GOLF
Best of Senior Tour will battle at Turtle Bay's Palmer course

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

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2002 Turtle Bay Championship WHAT: Senior PGA event WHEN: Friday through Sunday from approximately 7:30 a.m. WHERE: Palmer Course at Turtle Bay (Par 36-36i72, 7,044 yards) PURSE: $1.5 million ($225,000 first prize) FIELD: 78 Senior PGA Tour players, including defending champion Hale Irwin, Hawai'i's Steve Veriato and Larry Stubblefield, Isao Aoki, Allen Doyle, Bruce Fleisher, Bob Gilder, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Walter Morgan, Dana Quigley and Jim Thorpe. PRO-AM: Today and tomorrow from 7 a.m. ADMISSION: $10 daily beginning Friday, or $20 three-day pass. Children 17-under free with ticket-bearing adult TV (Hawai'i times): Friday, 1-3 p.m., PAX TV; Saturday-Sunday, noon-2 p.m., CNBC.

Golfers go out from 7 a.m. to 8:30 in the early wave, and 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the afternoon today and tomorrow. The free AT&T Public Clinic, orchestrated by Senior PGA player/commentator Gary McCord, is also tomorrow, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Fazio driving range.

The 54-hole tournament starts Friday, with seven of the Top 10 money winners including defending champion Hale Irwin, the dominant player on the tour since he joined in 1995.

A year ago, Irwin took a two-shot advantage into the final round and came out with a three-shot victory over John Jacobs. It was Irwin's 32nd senior victory and ended his longest slump in five years — six months without a victory.

This year, he has won three events and $2.6 million. In 11 of his last 12 starts, Irwin shot in the 60s on Sundays. His final-round scoring average for the year is 68.17. His final-round scoring average has never been higher than 69.65 in any of his eight seasons.

Irwin can clinch the Charles Schwab Cup this week with a finish of fifth or better, if runner-up Bob Gilder does not place in the Top 10. The Cup is designed to recognize the tour's leading player using a season-long bonus points program.

Allen Doyle won the inaugural Schwab Cup, and $1 million annuity, last year. He donated all the money to seven charities.

Doyle, Gilder, Bruce Fleisher, Jim Thorpe, Dana Quigley and Bobby Wadkins are the other Top 10 players at Turtle Bay this week. Together, they have won 10 tournaments and more than $11 million this year. Hilo's Steve Veriato is also here. He is 66th on the money list, with $219,725. Veriato grew up with Turtle Bay Director of Golf Dennis Rose.

Proceeds from the tournament will support the North Shore through Friends of Hawai'i Charities. Earlier this year, the senior tour surpassed $100 million in charitable contributions since its first donation in 1980.

In Turtle Bay's debut last year, the course was ranked seventh-hardest on the tour, playing to an average of 73.290. The 10th and 11th holes were among the 50 hardest.

Today's Pro-Am Starting Times

First Tee

7 a.m.iLarry Stubblefield. 7:10iBill Brask. 7:20iDan O'Neill. 7:30iButch Sheehan. 7:40iMark Pfeil. 7:50iWalter Zembriski. 8iMorris Hatalsky. 8:10iTom Shaw. 8:20iDon Pooley.

11:30iTerry Dill. 11:40iDeWitt Weaver. 11:50iGeorge Burns. NooniRodger Davis. 12:10iDanny Edwards. 12:20iRex Caldwell. 12:30iJack Spradlin. 12:40iDavid Eger. 12:50iSteve Stull. 1iJohn Harris.

Tenth Tee

7 a.m.iVictor Garcia. 7:10iRik Massengale. 7:20iDoug Johnson. 7:30iR.W. Eaks. 7:40iJay Overton. 7:50iRoy Vucinich. 8iJames Mason. 8:10iBob Dickson. 8:20iJerry McGee. 8:30iWalter Morgan.

11:30iLarry Ziegler. 11:40iHoward Twitty. 11:50iFred Gibson. NooniMark Hayes. 12:10iLon Hinkle. 12:20iJim Simons. 12:30iDick Mast. 12:40iClyde Hughey. 12:50iJohn Calabria. 1iPat Laverty.

Tomorrow's Pro-Am Starting Times

First Tee

7 a.m.iJim Ahearn. 7:10iStewart Ginn. 7:20iEd Dougherty. 7:30iWayne Levi. 7:40iBob Eastwood. 7:50iGraham Marsh. 8iDana Quigley. 8:10iBruce Fleisher. 8:20iJim Colbert. 8:30iChi Chi Rodriguez.

11:30iHale Irwin. 11:40iBob Gilder. 11:50iIsao Aoki. NooniJ.C. Snead. 12:10iJim Albus. 12:20iRocky Thompson. 12:30iSammy Rachels. 12:40iGary McCord. 12:50iWalter Hall. 1iJohn Schroeder.

10th Tee

7 a.m.iTed Goin. 7:10iJoe Inman. 7:20iHugh Baiocchi. 7:30iAndy North. 7:40iMike McCullough. 7:50iTom Purtzer. 8iJohn Bland. 8:10iTom Jenkins. 8:20iJim Thorpe. 8:30iHubert Green.

11:30iAllen Doyle. 11:40iDave Eichelberger. 11:50iJose Maria Canizares. NooniBruce Summerhays. 12:10iKermit Zarley. 12:20iSteve Veriato. 12:30iTerry Mauney. 12:40iJim Holtgrieve. 12:50iMike Smith.