Easygoing Eaks returns to Newport

Richard Dunn

Living the life of a Monday qualifier isn’t easy on the PGA Champions

Tour, but easygoing R.W. Eaks doesn’t mind as long as he can visit

Newport Beach from time to time.

“It’s a nice trip coming over here, because it’s one of the most

beautiful spots in the world -- this and Scottsdale (Ariz.), of

course, which is also beautiful,” said Eaks, who lives in Scottsdale,

and, in the 1990s, became a star of the former Newport Classic Pro-Am

with back-to-back titles in the mini-tour event (1995-96).

This weekend, Eaks didn’t have to go far to find his caddie. His

son-in-law, Scott Schultz, who moved to Corona del Mar three months

ago from Phoenix with Eaks’ daughter, Dawn, caddied for Eaks at the

MasterCard Championship in Hawaii and is carrying his bag again this

week.

Eaks, who shot even-par 71 in the first round Friday of the

Toshiba Senior Classic at Newport Beach Country Club, has no official

status on the tour this year, because he played in 14 events last

year and didn’t make enough money to finish in the top 31.

So it’s on to Monday qualifying. Eaks has tried four times this

year to qualify for an event on Monday and twice has made it,

including this week’s Toshiba event, in which he shot 67 and tied for

second in the Monday qualifier at Goose Creek Golf Club in Mira Loma.

The top three finishers qualified for the 54-hole Champions Tour

event. He qualified in Mexico two weeks ago, but injured his back on

Wednesday and struggled in the tournament.

“You’ve got to play when you get in,” Eaks said Friday. “My back’s

better. It’s not 100% ... but it’s playable.”

Eaks, who said his No. 1 goal this year is to win a tournament and

gain exempt status for a year, shattered the driving distance record

on the tour last year when he averaged 295.1 yards per drive. John

Jacobs held the previous record at 290.7 yards in 1997.

The former Newport Classic, which was held from 1975 to ’97 at

Newport Beach and called the Crosby Southern Pro-Am for the first 11

years, served as a two-day mini-tour event and played host to several

future PGA Tour stars. Only Clark Dennis (1992-93) and Eaks (1995-96)

won back-to-back Newport Classic titles.

It’s the first time Eaks has played in the Toshiba Classic and his

first Newport Beach appearance since 1997, the final year of the

Newport Classic Pro-Am.

*

As reported last month, Toshiba has signed a three-year contract

extension to serve as title sponsor of the Toshiba Senior Classic.

The contract runs through the year 2006.

The tournament will continue to be held at Newport Beach Country

Club for the next three years and the professional purse will

increase each year.

In the last five years (1998-2002) under the title sponsorship of

Irvine-based Toshiba Computer Systems Group, and the management of

Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, the Toshiba Senior Classic has

raised more than $4.7 million for more than 20 charities -- the

largest amount of net proceeds on the Champions Tour.

“We cannot say enough about Toshiba’s ongoing support of this

tournament,” explains Toshiba Senior Classic Tournament Director Jeff

Purser. “The Toshiba Senior Classic has made a profound impact on the

lives of Orange County residents through its financial support of

Hoag Hospital and other important charities. Toshiba Computer Systems

Group has committed itself to this community in a way truly deserves

the highest praise.”

“The Toshiba Senior Classic is a fantastic success story,” said

PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem. “Toshiba and Hoag Hospital have

teamed to do great things for their community, the hospital and golf

fans of Southern California. The Champions Tour applauds this

partnership and looks forward to three more very successful years

beyond this week’s tournament.”

Toshiba has served as the title sponsor of Orange County’s

Champions Tour event since its inception in 1995. Hoag has been the

event organizer since the 1998 event. The 2003 Toshiba Senior Classic

marks the final year of a three-year deal signed in 2000.