Golfer Hale Irwin Proves He’s a Still a Classic at 45

Once again, Hale Irwin put golf’s youth movement on hold.

The 45-year-old Irwin became the oldest man to win the U.S. Open last week, and followed it up Sunday with a victory in the Buick Classic.

“There’s still some life left, still some fun left,” Irwin said. “These are the days you look forward to. There aren’t many of them. You treasure them when they arrive.

“And at this stage of your career, you appreciate them more than any others.”

Irwin plans a whole lot of appreciating this week. He’s taking the week off to spend time with his family.

He said there is no secret to the success of older players.

“Hard work, fitness, diet,” said Irwin, a former defensive back at Colorado. “I think we’re in better shape now than people this age used to be.”

In April, 50-year-old Jack Nicklaus and 47-year-old Ray Floyd both were in last-round contention in the Masters. Floyd took Britain’s Nick Faldo into a playoff before losing. And on the Seniors Tour, 50-year-old Lee Trevino already has earned $508,633.

Irwin says age is an asset in golf.

“It’s called experience,” he said. “You have to learn yourself, know yourself and your game. It is not an instant thing. It only comes with time. You have to know how you hold up, how your game holds up in the heat of competition.

“You can’t be running off to a swing guru or a sports psychologist every five minutes. It takes time to learn that.”

Paul Azinger, 30, runner-up in the Buick Classic, looks at Irwin and is thrilled he’s able to make a career of golf.

“I look at Hale and I’m so thankful I’m in golf,” Azinger said. “In golf, I’m young. In another sport, in tennis or basketball or something where you have to be fast on your feet, I’d be over the hill and on the way out. In golf, I’m young.

“Hale is a lesson for all us young guys. We look at him and we know that we can still be playing and winning 15 years from now.”

Earlier story, C6.