Purtzer drives past the competition

Bryce Alderton

Amid all the talk about his sore back and the Champions Tour’s policy

of no carts during competitive rounds, Tom Purtzer is actually

looking forward to playing Newport Beach Country Club again.

It was, of course, the place where the 53-year-old Purtzer claimed

his second Champions Tour victory a year ago, beating college buddy

Morris Hatalsky by a stroke.

Purtzer tied the Champions Tour record in a round and broke the

Newport Beach Country Club course record with an 11-under-par 60 in

the opening round last year, which included nine birdies and an

eagle. He finished the three-round championship at 15-under 198 after

firing a 4-under 67 in the final round.

“It’s a golf course where if you’re hitting it good, you can score

low, but if you’re not quite on, it becomes a tough golf course,”

Purtzer told reporters at Toshiba media day in February. “Everybody

loves Newport Beach and everybody likes the golf course.”

Purtzer will again read the greens and survey the landing area for

his drives beginning with the first round March 18.

But, like all other players in the field, he won’t have the luxury

of riding in a cart for even a short duration to take the strain off

his back.

Beginning this year, the Champions Tour, albeit for a handful

events, is not allowing players to ride carts during competitive

rounds at its tournaments.

Decision makers contend it “enhances” their product both “on site

and on television and focuses on the competitive aspects of the

tour,” Champions Tour spokesman Jeff Adams said.

Players knew the policy was coming for the last 12 to 15 months, but that doesn’t make it any easier to understand, Purtzer said.

“All I’m trying to do is figure out a way to be able to ride a

cart and that’s something they’ve been doing for the last 25 years on

the Champions Tour,” said Purtzer, who in February said he would be

reluctant to follow through with some attorneys’ advice to enter

litigation against the tour.

“I certainly don’t want to sue the organization that has been good

to me all these years,” Purtzer said.

Talk of litigation aside, Purtzer, limited to 19 events in 2004

because of back problems, still managed eight top 10 finishes.

In addition to his victory at Toshiba, Purtzer tallied a second

and two third-place finishes while making 18 cuts.

He led the Champions Tour in average driving distance (294.8

yards) and was second in greens in regulation -- he hit them 75.2% of

the time -- to Hale Irwin, the Champions Tour’s all-time money ($27.2

million through four events in 2005) and victory (42) leader.

Purtzer’s swing has garnered acclaim for its fluidity.

He has been described as having the “sweetest” swing on tour

according to the “personal” section of his biography on the PGA

Tour’s web site.

Purtzer, a five-time winner on the PGA Tour, though, said he’s

just trying to learn.

“I’d like to say I worked really hard on [tempo and rhythm] of the

swing, but that was one of God’s gifts to me,” he said. “I’ve always

had a rhythmic golf swing. I think that helps in that I don’t feel

like I have to hit it hard to hit it a long ways. That’s what’s

lasted the longest ... my inner drive to try and get better each

year.”

Purtzer’s first PGA Tour victory came in 1977 at the Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open.

“I still feel like I’m improving, which is kind of odd in that I’m

53 years old.”

His victory at Toshiba, coupled with a solo sixth-place finish at

the SBC Classic at Valencia Country Club the previous week, earned

Purtzer the tour’s Player of the Month honors for March in 2004.

A visit to Scotty Cameron’s putting studio between the SBC and

Toshiba also helped.

“[Spending time at the putting studio] gave me a lot of confidence

watching my stroke,” Purtzer said. “I changed a couple of things and

that helped.”

Purtzer tallied 86 putts for the three rounds at last year’s

Toshiba, an average of nearly 1.60 per hole.

He’s devoted more time to improving his putting and short game

over the years.

“I think my putting has always held me back a little bit, ... and

my chipping,” Purtzer said. “And really, I think that was more of a

mindset than anything else. I just never really trusted my short

game.”

Through four tournaments this year, Purtzer ranks 50th in putts

per round (1.830) and 14th in scoring average (69.91).

Purtzer started the year strong, placing ninth in the

season-opening MasterCard championship at 12-under (204) followed by

a tie for 34th in the Turtle Bay championship (2-under 214) a week

later.

Through four events this year, Purtzer ranks first in driving

distance -- a 294-yard average -- and seventh in greens in regulation

(77.3%).