Geiberger Stays on Right Course for Title : Golf: His second consecutive senior Tournament of Champions victory comes easier when Dent hits into water on No. 17.

Come rain, come shine or come mud, Al Geiberger can still handle La Costa.

Geiberger, sloshing through a light, steady rain, shot a one-under-par 71 over the muddy 6,935-yard course Sunday to win his second consecutive title in the Senior division of the Infiniti Tournament of Champions.

Geiberger, who also won here on the regular PGA Tour in 1975, won by two shots over Jim Dent with a 72-hole total of 280. A year ago, when the weather was ideal and the course for the seniors was 400 yards shorter, Geiberger finished at 282.

George Archer and Dave Stockton were at 285. Raymond Floyd, his hopes of winning both sections of the tournament shattered, shot his second consecutive 73 and finished nine strokes behind the winner.

Dent and Geiberger were tied after 54 holes and, because of reports that heavy rains were coming, they were expecting to decide the winner in a one-hole playoff. Instead, they played on a course more suited for ducks.

Geiberger took the lead for good with an eight-foot putt for a birdie on the 14th hole. He clinched it with a 12-foot birdie on the 17th.

Although Dent’s long hitting was usually a blessing, it hurt him in the end. On the 550-yard 17th hole, Dent, trying to reach the green with his second shot and wipe out the one-stroke deficit, hit a three-wood into the water.

“It was a mistake made in desperation, trying to catch up,” Dent said.

Even though Dent saved par on the hole with a 30-foot putt from off the green’s apron, he lost all chance of winning when Geiberger made his birdie.

“When Jim hit that shot in the water,” Geiberger said, “I’m thinking I have it wrapped up. I’m telling myself I should pick up two shots. Then Jim makes his putt and the pressure was on again. Fortunately, the downhill (birdie) putt went in and I was all right.”

Geiberger, not known for outstanding bunker play, gave credit to his son John, his caddie and a Pepperdine student, for helping him improve his sand play. He saved par in all 10 chances over 72 holes, including three in a row in the middle of the final round.’

“John is so good out of the sand that his teammates come to him for help,” Geiberger said. “He’s been working with me, and I started improving late last season.”

After winning here a year ago, Geiberger didn’t win again last season. He hopes to avoid that this year.

“As my wife keeps reminding me, I tend to get lazy after success,” he said. “But I was thinking today, I’d rather win now and worry about getting lazy later. Maybe, it will be different this year.”

Both Geiberger and Dent said the course was wetter and softer than ever. “I thought it couldn’t handle more water today,” Geiberger said. “Somehow it did. Today we were putting the ball in places we were moving the ball out of on previous days.”

They found the highest spots on the greens to put the holes and still had to squeeze water from the ground on most of them.

On the 13th hole, there was a delay while water was removed. Both Geiberger and Dent moved to spots that were more dry to putt. Geiberger sent a 20-footer four feet past the pin, then missed his putt coming back. Dent rammed in his 15-footer and they were tied. But Geiberger was two under par for the last five holes.

Though Floyd wasn’t close in either division, he could console himself with knowledge that he is still competitive enough on the regular tour to have a shot at winning in both divisions.

But Geiberger said Floyd, who has won three of the eight events he has entered on the 50 and older tour, is wearing himself out trying to compete on both tours.

“He may have trouble in both, trying to keep everyone happy,” Geiberger said. “They’re after him in both tours and he’s already tired. He may have to just resign himself to playing in ours. It’s just taking too much out of him. He told me he already needs a rest.”