Toshiba’s intrigue is worldwide
BRYCE ALDERTON
In a global society, the Toshiba Senior Classic continues to stretch
its tentacles to countries near and far to gather the talent that has
come to characterize the most philanthropic stop on the Champions
Tour.
Thanks to the senior tour’s national qualifying tournament (aka
Q-school) in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., last fall, this year’s field --
released Monday -- includes former European Ryder Cup captains, an
11-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour and a native from Zimbabwe who
won the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am in his Champions Tour debut two
weeks ago.
Mark McNulty became the 11th player to win his first Champions
Tour event when he shot a 13-under-par 200 to defeat Larry Nelson by
one stroke in the Outback. McNulty, born in Zimbabwe but now living
in England, claimed the top prize at last year’s national qualifying
tournament after shooting a 68 in the final round to defeat England’s
Mark James by three strokes.
James, who played for and captained European Ryder Cup teams, is
also among the field of 78. He is recovering from knee surgery, but
is expected to play.
Englishman Sam Torrance, a 21-time winner on the European Tour and
captain of the victorious European Ryder Cup team in 2002, will make
his debut during this year’s Toshiba Senior Classic -- March 15-21.
Torrance finished tied for sixth at last year’s qualifying tournament
while Japan’s Hajime Meshiai placed third.
“This is a feat for our field,” tournament director Jeff Purser
said of the international players making the trip to Newport Beach.
“The [international players] tend to look at an event like this in a
more social manner. They enjoy themselves and the fans realize that
and enjoy interacting with them.”
James, who played on seven Ryder Cup teams, has been a mainstay on
the European Tour for the last 27 years, winning 18 times from
1978-1997.
McNulty has won $650,000 playing in 112 PGA Tour events and has
won 55 times since turning professional in 1977.
The list of international flavor also features last year’s winner,
Australian Rodger Davis, Isao Aoki, a nine-time Champions Tour
winner, Jose Maria Canizares, the 2001 champion, Vincente Fernandez,
who finished in the top three in four events last year and Graham
Marsh, the 1997 U.S. Senior Open champion.
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This year’s field was reduced back to 78 players after the tour
experimented with 81 last year.
An effort was made to get more former PGA Tour winners into
fields. Four players each week ages 50-51 with career victories on
the PGA Tour, who are not otherwise exempt, are eligible to compete
in tournaments.
Of the five exemptions, three spots are restricted for those
players with career victories on the PGA Tour.
Andy Bean and 1976 U.S. Open champion Jerry Pate have 11 and eight
PGA Tour victories, respectively, and are scheduled to compete in
this year’s Toshiba.
Without the career victories category, they would have been shut
out.
“Each tournament is certain to have in its field a good
representation of players that won on the PGA Tour,” Purser said. “It
is not as if half the field didn’t have PGA Tour victories, but the
money situation has gotten so much ... that these guys that won eight
or 10 years ago may not be eligible for the all-time money list. The
purses on the PGA Tour have escalated to where they are playing for
millions a week. Guys like Andy Bean, who wouldn’t have made the
all-time money list, would have gotten squeezed out. Jerry Pate, who
hasn’t competed a lot, can come out, get his feet wet and hone his
skills.”
Pate made three starts on the PGA Tour last year and was expected
to make his Champions Tour debut in September, but shoulder surgery
in July postponed his debut until earlier this winter.
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Newport Harbor High classes of 1973 and 1974 are hosting a golf
tournament July 3 at the Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course in Irvine.
Tournament organizer Jeff Sebek (‘73) said a failed attempt at a
30-year reunion was cause to combine with the class of ’74 to host a
golf tournament.
“The first goal is to try and fill it with as much alumni and
friends as possible,” Sebek said.
Sebek is joined on the tournament committee by Judy Bostwick,
Laurie Nichols, Danny Greyshock, Erik Escher, Jackie Humble, Tina
Bright, Tina Bazacas, Patrick Honeywell, Mark Jones, Tom Searles and
A.G. Kawamura, California’s agriculture secretary.
For $125, each player gets a round of golf with a cart and dinner.
Foursomes will tee off in a shotgun start at 1 p.m.
Interested players can call (949) 722-6717, ext 111 for more
information.
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