More magic at Toshiba Classic

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - The magic of the Toshiba Senior Classic revealed

itself again Sunday.

After sidestepping rain in the forecast, which was virtually

guaranteed by every meteorologist this side of the Mississippi, the

seventh annual Toshiba Classic provided another memorable finish with

great suspense at Newport Beach Country Club.

Not only did the Senior PGA Tour event survive all 54 holes without

rain, the tournament was extended nine extra holes as Jose Maria

Canizares defeated Gil Morgan in a sudden-death playoff.

On the 63rd hole, Canizares drained a 24-foot birdie putt with a

difficult left-to-right break to end the marathon playoff at the par-3

No. 17, Newport Beach’s signature hole where Bob Murphy capped the

event’s 1997 nine-hole playoff with an 80-foot birdie putt.

Canizares, who won his first event on the Senior PGA Tour and first

title anywhere since 1992 on the European Tour, couldn’t remember having

to play this much golf in one day.

“This is the longest playoff I have ever been in,” Canizares said. “I

think my longest playoff was six holes. You get tired when it is this

long.”

For the Toshiba Senior Classic, it was the event’s seventh different

winner and third playoff in five years.

In ‘97, Murphy defeated Jay Sigel in nine extra holes, at the time a

Senior PGA Tour record, with a putt at 17 that chugged its way up the

difficult, two-tiered green.

In 1999, first-time PGA winner Gary McCord, the wisecracking CBS golf

commentator, beat John Jacobs on the fifth playoff hole. Al Geiberger and

Allen Doyle were eliminated on the first hole of the four-man playoff.

The ’99 playoff was so entertaining with McCord and Jacobs making

eagles on the first playoff hole and following it up with hilarious

antics that many felt the Toshiba Classic jump-started the Senior Tour

that year.

For good measure, last year’s Super Seniors event at Newport Beach for

players 60-and-over went into a playoff, with George Archer beating Lee

Trevino in two extra holes.

The Toshiba Classic, which has enjoyed several other exciting moments

in its seven-year history, was also a big winner with charity.

The event, managed by Hoag Hospital, became the only tournament in

Senior PGA Tour history to surpass $1 million in charitable contributions

the last two years.

Canizares, a 54-year-old Spaniard, earned $210,000 for the victory,

the largest paycheck of his professional golf career. He had four

second-place finishes going into the week’s event, the most recent being

a playoff loss at the 2000 ACE Group Classic.

Canizares, also the third straight first-time winner on the Senior PGA

Tour, following victories by Bob Gilder in Tampa, Fla., and Mike

McCullough in Mexico last week, missed several chances earlier in the

playoff before sinking the winning putt.

Both putts lipped out for Canizares on the first two playoff holes.

The playoff began on hole No. 18, where Canizares and Morgan both made

par, and then continued on to 16, 17, 18, 16, 17, 18, 16 and 17. They

both made par on each hole until the ninth playoff hole. Canizares and

Morgan finished regulation with an 11-under 202.

Canizares started Sunday’s round five shots behind the leader, Terry

Mauney, who finished with a 6-over 77, tied for 10th.

Morgan, who earned $123,200 as the tournament runner-up, started the

day eight shots behind the lead, firing a 7-under 64.

Canizares sank a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole of regulation

to force the playoff.

Morgan missed his birdie attempt on the ninth playoff hole from 40

feet out, leaving it short about 6 feet. Canizares then followed with his

winning putt.

“It is very nice to win because I am playing with some of the best

players in the world,” Canizares said. “And in golf you have 18 holes, so

I think you always think you have a chance to win.”

In ‘97, the nine-hole playoff at the Toshiba Classic set a Senior PGA

Tour record for the longest playoff. It was broken in 1998 when David

Graham beat Dave Stockton in a 10-hole playoff at the Royal Caribbean

Classic.

Canizares’ win over Morgan is only the second nine-hole playoff in

Senior PGA Tour history, both coming at the Toshiba Senior Classic.