Rodriguez might miss Toshiba

Bryce Alderton

Paul Hahn and Chi Chi Rodriguez have formed quite a bond as the

Toshiba Senior Classic makes its annual stop at Newport Beach Country

Club.

The two shared laughs and other light-hearted moments while

playing in the same group the final two days of last year’s

tournament.

But it doesn’t appear they will find themselves in the same

tournament, let alone the same group, when the first round tees off

March 18.

As of Saturday, the affable Rodriguez, one of the PGA Champions

Tour’s most recognizable and entertaining golfers, hadn’t confirmed

whether he would play this year’s Toshiba on one of five sponsor’s

exemptions, Tournament Director Jeff Purser said.

Rodriguez, 69, is at odds with the Champions Tour’s policy,

implemented in full this year, of not allowing players to ride carts

in competition. Pros and caddies may ride carts during practice

rounds and pro-ams.

The 22-time Champions Tour winner, who has missed only one Toshiba

(1998) in its 10-year history, has not played in a senior tour event

this year.

He is one of several who contend they can’t play if carts are

banned.

“[Rodriguez] wants to play,” Purser said.

Rodriguez’s uncertainty, however, still leaves the door open for

Hahn, Newport Beach Country Club’s head professional, to make his

second straight Toshiba appearance.

Purser said if Rodriguez backs out, Hahn is in.

“I’m not getting my hopes up, but I should start practicing,” Hahn

said. “[Purser] told me to hit a few balls.

“In my mind, I’m not playing, but if it happens ... I will have a

different attitude.”

Hahn played in his first Toshiba last year on a sponsor’s

exemption.

“Last year, I prepared eight months in advance. This year, I’m not

physically ready,” said Hahn, who said he has played eight holes in

the past two months. “I have a bad leg [calf muscle] and my back

hurts.”

The four other exemptions into the 78-player field include past

tournament champions Rodger Davis (2003) and Gary McCord (1999), Pete

Oakley, last year’s Senior British Open champion, and Mark Lye, who

competed in 12 Champions Tour events in 2004 with his best finish at

the Greater Hickory Classic (ninth).

Lye, who has one PGA Tour victory to his credit, has served as the

lead analyst the last few years for the Golf Channel, which

broadcasts Toshiba. Lye and Hahn played together at San Jose State.

This year’s tournament features 25 of the top 30 players from the

2004 Champions Tour money list.

Hale Irwin, the only two-time Toshiba winner, defending champion

Tom Purtzer, Gil Morgan, Bruce Fleisher, Larry Nelson, Mark McNulty,

D.A. Weibring, Jim Thorpe and Allen Doyle head the list of entries

for this year’s tournament, March 14-20.

Two-time U.S. Open champion Curtis Strange will make his

tournament debut this year while Tom Watson, owner of 39 PGA Tour

victories, returns to Newport Beach for the fourth time in five

years.

The tournament, though, will miss one of the game’s more colorful

personalties with Lee Trevino’s absence.

Trevino, who owns 29 victories on both the PGA and Champions tours

and has played in all 10 prior Toshiba Senior Classics, is expected

to miss four months with nerve damage in his back. The injury limited

Trevino to 12 events in 2004 and none after July.

Trevino’s two tournament appearances this year came in January, a

tie for 31st at the MasterCard Championship and a tie for 68th at the

Turtle Bay Championship a week later.

Purser still holds slim hope Jack Nicklaus, winner of an all-time

18 major championships, will return after making his inaugural

Toshiba appearance last year.

Tragedy struck the Nicklaus’ family on Tuesday when his

17-month-old grandson, Jake Walter Nicklaus, died after falling into

a hot tub where he had been playing earlier.