Columnist Dean Juipe: Money keeps Lehman hungry for success

Dean Juipe

Friday, Oct. 10, 2003 | 9:54 a.m.

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at juipe@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4084.

Tom Lehman had just signed his scorecard and was coming out of the trailer when he was stopped by a reporter and, moments later, a woman in her mid-30s.

"Can I have your autograph, Mr. Lehman," she politely said.

"Mr. Lehman?" he said, feigning indignation.

"Mr. Lehman," he repeated, as if for effect. "It makes me feel so old."

It didn't help when I came right in and started asking him about being 44 and three years removed from his last PGA Tour victory.

But if he was feeling besieged, Mr. Lehman took it well.

"Once you're as old as I am, you can't afford to coast," he said. "I still work hard on my game and I do it because I still feel competitive. There's a lot of money out here (on the PGA Tour) and you can't get complacent, especially if you're like I am and you want to show the young guys you can still beat them."

I was drawn to Lehman during Thursday's second round of the Las Vegas Invitational at Southern Highlands not only because he's a big-name player who shot a 65, but because this has been a great year for players in their 40s. No fewer than 11 such players have won tour events this year, although Lehman -- a five-time tour winner and three-time member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team -- is not yet among them.

He does have a second-place finish and he is No. 63 on the current money list with $1,081,950, yet it's victories that mark a player's career and Lehman hasn't had one in a while.

But he has traditionally played well here, finishing second (and one stroke behind Bob Estes) two years ago despite a 2-over 73 early in the week at the TPC at the Canyons. And, way back when, before he was secure on the PGA Tour, he won the Nevada Open in 1989.

"I'm not ashamed of my season but I'm not thrilled about it either," he said. "It's been less than what I expected and the difference is that I'm making too many bogeys.

"I'm still making plenty of birdies, it's just that I'm making too many bogeys. And there's no need for that."

His first round in the LVI was typical of his season, he said, as he carded a 1-under 71 at the TPC at Summerlin in a round that included five birdies and four bogeys.

"You should never make four bogeys on that course," he said.

His second round was considerably better yet he left a few shots on the course due to an uncooperative putter.

"I could have been 10 under," he said. "I made some putts but I left a few, too. When you hit it close and don't make your share, it starts to make the 8-footers a little tougher."

I watched Lehman play his final three holes and saw him miss consecutive birdie putts from 25, 12 and 5 feet. On a day when lift, clean and place rules were in effect and scores were once again low even though the pace of play exceeded five hours, it torments a player to not get everything he can from a round.

"I played pretty good but I'm still disappointed," he said.

Which, of course, mirrors his 2003 season thus far.

"There's no reason I shouldn't be in the top 20 money winners," he said. "I've proved I'm still capable and I think there's still a lot of good golf left in me."

He was nothing short of a great player throughout the 1990s and he led the tour in earnings in 1996, when he pocketed $1.7 million and won both the British Open and the Tour Championship. Between 1992 and 2001, Lehman never finished below No. 33 on the final money list.

But last year he dipped to No. 74 and this year, obviously, has been only slightly better for the Minnesota native.

Nonetheless he's making a good living and is in no hurry to cut back on his schedule, find a rocking chair or consider the Champions Tour.

"I'm still motivated," he said. "Just the money that's available on the PGA Tour is enough to motivate someone like me.

"Look at my season so far: $1.1 million is a lot of money for having had such a mediocre year."

Yes it is, Mr. Lehman, yes it is.