It’s Been a Long Wait, but Senor Lee Is Finally a Senior

Lee Trevino says he knows what to expect in his debut on the Senior PGA Tour in the Kaanapali tournament, starting here today.

“I’m going to be nervous. I’m going to be pressured. I’m going to be trying too hard,” Trevino said.

His arrival on the scene--Trevino turned 50 last week--is one of the most heralded since the senior tour started 10 years ago.

And Trevino has been preparing for it for nearly three years. He has lost 20 pounds and he left a job as a television commentator to resume playing. He has not been competitive in tournaments on the regular tour but has been playing simply to keep a competitive edge.

Trevino, a Hall of Fame member who has won the U.S. Open twice, the PGA twice and scored consecutive British Open victories in 1971 and ‘72, has tried to play down the importance of his debut. “This is just one tournament,” he said. “All the other guys know I’m here and they’re going to be gunning for me.”

He talked of putting problems on the Bermuda greens of the Royal Kaanapali course.

“I missed eight putts of five feet or less (in practice Tuesday),” he said. “I haven’t played on Bermuda greens in five years.”

He said he was looking beyond this first start to the beginning of the 1990 senior schedule in February.

“I’m looking forward to that more than I am this one,” he said. “I expect to play well this week, but if I don’t, it’s no big deal. I won’t be too disappointed. What would disappoint me is if I play four tournaments in February and don’t win. That would disappoint me.”

He said he planned to play few tournaments on the regular tour, lots of them with the seniors.

“About all I’m going to play on the regular tour are the Masters, British Open and PGA. Maybe Hartford. Maybe the Bob Hope,” he said.

“I don’t want to play against those flat-bellies. I’m out here where I belong now.

“I play best when I play a lot. And I’m going to play a lot, maybe 30 a year. It’s a whole new life, a whole new career for me.

“It’s hard to say what I expect. But I think I can win five or six tournaments a year. I’ll be surprised and disappointed if I don’t do that.”