For 55-Year-Old Don January, Golf Is More Profitable . . . : The Second Time Around

Don January, more than any other golfer, exemplifies the Seniors Tour, the new wrinkle in professional golf. The 55-year-old Texan was one of its founders, won its first tournament, is its leading money winner, and has won more tournaments than any other member.

January hopes to make the 54-hole, $250,000 Carta Blanca Seniors tournament, starting today at hilly Mountaingate Country Club, his 18th tour victory.

From a modest beginning of two tournaments in 1980, the tour of golfers 50 and older has mushroomed to 28 tournaments and more than $6 million in purses. January has been in the forefront from the beginning.

“It all began when Sam Snead, Gardner Dickinson, Julius Boros and Roberto DiVicenzo were sinking those putts in the ‘Legends of Golf,’ ” January said. “I was playing on the regular tour at New Orleans and didn’t see the show. But all we heard the rest of 1979 on the tour was what a sensation it was.

“Snead, Dickinson, Bob Goalby, Dan Sikes and myself held a meeting and decided there might be a market for a modest tour. Our goal was maybe 10 or so tournaments a year, with a minimum $100,000 purse. There were only two that first year.

“We had no idea it would grow the way it did. Although we are members of the PGA, the Seniors Tour belongs to us. We brought in Deane Beman, who runs the regular tour, because we are PGA members and he had the facilities. It saved us considerable money.

“I think we would have succeeded anyhow, but thank God Arnold Palmer decided to join us. He finds time to play in about half our tournaments, and he is a big reason interest boomed. But even so, nobody thought it would go the way it has.

“Although they may not realize it now, the Seniors Tour is good for the young golfers, too. It has given them a bridge to the future.

“When I started in 30 years ago, we were like other athletes. Somewhere between 30 and 45, our pro golf careers were over. It was late in life to start a new career in another field, but that’s the way it was.

“Now, a golfer with the talent can have a long career. He can begin from 18-22 and continue until he’s at least 60. It should bring more good ones into our sport.”

Actually, January is in his third career in golf. He joined the pro tour in 1955 when $2,000 was a good first prize. He won the PGA championship in 1967, which gives him lifetime exemption on the regular tour. In 1972, forced to choose between the tour and a booming golf course construction business, he chose the latter.

Within two years, the bottom had fallen out of the golf construction business, partly because of high interest rates.

“Our last course was completed in October, 1974,” January said. “I talked it over with my wife (Patricia) and told her we had enough money for me to give the tour another try for a year. If I didn’t make it I would have to find a job.

“In 1975, I was 45 and beginning to be set in my ways. It was a really tough six or seven months. I could still make the shots, but the pressure was much tougher. It took me a long time to become competitive again. Late in the year, I won the Texas Open.

“The next year I won more money ($163,622) than I ever did before. Of course, there was a lot more money on the tour by 1976, but I also won the Vardon Trophy, which means I had the best scoring average of those who played 80 or more rounds.

“I remember in 1956 back-to-back tournaments were held at Preston Hollows in Texas. The total purse for the first one was an unheard-of $60,000. Now, the winner gets more than that. I won first prize of $6,000 and that was a lot of money. Until then, a big tourney was a total purse of $25,000.”

Although he finally reached $1 million in earnings on the regular tour, the going was getting tougher as he approached 50.

“It was just a case of being at the right place at the right time,” he said. “I turned 50 at just the perfect time. Three weeks after my 50th birthday, in December, 1979, I won the Seniors PGA.

“Although I continued to play on the regular tour until last year, I knew the Seniors Tour was my future. It will get tougher each year. Ken Still just joined us, and Chi Chi (Rodriguez) and (Gary) Player will be eligible later this year.

“Guys coming right from the PGA Tour to the seniors have a decided advantage. They already have their competitive edge. It helped me, along with the others who did what I did. On the other hand, it took Peter Thomson two years to get competitive again. He had been away several years.”

Although this is only the sixth year of the senior tour and before this year there had been only 60 sanctioned tournaments, January is closing in on $1 million. He needs roughly $160,000. January won $299,000 last year, so he expects to reach his goal this year.

“Unless X (Miller Barber, known by fellow pros as Mr. X) beats me to it, I’ll get there first. One of us should make it this year,” January said.

“Nobody ever thought about making that kind of money when I started 30 years ago. The first goal was to win a tournament. The next was to win a major. Now, there’s a third.”

January had never played Mountaingate, the 6,500-yard course overlooking the San Diego Freeway, until his practice round Tuesday. But it has five par-5 holes and the long holes have been good to January lately. While shooting a course-record 64 on the last round at Phoenix Sunday, he set a seniors record by making three eagles.

“Gene (Littler) and I had a great finish at Phoenix,” January said. “When he made his hole-in-one on the third hole, he had a three-stroke lead. I caught him with an eagle and we went back and forth until I made the final eagle on 13.

“You never know what will happen, but I’m playing well and I like the looks of Mountaingate.”