Sports: With an eye on PGA Tour, Kite seeks senior success

With an eye on PGA Tour, Kite seeks senior success

Tom Kite won twice last year as a rookie on the Senior PGA Tour and made the cut in all six PGA Tour events he played.

By BOB HARIG

NAPLES, Fla. -- Tom Kite knows what the calendar says, and aching body parts are a frequent reminder as well. That's why he plays golf on the Senior PGA Tour, with men his own age.

But as he tees off in the ACE Group Classic today at Pelican Marsh Golf Club, Kite can't help but cast an eye toward San Diego, the Buick Invitational and the PGA Tour.

It's only natural. As golf's all-time leading money leader as late as 1995 and a 19-time PGA Tour winner, Kite still has an inkling of hope he could compete at that level. And it might have contributed to what some believe was a rather ordinary 2000 rookie season on the senior tour.

"I enjoy the game as much as ever. There are certain aspects I had to adjust to when I first got started," Kite, 51, said. "But to be honest, I miss the competition on the PGA Tour. It's the big leagues."

Kite played six times on the PGA Tour last year and made the cut each time, including the U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship, where he had his best finish, a tie for 19th.

It wasn't that long ago that Kite was finishing second to Tiger Woods at the 1997 Masters and was in contention at the '97 PGA. "My skill levels are not the same, but I can still win, let me assure you," Kite said. "I know I'm on the downside, but you can be assured I have no intention of disappearing."

Kite admits he'd like to make more of an impact on the senior tour -- which can be difficult when a player is thinking about the other circuit.

So far, it appears Kite will play in just the U.S. Open at Southern Hills and the PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club. He figures to spend the rest of his time with the seniors, where he had two victories and nine top-10 finishes in 2000.

Kite, who finished 11th on the money list with $1,199,658, won his fifth start at the Tradition and added the SBC Senior Open. He also tied for second at the PGA Seniors Championship and was third at the U.S. Senior Open.

There's nothing wrong with that, except much more was expected of Kite, who along with Tom Watson and Lanny Wadkins joined the senior tour with considerable fanfare.

The high expectations were based on Kite's success on the regular tour. He won the 1992 U.S. Open and competed on seven U.S. Ryder Cup teams, winning 17 points in 28 matches and never losing in singles, going 5-0-2.

But none of that meant automatic success on the senior tour.

"I think it took me two years to really adjust to the senior tour as opposed to the regular tour," said Larry Nelson, 53, the 2000 Senior PGA Tour Player of the Year who won three major championships and 10 tournaments on the PGA Tour. "I think you do have a tendency to miss it. The more successful you've been out there, the harder it is to leave.

"Most of them have established their careers out there. They don't feel like they can do anything that will propel them further along in their golf career. Then, do you want to be that competitive?"

In Kite's case, competitiveness is not the problem. "He's been great for a long time, he still has the best work ethic of anyone out here," Nelson said.

But he does have other priorities. Kite's daughter, Stephanie, is a freshman on the Alabama gymnastics team. A big meet is on next week's agenda, which is why Kite and his wife, Christy, will be in Tuscaloosa, Ala., instead of at the Verizon Classic in Tampa.

But when playing golf, Kite, who tied for 12th at the season-opening MasterCard Championship and tied for sixth last week in Key Biscayne, will be committed.

"There are some people who ride roller coasters and others who ride carousels," he said. "Stick me on the roller coaster. Get the adrenaline flowing.

"When you put as much time into the game as we do, striving to be the best, and you get an opportunity coming down the stretch, it's exciting. It's fun."