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Irwin still disproving age myths

The general feeling among senior golfers is they better make their mark while they're "young." The window of opportunity, they say, is from age 50 to 54. Anything after that is a bonus.

This year, at least in Hale Irwin's case, the theory has been shattered.

At age 57, Irwin, the Senior PGA Tour's all-time victory leader, has clinched the money title. With two events to go, Irwin has a chance to become the first senior golfer to earn $3-million.

So much for age catching up to him.

"When somebody says that to me, it's always like the challenge has been thrown out there," said Irwin, who has four victories this year and is tied for the tour lead with Bob Gilder. "I don't like to believe that. Within reason, I know that I can compete at my age now as effectively as any 50 year old. Now can I do it at 60, 65? I don't know.

"When I started on the senior tour (in 1995), I gave no thought to my age. I don't accept those numbers as fact. The fact is I am 57 years old. But I don't accept the notion that you can't compete."

The winner of 20 PGA Tour titles, including three U.S. Opens, Irwin has 36 senior victories. And he started somewhat slowly, winning just twice in 1995 and 1996. Then he went on a tear, winning nine times in 1997 and seven more in 1998. For six straight years, Irwin has won at least $2-million.

This year, he's earned $2,829,041. He leads the senior tour in scoring (68.80), putting (1.711 per hole) and birdies per round (4.49) and is in the top-10 in four other categories.

"There are a few things you have to assume," Irwin said. "One of them is you have to stay competitive with your game. You have to stay on top of it. And as you age, you certainly start some physical deterioration. And I have tried to fight that. I go to the gym. I work out. These things don't come by accident. A lot of people are too lazy or undisciplined to do those things that make them better."

BOWING OUT: LPGA Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez tied for 31st at the Mobile LPGA Tournament of Champions, her last event as a full-time member of the tour. Lopez, 45, is not retiring but won't play a full schedule. The winner of 48 tournaments expects to play just a handful of events next year.

"I hate missing cuts and I hate not playing well and I hate not playing that shot that I used to be able to hit right where I wanted to," Lopez said. "I always used to watch Arnold (Palmer) and Jack (Nicklaus) and anybody else that was getting older and say, 'Why don't they quit?' So I asked myself that question, when do you know to stop? And in my heart I just felt it was time."

TIGER TOURNAMENT: Tiger Woods let a secret slip Wednesday. The Tiger Woods Foundation will become the main beneficiary of an official PGA Tour event. The offseason Target Championship, which Woods hosts, benefits the foundation, but this would be a regular event on the schedule. Woods said the tournament has a title sponsor but would not name it.

NO LPGA: For the second straight year, there will be no full-field LPGA event in Florida during the 2003 season. This year only the season-ending Tour Championship in West Palm Beach is on the schedule, and commissioner Ty Votaw said it will be the same next year.

"Our resolve has been to make sure our events are set up in the community for long-term success," Votaw said.

During the 2001 season, the LPGA began its schedule with three Florida events in Orlando, Naples and Miami. All had sponsorship problems and were dropped this year, even though a majority of LPGA players live in the state and tour headquarters is in Daytona Beach.

"We want to proceed with some level of caution in that regard," Votaw said. "We're not going to put on an event if market conditions in the community aren't set up for long-term success."

QUALIFYING: First-stage qualifying for the PGA Tour began this week at five sites, including the TPC of Tampa Bay. Next week it will be at seven sites, including World Woods in Brooksville. Each field has approximately 78 players in the 72-hole events, and about 20 advance out of each to 72-hole second-stage events, which begin Nov. 5. The 108-hole final stage is Dec. 4-9 at PGA West in LaQuinta, Calif.

-- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.

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