Jacobs finds Newport stage again

You know it’s Toshiba Senior Classic time when you hear thundering

roars from the crowd at the 18th green and comedy club type laughter

from the post-round interactive player Q&A; session with fans.

Indeed, Newport Beach Country Cub was rocking Friday, and not just

because of the picture perfect weather, which allowed the best

50-and-over golfers in the world to devour the golf course like

hungry lions as 38 players shot under 70 and 45 players shot under

par.

“This golf course is by far in its best condition. The fairways

are like carpet,” said Jerry McGee, who received a sponsor exemption

to play in this year’s ninth annual Toshiba Classic and, at 3-under

68, remains in the Toshiba title hunt.

The day’s loudest cheer came in the afternoon as Jim Thorpe holed

out from 70 feet on a pitch shot at 18, then John Jacobs, who has

carried on before here on the 18th hole, picked Thorpe’s ball out of

the cup and tossed it in the stands.

“It was just a beautiful shot,” said Bruce Fleisher, who was

playing in the group with Thorpe and Jacobs.

Jacobs, apparently, has a tendency to chuck opposing players’ golf

balls.

“I just got lucky and the hole got in the way,” said Thorpe, who

eagled the hole to finish the first round at 3-under 68. “(Jacobs)

has been throwing my balls away all day long.”

It was Jacobs who danced a jig on the throat at 18 on the first

playoff hole of the 1999 Toshiba Classic, a five-hole playoff

eventually won by Gary McCord. Jacobs chipped in for eagle from 90

feet and did his best Chi Chi Rodriguez simulation with a sword dance

and following that up with some twinkle-toe moves, before falling

backward to the ground. McCord followed with an eagle putt and

beckoned Jacobs to fetch his ball out of the cup. Jacobs not only

picked it out of the cup, he hurled it into the crowd.

Jacobs and McCord returned to the scene of the crime late Friday

afternoon for the first of two interactive player Q&A; sessions.

Rodriguez and Fuzzy Zoeller will be on stage today following the

second round.

*

Tournament leader Jim Ahern’s 64 was the lowest first-round score

at Newport Beach Country Club since the PGA Champions Tour event

moved from Mesa Verde Country Club after the inaugural Toshiba Senior

Classic in 1995. Dave Eichelberger holds the tournament record for

the lowest first-round score, posting a 7-under 63 at Mesa Verde.

*

The 38 players with rounds below 70 on Friday were the

second-highest number in tournament history in a single round,

following last year’s all-time best of 41 players below 70 in the

final round.

*

Al Geiberger, who only committed to the Toshiba Classic last

weekend, made his first Champions Tour start since last March and

finished with a 3-over 74. Geiberger’s last appearance came at this

event a year ago.

*

All Hail the defending champion. That’s right, Hale Irwin, last

year’s champion and the only two-time Toshiba winner, opened Friday

with a 4-under 67 and trails Ahern for three strokes. A year ago when

Irwin won the event, he also opened with a 67. Watch out.

Irwin also kept his string on consecutive rounds in the 60s at the

Toshiba Classic intact. He has now put together eight consecutive

rounds in the 60s here. Of his 21 rounds played in the tournament, 14

have been in the 60s and 18 have been par or better.

*

The most difficult hole Friday was the par-3 No. 8 with an average

score of 3.296. There were just four birdies. Ahern had eight birdies

and one bogey in his round -- the bogey coming at No. 8. When Irwin

shot his course-record 62 in the final round of the 1998 Toshiba

Classic, he bogeyed No. 8.

The easiest hole Friday, as usual, was the par-5 No. 15, with an

average score of 4.235. There were six eagles, 51 birdies and just

one bogey.

*

Tournament officials and Hoag Hospital employees will be outfitted

in red clad today in honor of Ohio State’s national championship

football team. Toshiba Classic Tournament Director Jeff Purser is a

die-hard Ohio State fan.