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The Final Ford SeniorPlayers Championship

This year’s edition of theFord Senior PlayersChampionship—the final in

a Michigan run that started in1990—opened on Thursday, July13, 2006 with a burst of birdiesand low scores before limping tothe bogey-marked finale onSunday, July 16. It may not havebeen the most memorable tourna-ment in the long stretch inDearborn, Michigan, but it offeredglimpses why the Champions Tourprovides galleries with amazingartistry from veteran players.

Tournament play started onThursday with a popular veteranand an unheralded performer tiedfor the lead. Fuzzy Zoeller, alwaysa fan favorite with his quick banterand stellar play, registered a seven-under par 65 behind eight birdiesover the demanding TPC ofMichigan course, a Jack Nicklausdesigned layout in Dearborn.

“One thing you want to do on theChampions Tour is get out of thebox,” explained Zoeller after com-pleting his first round. “That’s onething this year I haven’t been doing.I’ve always put myself kind of in ahole the first round. These guys outhere like to shoot and shoot fast.Everybody has got a six-shooter andthey’re all very quick on the trigger.It’s kind of nice to get out of the boxand play under par.”

Journeyman Ron Streck, whowarmed up for the tournament byputting siding on his garage the pre-vious weekend after missing the cutat the Senior Open, matched Zoellerwith his best golf of the year, around that saw him record fivestraight birdies on the back nine.

“I like the golf course,” Strecksaid following his round. “I’msorry we’re not going to play hereanymore. This is only my secondyear to play here, but I like the golfcourse. I think there are justenough difficult shots to make thegolf course go one way or theother as far as the scores.”

A stable of twenty-three talent-ed golfers lurked within four shotsof the lead, including BruceLietzke at 67, Jay Haas and TomKite at 68, and Dana Quigley, TomWatson, and tour newcomer FredFunk at 69.

Sweltering conditions that sawtemperatures soar into the 90s tookits toll on the field during the sec-ond round. Twenty-nine playersstood within four shots of the lead,which moved only to eight-underpar, one stroke better than postedon Thursday. Eight players endedthe day tied for the lead, includingTom Watson and Gil Morgan.

“It’s like that every year here,”

said Tom Watson. “It just seemseveryone’s between five and eight-under par after two rounds.” Headded that he felt excited with thecondition of his game. “That’s thebest I’ve struck the ball since earlierin the year,” stated Watson, “so that’sa good sign. I just can’t wait to getout there again tomorrow to play.”

Joe Ozaki notched the mostspectacular round of the tourna-ment. After parring the first hole,he ran off a string of eight straightbirdies—tying a tour record—topost an incredible eight-under 28on the front nine. After parring thetenth hole, Ozaki birdied theeleventh, then stumbled a bit onthe way in with a one-over 37. His65, however, vaulted him into a tiefor first place.

They were followed one shotback by Fuzzy Zoeller, who camein with an even-par round, twoshots back by Loren Roberts, JayHaas, and Tom Kite, and threeshots by Fred Funk. Rain forcedthe suspension of round two withtwenty players, including Ozaki,still on the course. Those twentyfinished their rounds Saturdaymorning, before play commencedon the third round.

Spectators hoping for someoneto break out of the pack during thethird round were not disappointed.

By John Wukovits

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Loren Roberts needed only twenty-five putts in his eight-under par,bogey-free round of 64 to grab atwo-shot lead over Lonnie Nielsenand a three-shot lead over BradBryant and tour workhorse DanaQuigley.

Loren Roberts attributed thework he has recently put in on hisgame for his great results. “I’vebeen working at my game prettyhard for the last four months. Imade a couple of adjustments, onein the golf swing and one in theputting stroke. Yesterday, aboutthe last three or four holes, I hitsome better shots and made somebetter putts.”

Gil Morgan remained in thehunt with a one-under 71, placinghim five shots off the pace, butTom Watson all but shot himselfout of the tournament with a 78.However, as play headed intoSunday’s final round, 14 golferswere within six shots of the lead.A shootout in the grand tradition oftournaments past loomed.

The epic duel failed to material-ize as one after another, leadersstumbled in the blistering heat thatsaw Gil Morgan walk the fairwayswith a wet towel draped around hishead and Jim Colbert leave thecourse on the 13th hole.

Paramedics stabilized the 65-year-old by administering intra-

venous fluids, but they could dolittle for the other golfers whowatched their rounds crumble in aflurry of second-nine bogeys.

Third-round leader Loren Robertsincreased his lead to five shotsbefore losing an errant drive ion thehazard at 11, which cost him a dou-ble bogey. A bogey at the 12th holeand a second double bogey, this timeat the treacherous 14th hole, droppedhim from the lead.

Jim Thorpe, who had lurkedwithin a few shots of the lead allweek, now saw a win within hisgrasp, but a bogey on 18 put himthree shots behind Bobby Wadkins,a longtime player who had never

won on the regular PGA Tour.Consecutive birdies from the 11thto the 15th holes vaulted Wadkinsover his struggling competitors andplaced him in a comfortable spot towin for the first time.

Despite the three-stroke marginwith one hole remaining, Wadkinsalmost squandered his good for-tune. He hooked his drive into thehazard skirting the fairway’s leftside, then plunked his third shortinto a bunker guarding the green.A poor blast out of the bunker lefthim in heavy rough over the green,and had not a mediocre chip hit thepin at full speed, Wadkins mighthave landed back in the originalsand bunker. With his lead evapo-rating, Wadkins had to drain the

13-foot putt to avoid falling into atie with Jim Thorpe. He made theclutch putt to complete a four-under 68 and take the tournament. “All I was thinking was whatLanny was saying out there,” saidWadkins of his older brother,Lanny, busy in the CBS televisionbooth.

Wadkins earned $375,000 forhis victory, plus a spot in nextMay’s PGA Tour PlayersChampionship.

Some fan favorites attended thefinal Michigan version of theSenior Players Championship.Three legends—Gary Player, ChiChi Rodriguez, and Lee Trevino—

flew in as a way of saying thanksto the southeastern Michigan golffans who long made the tourna-ment a special one.

The final edition producedmixed reaction from the players.Most hated to leave such anappealing locale, but understoodthat economics propels everyindustry, including their own.

“I’m sad to see golf leave theDetroit area,” said defendingchampion Peter Jacobsen to theHeritage Newspaper Press &Guide. “It’s a great sports city.”On the other hand, Lee Trevinolaid the reasons to money. “Onceyou start losing the gallery, it’stime to go someplace else.” MG

“I’m sad to see golf leave the Detroit area. It’s a great sports city.”