Thursday, April 20, 2000 | 10:30 a.m.
One victory -- albeit a major victory -- isn't enough to satisfy Senior PGA Tour professional Doug Tewell.
Now that he has won his first tournament in 13 years, the PGA Seniors' Championship that concluded on Monday, Tewell wants more.
His quest for another victory starts Friday at the Las Vegas Senior Classic at the TPC at Summerlin. The 78-player field concludes Sunday with the winner taking home $210,000.
Tewell, granted one of three exemptions into the tournament, tees off Friday at 9:20 a.m.
"It's just such a thrill to win a major and the fact that it's the first win (on the senior tour) made it more special," he said. "It's just a new kind of pressure now.
"It's just go out there and continue to play up to that level and that's a great challenge for me. I've got to keep my focus on, you know, this doesn't stop here (with one victory)."
Is Tewell confident? Yes. Realistic? Absolutely.
He's also refreshingly frank about his career, life and feelings. Just the type of player the Senior PGA Tour needs to market its product and generate more fan interest.
Tewell suggested out loud Wednesday that maybe he could finish atop this year's money list (currently he's second behind Bruce Fleisher with $545,423). Then he wondered if he was still eligible to win this year's senior tour rookie of the year award even though he played in five tournaments last year.
When Senior PGA Tour official Phil Stambaugh informed him that he was (six is the limit for rookie status) Tewell got a faraway look in his eyes of a man who just found a new mission.
In a way, he has.
Tewell toiled in relative obscurity on the PGA Tour for 23 years. Although he won four times and was considered a good player, he has never been thought of as a great player, something he regrets.
"I felt like I was an underachiever on the regular tour," Tewell admitted. "Some people might say, 'Well you still won.' Well yes, I won, but I just don't think I ever ... I never made a Ryder Cup team you know, I missed it a couple of times.
"There are great achievements and I just never achieved them."
He's determined not to let it happen again.
A day after Tewell turned 50 on Aug. 27 of last year, he experienced severe back pain which kept him from playing in his first senior event until October. The memories of being sidelined still haunt him today.
"I was at an all-time low," he remembered. "I was ready to play.
"I cried like a baby that night. I was wondering why, why now? Why not a week ago, two weeks ago? Why does it have to hit the day after I turn 50? Was it sending me a message or what?"
The message Tewell received was that he needed to get in better shape to prepare himself for the rigors of playing each week. He did just that and aside from a few pounds he says he still wants to shed to get down to his PGA Tour playing weight, everything has worked out for the best.
He even got his competitive juices flowing again.
"I want to get out there to see the golf course and get ready to play this week," he said. "That was a great feeling last week. I'm hungrier now."
And the fact that he gets a second chance to play against some of the best players ever is also a plus.
"I want the chance to beat Tom Watson," he said. "To beat Lanny Wadkins. I want the chance to go head-to-head with Tom Kite. We're friends, we're all friends out here, but they've nailed me to the wall our first go around.
"I'd like the chance to get back at them at our age."
* HOME COOKIN': Bob Lendzion's debut on the Senior PGA Tour this year has been less than spectacular.
In his first start, the part-time Las Vegas resident finished tied for 17th at the Royal Caribbean Classic but has cooled off considerably since. Last week he finished 75th at the PGA Senior Championship.
"It's a little bewildering at first," he said of playing with guys he used to watch on TV. "I gotta stop looking around and start playing golf.
"Everything is brand new to me and I get distracted. It's not a matter of being intimidated or feeling uncomfortable in their presence. It's just getting the game going. The game is not going. It stinks right now."
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