Making early magic

Bryce Alderton

Whatever Gil Morgan is doing, it seems to be working this year.

The 57-year-old Edmond, Okla., resident has vaulted to the top of

this year’s Champions Tour money list ($495,121) with five top 10s in

five events, including his two-stroke victory over Larry Nelson at

last week’s SBC Valencia Classic. The win was Morgan’s 23rd on the

Champions Tour, sending him into a tie with Bob Murphy for fourth

all-time.

The victory also gave Morgan a 105-point lead in the season-long

Charles Schwab Cup standings over Craig Stadler. The standings are

designed to recognize the tour’s top player at the end of the year.

Morgan knows success at the Toshiba Senior Classic, which begins

today at Newport Beach Country Club.

He has finished in the top 10 in five of six events, including

losing a nine-hole playoff to Jose Maria Canizares in 2001.

“[NBCC] is pretty much like [Valencia Country Club] last week,”

said Morgan standing on the driving range Tuesday. “It is defined by

trees, the rough is deep and the greens are small.

“You have to get the ball up and down and make birdies.”

Morgan, who has cousins in Newport and Huntington Beach, has made

70 birdies in 15 rounds this year (4.67 average), good for fourth on

tour and ranks first with 32 birdies on 60 par-5 holes played.

Morgan is tied with Hale Irwin, the only two-time winner of the

Toshiba Senior Classic, for most sub-par rounds this season (13) and

leads in first-round scoring average (67.60).

The formula for success isn’t anything too complex for Morgan, who

holds a doctorate in optometry, although he has never practiced.

“It’s working harder and getting in better shape,” he said. “You

have to practice your weaknesses.

“Play has improved since I started the Champions Tour [eight years

ago]. There are more good players today than there has ever been.

[Joe Inman] shot a 64 last week and that wasn’t an easy 64.”

Morgan shot a final-round 69 to finish at 14-under-par (202), good

for a two-stroke victory last week, the greatest winning margin on

tour this season.

“I made a few putts,” said Morgan, who birdied Nos. 9, 10 and 11

in Sunday’s final round to build a two-shot lead heading into the

18th hole.

Inman’s 64 came in the final round of the SBC Classic and set a

competitive course record while sending him into a tie for fourth

(10-under-par) with Graham Marsh. Morgan and Marsh are paired in

today’s first round -- 9:27 a.m. starting time -- while Inman tees

off at 12:01 p.m.

Morgan’s victory at Valencia erased memories of the prior two

years, when last-hole heroics by Tom Purtzer and Tom Watson snatched

the title out of his grasp.

Morgan, winner of seven PGA Tour titles, can’t pinpoint a specific

area of his game that has taken him to the top so far this year, but

said a increased focus on an off-season fitness regimen could be

paying off.

“Everyone is becoming health-conscious over time in order to stay

[competitive],” Morgan said. “It’s working harder to get better and

get in golf shape.”

But even he has an indulgent side when it comes to chocolate chip

cookies.

“I rarely let any get away from me,” he said with a laugh.

So far this year, Morgan seems to have a firm hold on his golf

game.