Tournament of Champions Seniors : Barber Chips In on 18th for a 1-Stroke Victory

There was nothing mysterious about Mr. X Sunday at La Costa.

When last seen, Miller Barber, known as the mysterious Mr. X in his younger days, was celebrating the most astonishing victory in a career that began 30 years ago.

Barber, needing to chip and then 1-putt from the high grass above the 18th green to force a playoff in the Senior Division of the MONY Tournament of Champions, did better than even he expected.

He rolled in the 50-foot chip to win the tournament and spoil Dale Douglass’ tremendous comeback. Douglass, who led the tournament for the first 2 rounds, went into the final round of the 72-hole event in third place, trailing the leading Barber by 6 shots. After 6 holes Sunday, Douglass was 7 shots back and hoping for second, a familiar position for him.

Then, Douglass got hot. He birdied 7 of the next 11 holes, taking the lead with a 20-foot birdie putt on 17.

But the 18th made the difference. In the 3 previous rounds, Douglass hooked his drive on the 406-yard, par-4 final hole. Making sure he didn’t go left, Douglass hit the ball so far right it landed in the fairway of the 18th on an adjacent course.

He still had an opening to the green, but pushed a 4-wood to the right in the high grass and was left with an uphill approach. His chip rolled down the hill, about 10 feet below the hole and his putt lipped out. The bogey gave him a 67 for the round and seemed to make him at least a cinch to be in a playoff.

Barber, playing just behind Douglass, was in the low rough on the left with his drive. He used a 2-iron for his 195-yard approach. It was a flier, bouncing through the green about 4 feet into the rough.

“It was a downhill shot and I was just trying to get in a playoff. It was moving so slowly, I didn’t think it would get to the hole,” Barber said. “My caddie yelled, ‘My God, it’s going in.’ I couldn’t believe it.”

Douglass was sitting in the scorer’s tent, watching to see if there would be a playoff. As Barber, hobbled by a painful right foot, was trying to jump in jubilation, Douglass walked out to confront Barber. In mock anger, he threw down his visor, then threw his arm around Barber.

“There isn’t anything negative about this,” said Douglass, who finished second in 5 tournaments in 1987 when he didn’t qualify for this tournament. “It was Miller’s tournament. I just feel fortunate to have been in a position where I could have won.”

Douglass earned $30,000, the winner’s share last year. It was Barber’s 25th Senior Tour title, one less than the leader, Don January.

Barber, who will play in the Bob Hope Classic this week and then have his foot examined for a possible bone spur on his right heel, finished with an 8-under 280 total, including a par 72 on the last round. He earned $50,000.

Although the chip won it for Barber, a marvelous par on 12 enabled him to get in position.

He 3-putted the 10th and, unknown to him, Douglass was 4-under and surging. Barber hooked his drive on the 521-yard, par-5 12th, and it hit the picket fence that serves as the course boundary. The ball came to rest in the high rough, just inches from the fence. There were 2 choices. He could either try to hit the ball left-handed or he could hit it right-handed back toward the tee.

After getting a ruling that the ball was playable, Barber knocked it out in the fairway, but 70 yards farther from the green than he was after his drive. A solid 3-wood still left him about 150 yards away. His 8-iron approach put him 12 feet beyond the flag. He made the downhill putt to save par.

“I was really getting tired out there,” said Barber, who will be 58 in March. “The foot was bothering me so much that I had to use a cart. It started hurting all of a sudden (a tournament) in Puerto Rico in mid-December. It feels just like the left one did before the surgery to remove a bone spur.

“But I thought I was comfortably ahead, so I wasn’t too concerned. About 14 I found out Douglass was closing ground in a hurry.”

Asked if this ranked with his greatest victories, he answered, “Oh, yes. I’ve chipped in before just like everyone else, but never to come from behind and win a tournament. This is one of our biggest tournaments, so that’s special, too.”

Barber said that when Douglass came up to him, he said, “Great shot, man, great shot.”

“I told him he shot a fantastic round on this course,” Barber added. “I don’t believe you’ll see any better golf from anyone on a course like this.

“But, I’m going to do some celebrating before I join the young boys at the Hope.”

The only thing missing from his triumph was that he didn’t beat all the “boys.” When Steve Jones finished later at 279 to win the open division, he beat Barber by a shot.

Sunday, although the greens were frozen early in the day, was the best day, a contrast from a year ago when rain and high winds wiped out the final round. Dave Hill, the winner last year, never threatened in this one, shooting 292. Arnold Palmer did worse--300, 12 over par. He still had the largest gallery of any senior.