Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Columnist Victoria Sun: Change of course a big boost for fans

Victoria Sun is a Las Vegas Sun sports writer. Her golf column appears Wednesday. Reach her at [email protected] or 259-4078.

Who will be affected by the changes made to the Las Vegas Senior Classic by TruGreen ChemLawn?

Everyone, but in a positive way.

In the past when the tournament was played at both TPC at the Canyons and TPC at Summerlin, many players griped about how tough it is to play at the Canyons, especially when the wind kicks up.

The course was not very accessible to fans, either. Those who wanted to hoof it for 18 holes to follow their favorite players often gave up because it became too challenging to navigate the Canyons on foot.

Holding the tournament solely at TPC at Summerlin this year solves both problems. Players say that course plays better under harsh conditions and it is a better viewing course for fans.

Other changes include shortening the tournament from a 72-hole format to a 56-hole format, which should also make things exciting. Because there is no cut in senior tour events, players will have to come out swinging on day one because they'll have one fewer day to make up for a poor score.

* MARGINS OF VICTORY: There have been two playoffs in the past 14 Senior Classics and five tournaments have been decided by one stroke. The tourney format changes should make things as competitive -- if not more so -- than they have been in the past.

Defending champion Vicente Fernandez's two-stroke triumph over Dave Eichelberger last year was the largest margin of victory since Jim Colbert's two-shot win in 1995.

* TOURNAMENT RECORDS: The lowest 18 holes was a 62 shot by Al Geiberger at the Desert Inn in 1987 and a 62 fired by Kermit Zarley at the D.I. in 1993; lowest 18 holes at TPC at Summerlin belongs to Jim Colbert, who shot a 9-under-par 63 in 1996. The largest margin of victory was four strokes by Geiberger in '87.

* SUPER SENIORS: The Georgia-Pacific Super Seniors for players 60-over will be played in conjunction with the Senior Classic. It is a "tournament within the tournament" held at a select 18 Senior PGA Tour stops every year. The Georgia-Pacific Super Seniors competition concludes one round prior to the end of the overall tournament. Super Seniors collect prize money based on their finish in the regular tournament, with total purses of $200,000 ($34,000 going to the winner). Their pro-am will be Thursday at TPC at the Canyons.

* TPC STANDS FOR VERSATILITY: The TPC at Summerlin is the only course to host a Senior PGA Tour and PGA Tour event in the same year.

The course will play host to the PGA Tour Invensys Classic at Las Vegas, formerly the Las Vegas Invitational, Oct. 9-15.

* LUCKY LAS VEGAS: Hale Irwin's victory in the 1997 Las Vegas Senior Classic made him the fastest to four official victories. He did it in seven starts.

Both Lee Trevino (1990) and Peter Thomson (1985) won their fourth event in their eighth starts.

* TOUGH STUFF: The 12th and 18th holes on the par-72 6,963-yard course at TPC at Summerlin ranked among the senior tour's top 40 most difficult holes. The par-4 12th ranked as the 24th most difficult in 1999 and the 18th was the 39th toughest.

* BACK-TO-BACK WINNERS: Three of the 11 different players who have won the Senior Classic have successfully defended their titles.

Chi Chi Rodriguez did it in 1990 and 1991, Colbert in 1995 and 1996 and Hale Irwin in 1997 and 1998.

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