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New senior stars fail to shine

LUTZ -- They are the newest big names on the Senior PGA Tour, counted on to breathe some fresh life into the circuit.

This week at the Verizon Classic, Ben Crenshaw and Fuzzy Zoeller drew an audience but did not give them much to cheer on the course, especially Sunday.

Crenshaw shot 79 to finish at 11 over in a tie for 64th in the 78-player field, and Zoeller carded 77 for 3-over total and a tie for 43rd.

"Oh, man. Terrible," said Crenshaw, who made a throat-slashing gesture to the crowd at 18 after a back nine that included five bogeys and triple-bogey 8 at the par-5 14th. "I didn't do anything well this week. I don't have any confidence in my swing just yet."

The 50-year-old Texan, hampered by a foot injury, struggled the past few years on the PGA Tour, making four cuts in 52 events since 1997. In his senior debut last week in Naples he finished tied for 43rd.

"I thought I'd do better than this, but you've got to just start to go to work," Crenshaw said. "It's going to take me a while.'

Zoeller has not fared particularly well in his first month, winning nothing at the Senior Skins Game and missing the top 20 in three tournaments. But he said he's not far off his game.

"I just haven't had a hot putter, that's all it takes," he said. "Some days are good and some days are bad."

Zoeller and Crenshaw said they expect to play about 20 senior events this year.

NO FAIR: The majority of the players raved about the condition and challenge of the TPC of Tampa Bay, but Bruce Fleisher did not care for the Sunday setup.

"I was uncomfortable all day. I thought the pin placements were over the edge," said Fleisher, who started the day in the lead but shot 75 to finish tied for third. "I don't understand why they do this. It would be okay if the greens were receptive to shots, which they aren't. ... But I hit the ball very poorly, I have no excuses."

EMOTIONAL WIN: Doug Tewell could not help but get emotional after his victory. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he told of how he had dedicated the win to Brooke Burress, the 24-year-old daughter of close family friends in his hometown of Edmond, Okla., who was killed in a Dec. 19 car accident.

Tewell promised the woman's father, Ike, at the funeral that he would win an early 2002 tournament for her.

"He just looked at me and broke down, and I broke down," Tewell said. "I said I'm going to do it for her, somewhere. I thought about her coming down the 16th hole. I said, 'I'm trying, Brooke. I'm trying as hard as I can.' I just want her to know she's not forgotten."

DEFENSELESS: Defending champion Bob Gilder was never a factor, finishing in a tie for 43rd at 3 over after shooting 75.

"I hit the ball poorly, very erratic," he said. "My game is just not there yet. The only day I hit it good was the first day, and I shot 73."

BIG WEEK: The tournament regularly draws crowds in excess of 100,000 for the week, and that was again the case despite overcast weather Saturday.

Corporate revenue was down 15 percent, tournament director David Porter said, but advance ticket sales and walk-up sales were up from last year.

"I'm very pleased with the crowds, especially in light of the economy," Porter said.

Verizon is under contract to sponsor the event through 2003, with an option for 2004.

DIVOTS: Terry Dill was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. He bogeyed the par-4 15th but signed for par. ... Arnold Palmer birdied two of his first three holes but shot 82 and finished last. ... Hale Irwin tied Bob Charles for most top-3 finishes on the senior tour with 74. ... For the eighth time in 11 events at the TPC of Tampa Bay, a player has come from off the pace the last day to win. ... David Wertz and Beverly Snead, both of Tampa, won airline tickets in the million-dollar closest-to-the-pin contest after the tournament.

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