Nicklaus all over the place

Richard Dunn

Jack Nicklaus doesn’t like to address Arnold Palmer as a rival or

nemesis, but the Golden Bear took a page out of Palmer’s game Friday

in the opening round of the Toshiba Senior Classic at Newport Beach

Country Club.

“I was left to right today. I played Arnie golf. I was all over

the place,” said Nicklaus, who shot even-par 71 before a spirited

gallery that peaked at about 500.

Nicklaus, who isn’t thrilled with his morning tee time today (9:51

a.m.) in the second round of the PGA Champions Tour event, returned

to the practice range following his round, which included four

birdies, two bogeys and double bogey on the par-4 No. 9, a dogleg

right with an elevated green.

“I played terrible,” Nicklaus said. “I made four bad shots on [the

par-5] No. 18 and I made birdie, and I made a really great shot on

[the par-3] 17 and made par. That double bogey on nine killed me.”

Nicklaus, who said he will “more than likely” play in the Masters

tournament in three weeks but he doesn’t “want to clutter up the

field” at Augusta, played a competitive round for the first time at

Newport Beach Country Club.

He didn’t disappoint.

Nicklaus opened with a birdie on No. 2, a 390-yard par-4, in which

he ripped an 8-iron to within eight feet of the flag and sank the

putt.

The crowd roared loud again when Nicklaus mastered the par-4 No.

7, the trickiest hole on the golf course because of a severely

undulated green. Sticking a 9-iron to within five feet and draining a

birdie putt, Nicklaus headed to the par-3 No. 8 at 2-under.

Nicklaus, however, bogeyed No. 8 and doubled 9. After coming up

short on the ninth green, Nicklaus chipped from the throat and his

ball rolled past the flag and bounced against the first cut of

fringe, before settling 14 feet from the hole. He missed a three-foot

putt for bogey.

“I didn’t play very well,” Nicklaus said. “We’ll play early

[today] unfortunately. But hopefully we can play late on Sunday.

“I played quite a bit the last two weeks, so there isn’t any

reason why I shouldn’t play well. I played pretty well in Hawaii at

the MasterCard event and at the Skins game and I was feeling pretty

good. Anywhere I go I would like to play well.”

Nicklaus shot par on the first four holes on the back nine to

remain at 1-over, then birdied the par-4 No. 14 with an excellent

second shot to the green and 11-foot putt. He dropped to even par.

However, Nicklaus’ putter failed him at 16, a 437-yard par-4. His

tee shot landed in the right rough, then Nicklaus came up short of

the green when he apparently hit a flat rock under the ball on his

second shot. He missed a four-foot par putt attempt and fell back to

even par.

Nicklaus had another birdie chance on the par-3 No. 17 over water,

but missed a downhill five-footer, moments after playing partner Doug

Tewell missed a similar putt.

The Golden Bear struggled on 18, going into the right rough behind

a tree. His second shot grazed pine needles before settling onto the

fairway, some 120 yards from the green. He hit to within 10 feet of

the flag and navigated a 10-foot uphill birdie putt in front of a

large 18th-hole gallery.