Golf

Hall of Famer in the hunt

By BOB HARIG
Published February 18, 2006

NAPLES - It is a statistical anomaly, a fluke. Right?

Tom Watson has never won a tournament in the state of Florida. Not on the PGA Tour. Not on the Champions Tour.

And for someone who won 39 times in a Hall of Fame career on the PGA Tour, along with another eight times on the Champions Tour, it is really hard to believe.

Watson doesn't put much stock in the streak because he has come close several times, including four second-place finishes at the ACE Group Classic, the Champions Tour event where he shot a 6-under-par 66 on Friday during the first round at The Club at Twin-Eagles.

Still, even Watson is quite aware of the dubious distinction.

"My quest to try and win in Florida," he said, smiling. "Tell me what to pray to. ... I can't explain it. I don't know. I've had my opportunities."

Watson, 56, an eight-time major championship winner and most prominent player in the field, gave himself another shot this weekend in the $1.6-million, 54-hole event. His round of an eagle and four birdies on a calm, warm day put him a stroke behind leader R.W. Eaks, who shot 7-under-par 65 to lead Watson, Don Pooley, Brad Bryant and Rick Karbowski by a stroke.

Loren Roberts, bidding to become the first in Champions Tour history to win the first three tournaments of the year, shot 67 to tie Gil Morgan, Dan Pohl and Fuzzy Zoeller for sixth, two back of Eaks.

"I birdied the last two to turn a decent round into a good round," said Roberts, 50, who won the season-opening MasterCard Championship, followed by the Turtle Bay Championship. "I'm really happy with how I finished up."

Good thing, because anyone who didn't go low Friday risked getting left behind. There were 40 players who broke par and 13 more who matched it.

"Scoring conditions were ideal," Watson said. "Not a lot of wind. That leads to some low scores. There were a lot of low scores (Friday) and so far this year. ... I looked at 68 as par. If I could shoot under 68, then I'm doing my job. That's a stay-in-the-tournament number."

Eaks did just fine in that regard. He had an eagle and five birdies to lead after the first round of this tournament for the second straight year. Eaks, 53, bounced around the Nationwide Tour for most of his career, winning three times before making it to the PGA Tour in 1998 and 1999.

He was fully exempt on the Champions Tour last year, and used a late-season rally to earn the 30th and final exempt spot for this year, winning nearly $250,000 in his final seven events.

A long hitter, Eaks was second on the Champions Tour in driving distance last year, averaging 296.6 yards off the tee. Despite that length, Eaks believes it did not help him much.

"I am trying to hit it softer and hit more fairways," he said. "I have a better chance of winning hitting in the fairway and not quite as long ... all you need to do is be average and be in the fairway."

Watson used that method to his advantage. He hit 12 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens in regulation.

The result was another great chance to end his 0-for-90 streak in Florida.

[Last modified February 18, 2006, 02:15:16]