Nicklaus Will Be at La Costa Opening Day

Jack Nicklaus, in a surprise move, has entered the 1994 Mercedes Championship, formerly the Tournament of Champions, professional golf’s first event of the season.

The $1.5-million tournament, the only one in which players on both the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour compete in concurrent events, will be held at the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad Jan. 6-9.

Only winners of scheduled tournaments qualify for the event. Although he has qualified every year but 1992, Nicklaus has not competed in the event for nine years.

Now 54, Nicklaus had gone two years without a victory until he won the U.S. Senior Open in July at Cherry Hills, near Denver. It was one of six tournaments for the 50-and-older group that Nicklaus entered.

Last year, Raymond Floyd became the only golfer to qualify for both the regular and senior Tournament of Champions. He failed to win either, but will battle Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Dave Stockton and defending champion Al Geiberger for the senior title this time.

Davis Love III is the defending champion in the regular division. The winner in that category gets $180,000. The senior winner earns $75,000.