Toshiba swings through history

In 11 years, the Toshiba Classic has gone from a fledgling tournament into one of the most popular stops on the PGA Champions Tour.

From its beginnings at Mesa Verde Country, the tournament has featured great storylines, colorful personalities and more than a few tension-filled playoffs. Along the way, it’s gained a reputation among Champions Tour players as one of the top courses on the circuit.

For now, though, let’s take a trip back in time to see how the Toshiba Classic got here.

1995

Held at Mesa Verde Country Club, the inaugural Toshiba Classic drew 78 golfers from the then-PGA Senior Tour to the Newport Mesa area. Dave Eichelberger electrified the crowd on the first day, tallying nine birdies in the first 16 holes and finishing with a seven-under par 63, good enough for a two-stroke lead.

The real shocker, though, was George Archer. A day before the tournament started, the 1969 Masters champion had decided he would retire from professional golf at the end of the season, due to a degenerative hip condition. Instead, he won his first tournament in two years, shooting a six-under 199 to finish a stroke ahead of Dave Stockton and Tom Wargo.

Archer went on have surgery on the hip, won another tournament that year and remained active in the game for many years, playing the Toshiba Classic as recently as 2003. He died Sept. 25, 2005, at the age of 65.

1996

The second Toshiba Classic moved toward the beach, settling in at Newport Beach Country Club. The location may or may not have had anything to do with it, but the player turnout got a major upgrade as Hale Irwin and Gary Player made their first appear- ances in the tournament.

In the end, though, all eyes were on Jim Colbert, who won his first title ever in the state of California. Colbert took a five-shot lead into the final day and made the final round academic with four birdies on the front nine, winning by two strokes.

Newport Beach Country Club denizens got a little flashback on the tour- nament’s final day as Bob Eastwood fired a seven- under par 64 to tie the course record he set at the 1976 Crosby Southern Pro-Am.

1997

In a classic case of “Can you top this?” the 1997 tour- nament came down to a wild nine-hole playoff between Jay Sigel and Bob Murphy.

Sigel was six strokes off the lead with eight holes remaining on Sunday, but Murphy made three bogeys on the back nine and Sigel birdied the final three holes to force the playoff.

With ESPN’s cameras recording it all, the pair traversed the Newport Beach Country Club course, playing the 18th hole four times and 16th hole three.

Murphy missed a pair of birdie putts that would’ve won it, but then sank an 18-footer from the fringe on the seventh playoff hole to extend the proceedings.

Finally, Murphy drained an 80-footer at No. 17 to end what was then the second-longest playoff in PGA history.

1998

Off the course, 1998 marked the arrival of Hoag Hospital Foundation as the operator of the tournament and the arrival of Jeff Purser as tournament director.

The 17th hole, considered the signature hole at Newport Beach Country Club, made its presence felt once again. This time, it wasn’t so much someone’s shot as it was someone’s rake.

Hale Irwin, who entered the final round five strokes off the lead, birdied five holes on the front nine and had four more on the back nine as he approached the 17th. Irwin’s tee shot rolled off the green and was headed toward the water when it was stopped by a bunker rake that had been inadvertently left in the rough. He was allowed to move the rake and chipped to the green to make par.

Hubert Green, just one stroke behind Irwin, bogeyed No. 17 and Irwin sealed the deal with his 10th birdie of the day at No. 18.

Irwin, who shattered the course record with a third-round 62, would be heard from again. But that’s a different year.

1999

Best known for his wisecracking demeanor as a television analyst, Gary McCord hadn’t won a PGA or Senior PGA tour event in 382 tries. That came to an end at the 1999 tournament, thanks to another crazy playoff.

McCord, John Jacobs, Allen Doyle and Al Geiberger ? who would’ve won, had it not been for a bogey at No. 18 ? tied after 54 holes and went to a playoff. Jacobs holed his hole from 90 yards for eagle on the first playoff hole, but McCord sank an 18-footer to match him, eliminating Doyle and Geiberger, and extending the match.

The two friends bantered as they played, entertaining the crowd along the way. After missing a three-footer on the fourth playoff hole that would’ve won it, McCord drilled a nine-iron at No. 16 to within four feet and converted for his first victory.

2000

The millennium edition of the Toshiba Classic was a memorable one even before it started, because of one man’s presence. Arnold Palmer made his first and only appearance at the tournament, tying for 75th.

History of another kind was also made as a torrential downpour forced the cancellation of the final round, the first and only time a round has been canceled in the tournament’s history. The rain rendered three of the holes unplayable, and officials made the call quickly to end the tournament and send the players off to their next stop.

Allen Doyle, who was eliminated early in the 1999 playoff, was the beneficiary of the weather. In the second round, he was tied with Howard Twitty and Jim Thorpe going to the 18th hole. Knowing that another playoff loomed if the rainy weather continued, Doyle birdied No. 18 and left the next day $195,000 richer.

2001

The Toshiba Classic’s history of suspenseful playoffs continued with another nine-hole affair.

Jose Maria Canizares came back from five strokes down, birdieing the 18th hole, and Gil Morgan fired a seven-under 64 in the final round to earn their spots in the playoff.

Both had potential winning putts lip out on earlier holes, before Canizares sank a tough 24-footer at No. 17 for the victory.

The tournament’s third playoff in five years overshadowed a tough collapse by third-round leader Terry Mauney and Bob Gilder. Both shot six-over 77 and finished out of the running for the title.

2002

After a few years of finishes for the ages, 2002 was a tournament for the ages ? at least as far as Hale Irwin was concerned. Four years after his first victory at Newport Beach Country Club, Irwin dominated the field to become the only repeat winner of the Toshiba Classic.

Irwin took the lead after the second round, shooting a seven-under 64 for a three-stroke advantage. On Sunday, he pulled out the stops by firing a 65 to win by five strokes over Allen Doyle ? who had his fourth consecutive top three finish in the event.

Irwin set a new tournament scoring record of 17-under 196, besting his course record of 200 from 1998 and George Archer’s tournament mark of 199 from 1995. His five-stroke margin of victory was also the largest in tournament history.

2003

As storylines go, Rodger Davis might go down as having the most colorful one in tournament history.

The Australian was robbed at gunpoint in Mexico City while preparing for a Champions Tour event there, just two weeks before the start of the Toshiba Classic.

The day before the tournament started, he got a lesson on chipping from a teaching pro at the Dave Pelz Golf School who happened to be walking by as he practiced.

Come tournament time, Davis wasn’t shaken but he was stirred. The knickers-clad Aussie shot a second-round 64 to take a two-stroke lead into Sunday play. Davis closed with a 68 to win by four strokes, missing Irwin’s tournament scoring record by one stroke.

2004

Much like Arnold Palmer’s appearance in 2000, Jack Nicklaus gave the 2004 tournament a boost in energy. Nicklaus fared better than Palmer, tying for 36th.

And much like 2000, something ? or in this case, someone ? else came along and stole the headlines. Tom Purtzer obliterated Hale Irwin’s course record in the opening round, shooting an 11-under 60. He was particularly effective down the stretch, with three birdies and an eagle in the final five holes.

Morris Hatalsky rallied in the second round to tie Purtzer for the lead, with John Jacobs and Keith Fergus just a shot back. But when the final round was over, Purtzer regained his form, carding a 67 to beat his one- time collegiate teammate Hatalsky by one shot.

2005

Of all the fantastic stories that have accompanied Toshiba Classic winners, Mark Johnson’s might have topped them all.

A beer truck driver for 18 years before turning professional, Johnson made his presence known with a second-round 63 that catapulted him into a three-stroke lead over Keith Fergus.

Dubbed the “Beer Man,” the former California state amateur champion maintained his lead throughout the third round, going to the 18th hole with a two-shot lead.

Johnson hit his tee shot into the rough and punched out on the second shot before holing out from 91 yards for a dramatic tournament-clinching eagle.(LA)Hale Irwin is the only player to have won two Toshiba Classic tournaments, in 1998 and in 2002.At left, after sinking the final putt on the 18th hole in 2004, Rodger Davis, right, is congratulated by caddy Paul Blanks.dpt.10-toshiba-purtzer-BPhotoInfoI91OQ6AA20060310idku43kfDON LEACH / DAILY PILOTdpt.10-toshiba-irwin-1-BPhotoInfoI91OQ7JC20060310h803j9kfDON LEACH / DAILY PILOT(LA)Hale Irwin lines up a putt on the 15th hole at the 2003 Toshiba Senior Classic.dpt.10-toshiba-logo-BPhotoInfoI91OQ7FK20060310iuebthncDON LEACH / DAILY PILOTdpt.10-toshiba-davis-BPhotoInfoI91OQ6AT20060310hc8lm0kf(LA)At left, after sinking the final putt on the 18th hole in 2004, Rodger Davis, right, is congratulated by caddy Paul Blanks.dpt.10-toshiba-zoeller2-BPhotoInfoI91OQABG20060310hbxhrpkfDON LEACH / DAILY PILOTdpt.10-toshiba-irwin-2-BPhotoInfoI91OQ7JA20060310hc9pt8kfKENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT