Parity throws predictions out window

Victoria Sun

Tuesday, April 18, 2000 | 10:30 a.m.

The parity on the Senior PGA Tour this year seems to have reached new heights, so figuring out who will win this weekend's Las Vegas Senior Classic by TruGreen Chem-Lawn is a tossup.

Entering the tournament that starts on Friday, 1999 Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year Bruce Fleisher is the only player to have won twice this season.

Fleisher, disqualified from the Senior Classic last year after the first round for signing an incorrect scorecard, will be back to compete in the field of 78. Earlier, he posted wins at the Royal Caribbean Classic and the GTE Classic and is first on the money list with $633,939.

Defending champion Vicente Fernandez has fond memories of playing in Las Vegas and will be vying for his first victory this year. His best finish was second to Fleisher at the Royal Carribean Classic.

The native of Argentina was surrounded by family and friends, including wife Esther, who made the trip to watch him play that week.

"It was a special week," Fernandez said. "Some of my friends played in the pro-am and having everyone here made me feel like I was at home because I spend so much time away from Argentina.

"My iron play was very sharp. I hit a lot of good shots and putted very well."

There are a number of players who will challenge Fernandez for the $210,000 first prize including two-time Las Vegas winner Hale Irwin, local favorite Jim Colbert (a winner here in 1995 and 1996) and Senior PGA Tour rookie Lanny Wadkins.

Wadkins won his first tournament, the ACE Group Classic, in February and is the only one of the big three 2000 rookies -- Tom Kite and Tom Watson being the others -- committed to play.

Exemptions were given to two-time U.S. Open winner Andy North, Larry Ziegler and Doug Tewell.

North teamed with Colbert to win the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf Slammer & Squire, North's first tournament since he quit playing the PGA Tour a few years ago to become an ESPN golf analyst.

While "parity" is a good word for the happenings on tour, "changing" is a good way to describe the tournament.

After using the TPC at the Canyons in 1997 and for part of 1998 and 1999, the tournament will be played solely at the TPC at Summerlin. That course plays better under the typically windy conditions seen in Las Vegas during this time of the year.

"I was very glad to hear that," Fernandez said. "The other course is very tiresome and very demanding. I enjoy playing at Summerlin much more. It's a very fair golf course."

Holding play only at Summerlin won't be the only difference.

The tournament will revert to a 54-hole format after being extended to 72 holes the last two years. Because the tournament is only going to be played on one course, the number of amateurs also was reduced from 234 to 208.

"With us eliminating one golf course, it made sense to have fewer amateurs and a shorter tournament to accommodate everyone," tournament manager Charlie Baron said.

Players will tee off at 7:30 a.m. each day starting Wednesday.