Green gains perspective

Bryce Alderton

Hubert Green, owner of U.S. Open and PGA Championship titles in a

35-year professional career, returns to Newport Beach Country Club

for the Toshiba Senior Classic after a one-year absence.

Green, who finished second to Hale Irwin by one stroke in the 1998

Toshiba and has three top 10 finishes in seven prior appearances,

spent much of the first three months last year undergoing tests and

treatments for a cancerous growth on his throat and tongue.

He returned in April and completed 16 events, earning Champions

Tour Comeback Player of the Year for the second time in three

seasons. He finished third in driving accuracy.

Green, 58, sat in the men’s locker room Thursday, after playing in

the morning portion of the Classic Pro-Am.

His best finish in four events this season is a tie for 45th in

last week’s SBC Classic. Green didn’t sugarcoat his performances thus

far.

“My golf game is not here,” said Green, first diagnosed with a

cancerous growth on his left tonsil and back of his tongue during a

routine dental examination in May 2003. “The course is perfect, it’s

just me.”

Radiation and chemotherapy sessions soon followed in 2003 and

Green lost more than 30 pounds during six weeks of treatment. He has

finished the sessions, but has to take medication.

“It makes things difficult, but I’m better off than last year at

this time,” said Green, who won 19 times in 26 years on the PGA Tour.

“You go to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.,

... those kids have it hard. I’ve had a [darn] good life. It’s been

good to me. I’ve met some great people.”

Green is scheduled to tee off at 9:38 a.m. today with Pete Oakley

and Jim Ahern.

*

Toshiba extended its title sponsorship with the Toshiba Senior

Classic through 2009, it was announced Thursday.

Hideo Ito, chairman of Toshiba America Inc., broke the news on the

first tee while standing along tournament co-chairs Hank Adler, Jake

Rohrer and Hale Irwin, two-time Toshiba Senior Classic champion. All

four hit a ceremonial tee shot with a 1938 persimmon wood to

commemorate the PGA Tour’s Drive to $1 Billion charity campaign.

During the last seven years, the Toshiba Senior Classic, produced

by Hoag Hospital Foundation, has raised more than $6.7 million for

charity, the most on the Champions Tour.

In the Champions Tour’s 25-year history, only seven of more than

600 tournaments have raised $1 million in net proceeds from an event

in a single year.

The 54-hole Toshiba Senior Classic, which begins with today’s

first round, is Hoag Hospital’s most significant fundraiser.

*

The fivesome of amateurs Rick Taylor, Gene McGillycuddy, Paul Faus

and Tim Ramsey, with pro Bruce Lietzke, claimed the net title of the

two-day Classic Pro-Am with a 53 Thursday.

Two groups finished at 54. Amateurs Mike Graham, Randy Berg, Bob

Hyde and Dan Campbell teamed with pro Lonnie Nielsen while Paul

Castellana, Neil Rohr, Robin Lovelace and Mike Kierdorf paired with

pro Jim Dent.

*

As of Thursday night, rain showers are in the forecast today and

Saturday.

The last time rain fell during the tournament was 2000, Champions

Tour spokesman Dave Senko said.

Allen Doyle won the 36-hole, rain-shortened event that year.

Rain would slow putts on greens that were quicker earlier in the

week with dry, windy conditions. But several players said some

moisture could help lower scores.

Playing against the elements comes with the territory, Green said.

“If you don’t like the rain, you better not play professional

golf,” Green said. “It rains out here quite a bit.”

Irwin won the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am in Lutz, Fla., last month,

trimmed to 36 holes -- the final 18 coming on Monday -- because of

rain.