Golf: Toshiba Classic Pro-Ams somehow sidestepped rain

Richard Dunn

Not to beat the weather angle to death, but Toshiba Senior Classic

officials managed to miraculously walk between the raindrops last week

during the pro-ams.

The soft, steady rain Feb. 28, the first day of the two-day Toshiba

Pro-Ams, caused tournament organizers to scramble, resulting in a

modified afternoon round of nine holes.

Tournament officials, who realize pro-ams are the lifeblood of the

Senior PGA Tour event’s fund-raising, “made the fairest and most

intelligent decision,” according to Newport Beach amateur Mike Drucker,

“(by) dividing the field into three parts.”

Toshiba Classic coordinators created three groups and three winners in

each: 1) Those who played 18 holes Wednesday and Thursday, 2) those who

played the front nine Wednesday and 18 Thursday, and 3) those who played

the back nine Wednesday and 18 Thursday.

While some have argued the Toshiba Classic is the best all-around stop

on the Senior PGA Tour, there’s no denying, at least in 2001, that it’s

the luckiest.

It’s mind-boggling, almost a bit mysterious, that after five weeks of

rain, the sixth week decided to only tease us with dark clouds and a wet

forecast, keeping Newport Beach Country Club dry throughout the 54-hole,

three-day Senior Tour event.

Almost as remarkable was “completing” the pro-ams, directed by Balboa

Island’s Jake Rohrer, the Toshiba Classic volunteer co-chairman.

Those who labor day and night getting the golf course ready for the

tournament probably weren’t happy about the green light to let the Feb.

28 afternoon pro-am groups tee off at 2:15, even though golf carts were

banned.

But with each amateur spot carrying a $5,500 price tag, and with no

refunds given for canceled pro-am rounds because of inclement weather,

it’s understandable that tournament officials did everything possible to

ensure a round of golf for the sponsors with a member of the Senior PGA

Tour, albeit nine holes.

That’s $611 a hole to you and me.

The next day, March 1, sunny skies warmed everybody up and the pro-ams

were played as scheduled. It was the first clear day in recent memory.

Everyone in the pro-am dressed appropriately for rain, but instead came

home with a sunburn.

In the end, another $1 million was raised for Hoag Hospital, the

event’s managing charity. Last year the Toshiba Classic was the most

philanthropic stop on the Senior PGA Tour. This year it could be again.

Winning the 36-hole Toshiba Classic Pro-Am by two strokes was the

amateur team of Drucker, Dick Bertea, Dr. Jim Bohr and Steve Kay, a

tournament sponsor who is president of Work Comp Depot, a new company

that is interfacing physicians with the insurance industry in an

innovative way.

The team shot 19-under and 18-under in consecutive days with Senior

Tour pros David Lundstrom and John Jacobs.

“The two professionals we played with were encouraging, helpful,

friendly and down-to-earth regular guys,” said Drucker, a retired Hoag

orthopedic surgeon and longtime member at Big Canyon Country Club.

“It was like playing with your regular Saturday group, except for the

fact that they bombed every drive. What an overall experience.”

Lee Trevino enjoyed his lowest round ever at the Toshiba Senior

Classic (5-under 66) and his best Sunday round in a year on the Senior

PGA Tour.

But, off the golf course, Trevino was a strong supporter of Toshiba

Classic Tournament Director Jeff Purser long before arriving in Newport

Beach last week.

“He’s the best (tournament director) we’ve got (on tour),” Trevino

said of Purser after the first round Friday. “But he needs a tournament

date two weeks later (than this year’s Week 9 on the calendar). He’s

raising $1 million for charity and can’t get a decent date. He needs a

date about three weeks later ... if I had a tournament, I’d hire him.

He’s the best guy. I’d hire him in a minute.”

Purser confirmed Monday that the 2002 Toshiba Classic will be switched

to Week 10.