Special day for youth

NEWPORT BEACH — Just as Bruce Lietzke sank a birdie on No. 18 at Newport Beach Country Club, 12 children in the Emulex hospitality suite cheered. Some were amazed.

“Wow,” a little boy said.

The children were from the Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim and were guests of Emulex, the networking solutions company based in Costa Mesa.

“We got together as a team [to come up with the idea],” said Jeff Hoogenboom, senior vice president of worldwide sales and a Corona del Mar resident. “We wanted to do something to get the community more involved.

“They get to hang out here in the booth and frankly they’ll enjoy the cookies as much as they’ll enjoy the golf.”

Hoogenboom said the children were not allowed to be identified or to speak with the media.

The 12 kids won’t be the only youth as guests in the Emulex suite. A group of young golfers from the SCPGA Junior division will also get to watch the Champions Tour pros on the 18th green.

They will play in the Championship Challenge, a special event on Monday at NBCC, taking on the same course the pros did during the weekend.

The children from the Tiger Woods Learning Center also went to the tent where the pros turned in their scores to acquire some autographs.

Morris Hatalsky and Bob Gilder were happy to sign hats, shirts and autograph books.

“What do you say?” Hatalsky told a boy after signing his book.

“Thank you,” the boy replied.

“That’s right. We all have to learn that,” Hatalsky said.

When Gilder signed a hat, he asked a boy if he knew what the name said.

“Paul?” the boy said.

“No, it’s Bob,” Gilder said.

The children appeared happy anyway.

— Steve Virgen

 Carts are available to either players or caddies, but there are rules to follow.

A player and his caddie cannot both ride in the same cart or drive separate carts. At least one person — player or caddie — must always walk. And if the player rides, the caddie must carry the bag.

The rule is there so spectators can stay with the pace of play, said Gene Smith, Champions Tour assistant tournament director.

In Saturday’s group of Dana Quigley, Mark McNulty and Tim Simpson, one caddie walked and McNulty rode by himself. All caddies walked in the group of Loren Roberts, Tom Lehman and D.A. Weibring.

There are still some Champions Tour events where no carts are allowed, such as all the majors and the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am and the First Tee Open, Smith said.

In Friday’s first round, 45 of 80 players walked, Smith said.

Caddies must always have the bag with them, either on their shoulder or strapped to a cart.

— Bryce Alderton

 There are no more bogey-free golfers in the Toshiba Classic.

Of the six bogey-free golfers from Friday, defending champion Eduardo Romero and Tom Lehman had the best chance to remain without a bogey heading into today.

Lehman said he chose a sand wedge instead of a pitching wedge into his approach shot on 16. After the ball came short of the pin and spun back a little bit more, Lehman three-putted for a bogey.

However, he still shot a six-under-par 65 Saturday and is tied for second at 10 under par.

Romero’s streak ended on the par-three 17th after he pulled his tee shot left and couldn’t get up and down from behind the palm trees.

Romero shot a two-under-par 69, tied for eight and six shots behind leader Fred Couples at 12 under par.

— Tony Lee

 Dave Stockton and Andy Bean both withdrew prior to the start of Saturday’s round due to illness.

Jim Colbert, the 1996 Toshiba Classic champion, withdrew because he’s ill too on Friday before play began.

— From staff reports