But the Walrus is more interested in his son's stint on a PGA Tour leaderboard.
By BOB HARIG
Published February 15, 2004
NAPLES - The Stadler playing golf in California looks eerily similar to the one playing at the ACE Group Classic, although he doesn't have a catchy nickname and no doubt has kicked far fewer putters in his day.
Kevin Stadler, 24, is playing in his sixth PGA Tour event and making a serious run (10 off the lead after Saturday's round) at a hefty payday. And father Craig - the Walrus - has been there, done that, contending again on the Champions Tour after a successful PGA Tour career that included a victory last year.
Craig Stadler, 50, shot 5-under-par 67 Saturday at the wind-blown Club at Twin-Eagles to lead Tampa's Gary Koch by one stroke heading into today's final round.
But being a father means being more concerned about what is happening on the West Coast.
"It's fun as hell as a dad to watch your kid do that," Craig Stadler said.
The younger Stadler, who got into the Buick Invitational in San Diego on a sponsor's exemption after playing three rounds with his father at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, shot an opening 64 Thursday to lead the tournament. He followed with 74 Friday that included birdies at the last two holes, and found himself paired with Sergio Garcia and Thomas Bjron on Saturday.
That's pretty heady company, all part of the learning process that dad said cannot be taught.
"You can't tell him, he has to figure it out on his own," said Stadler, a 13-time PGA Tour winner, including the 1982 Masters, who won three times last year on the Champions Tour and was rookie of the year. "I played with him three days last week and he played better than me, but I beat him each time. What he has to learn is how to score when he's not playing well."
The older Stadler scored pretty well Saturday in some trying conditions. Strong winds had scores soaring, as just nine players broke par (compared with 46 Friday). Stadler, Tom Watson (69) and Sammy Rachels (69) were the only players to shoot in the 60s.
Stadler's 67 put him at 134, 10 under, one ahead of first-round leader Koch and four ahead of Gil Morgan (72). Watson and Morris Hatalsky were tied for fourth at 139, five shots back.
"It was a tough day," said Koch, who followed his opening 62 with 73. "All I know is Stadler's low center of gravity had to be an advantage. A 67 is one heck of a score."
Koch figures he can get away with a jab at Stadler. They first played together in 1970 at the Orange Bowl Junior Classic near Miami. Koch, 51, who also works as a golf analyst for NBC, has not been this close to the lead heading into the final round of a Champions Tour event. The last of his six PGA Tour victories came at the 1988 Las Vegas Invitational.
"This is why you play, this is why you compete, to have a chance," Koch said. "It's been a long time since I've been in this position. Who knows how I'll handle it. I think it might be good for me to be playing with Craig Stadler, because we are good friends and have been for a long time."
After making two eagles, seven birdies and a bogey Friday, Koch had just one birdie and two bogeys Saturday. He knew it would be a different kind of day when he was hitting balls into the wind on the driving range.
"Very few shots I hit were with a lot of confidence," he said. "Par was the goal, the more you could make the better. That's the way I was thinking."
Stadler managed to make five birdies and no bogeys, jumping from a tie for 10th after the first round into the lead.
"It was a pretty good day of survival," he said. "I got all I could out of it. I hit a bunch of good iron shots in the wind, made a lot of 4- and 5-footers. I played very solid."
Another victory today would be nice, but Stadler said he'd be far happier to see Kevin have success.
"If he was going to win, I'd bag it right now," Stadler said. "I wouldn't even play. That's not even a contest."
