Irwin leaves tourney after mother’s death

NEWPORT BEACH — World Hall of Fame golfer Hale Irwin withdrew from the Toshiba Classic Thursday morning because his mother died.

Bruce Vaughan will replace Irwin, the Toshiba tournament’s only two-time winner.

With 45 titles, Irwin is the most successful player in Champions Tour history. He won his first Toshiba Classic title in 1998, using a final round nine-under-par 62 to vault 11 players and claim a one-shot victory. In 2002, he set a then-tournament record 196 and his five-shot victory was larger than the past six winners combined.

At 62, he is still productive, earning about $1.3 million on the Champions Tour in 2007. He finished with 10 top-10 finishes last year.

He claimed 20 PGA Tour titles and played on the victorious 1991 U.S. Ryder Cup team.

Irwin’s mother, Maple, who lived in Colorado, died in the early hours of Thursday, PGA Champions Tour media official Dave Senko said.

The Toshiba Classic begins with first-round play today.