Tourney not just about wearing Wednesday best

S.J. Cahn

NEWPORT BEACH--For Newport Beach Country Club head pro Paul Hahn,

Wednesday’s Classic Pro-Am was a chance to firm up the nerves he’s

about to test this weekend during the 10th annual Toshiba Senior

Classic.

For the more than 200 amateurs who’d plopped down thousands of

dollars to play alongside Champions Tour players, the two-day

challenge that concludes today was a chance to impress business

partners, smoke a fat cigar and don some finely coordinated clothing

(more on that later).

And it was a perfect opportunity to raise money for a good cause:

Hoag Hospital.

“It’s for Hoag Hospital,” stressed Bruce Schwartz, Newport Beach

resident and Hoag board member. “I’m involved with Hoag, and Hoag’s

saved my life many times.”

Schwartz, who played in the morning with Hoag Hospital Foundation

Executive Director Ron Guziak and pro Howard Twitty, added: “The

bottom line is we raise $1 million for Hoag. That’s the key.”

Schwartz’s sentiment was heard almost as often as the ping of a

driver and from players from places as far off as Florida, Ohio and

Maryland -- surely beyond Hoag’s medicinal reach.

“We’re making our contribution to the community,” said Paul

Folino, chairman of Emulex, which is a tournament sponsor.

But though Hoag did not stray too far from players’ minds, other,

perhaps less important, thoughts were clearly competing for

attention.

“Hey, I just got a birdie,” Folino said after teeing off on hole

No. 1.

On hole 17, thoughts were aimed squarely at the pin, poised

precariously at the front of the green and just beyond the

kidney-shaped water hazard.

“OK, guys, easy hole,” pro David Graham told his half-believing

playing partners.

Today, the amateur foursomes will be paired with a different pro

as they compete for crystal champions trophies. With each of the 224

scheduled players anteing up in the neighborhood of $7,500 -- give or

take those playing as tournament sponsors -- the two-day event can

earn somewhere in the $1.6-million neighborhood.

That’s the kind of money that could buy a truckload of crisp polo

shirts, creased chinos and shining, soft-spiked shoes. Put another

way, not everyone playing the course on Wednesday had listened to

advice offered earlier in the week by popular professional Fuzzy

Zoeller.

“You don’t have to wear your brand new clothes and your brand new

shoes and the brand new pants your wife bought you,” he said at the

tournament’s annual Champions Breakfast. “These people who come out

to watch are not coming out to watch you.”

Zoeller’s pronouncement turned out not entirely true, however, as

a number of players had galleries of at least one, typically toting a

digital camera. And even the day’s worst shots met with their

applause.

Hahn, looking looser and admitting to taking the opportunity to

“get the nerves down,” figures to be among those this weekend earning

the most applause from his home crowd.

“I’m feeling pretty good today,” he said. “This is a lot of fun,

and I’m just going to try to keep it that way.”

He said he was more than willing to offer his amateur partners

advice.

“I hope they respect what I have to say about the course today,”

he said, quickly earning a friendly dismissal from his foursome --

after just three holes together, a pretty solid show of camaraderie.

Hahn, perhaps, should get used to it. Not minutes later, after the

five players had teed off, up walked pro Walter Morgan, who gave the

“rookie” another quick ribbing.

For other pros, including this year’s highlight attendee Jack

Nicklaus, the two-day event provides a chance to tour the course or

even see it for the first time, as Nicklaus did.

“The course is 6,500 yards,” he said before teeing off. “Short

course.”

But long enough to get to know the pros and amateur partners.

“Four and a half hours,” pro Craig Stadler said. “I would hope

so.”

* S.J. CAHN is the managing editor. He may be reached at (949)

574-4233 or by e-mail at s.j.cahn@latimes.com.