edged out by one shot

in Miami.

“It’s tough to get in. I’m not ready to quit my job for three spots

(each week out of 144 players),” said Zinni, who made his 11th appearance

on the Senior PGA Tour at Newport Beach.

“When I got here, I was the eighth alternate to get into the open

Monday qualifier (at Goose Creek in Mira Loma),” added Zinni, who

qualified for the Toshiba along with Butch Sheehan and Morris Hatalsky.

“Third place is not too bad. I’ll take it,” said Zinni, whose payday

Sunday more than doubled his career earnings in 10 previous Senior Tour

starts ($41,716).

Zinni had a chance for a nice finish last year at the PGA Senior

Championship, when he entered the final round in 20th place. But he

posted a smooth 77 on Sunday while playing with Stockton and Tom Kite and

fell back in the pack.

In the Toshiba Monday qualifier, Zinni was still the second alternate

to get into the field on Sunday morning (March 3). He showed up at the

golf course Monday morning without a scheduled tee time, but waited

around, and, finally, in the fifth group somebody didn’t show up.

Zinni was there, with clubs and ready to play. His 67 at Goose Creek

got him into the 78-player Toshiba Classic field, where only three

players finished ahead of him: Winner Hale Irwin and runner-up Allen

Doyle.