By D.A. Weibring
Last week we played the MasterCard Championship at Hualalai in KAUPULEHU-KONA, Hawaii, one of the great resorts of the world. I think it's ranked number one in the U.S. and number five in the world. The Jack Nicklaus designed golf course was in great shape and the weather was perfect every day with a high of 80 or 81 and a low of 73. What can I say...it was paradise.
The Mastercard Championship is an invitational event with a field of 41 players. A special invitation went out to Gary Player; he and his wife Vivian were celebrating their 50th anniversary. In addition Ben Crenshaw and Lanny Wadkins received a couple of special exemptions, so it was a little bigger field than normal. You qualify for the tournament by winning an event on the Champions Tour…a win gets you a two-year exemption and if you win a major you're in for the next five.
I got off to a great start and was playing very consistently. I finished third in this event last year shooting 21 under par without making a bogey. There was slightly more wind this year and some tougher pin placements. Nevertheless, I played all three rounds in the sixties and finished 14 under par.
Like many players, I used the first tournament to make adjustments. I was playing with a new Titleist X ball, and had a new Adams 3 wood in my bag as well as a couple of other things that we'll talk about in future columns. All in all, I felt pretty good for the start of a brand new season.
But the real story this week was Hale Irwin winning at 61 years of age. He didn't have a win last year for the first time in his 11-year career on the Champions Tour. He is the Champions Tour all time leader with 45 victories. Shooting 23 under par was truly remarkable.
I also have to mention Gary Player, because all of us are astonished at his enthusiasm and energy. At 70, going on 71, working out virtually every day like he does has certainly paid off.
Gary shot 69 the first day, bettering his age. He was 6 under heading into the 18th hole the second day, and then hit a poor tee shot. Gary wound up making a triple bogey to fall back to 69. On Sunday he shot 4 over, but just imagine this, on two of the three rounds he bettered his age. Gary's a great example for all of us to stay in shape and keep a positive attitude. It obviously pays dividends.
This week we jump over to Oahu. We're on the north shore at Turtle Bay, a beautiful hotel that sits on the edge of a rocky beach. This is the area where all the big waves come in; where the famous Sunset Beach is, and where they have filmed countless movies through the years.
I'm looking to build on my 7th place finish. Wish me luck. Now, I'm headed to the gym.
