GOLF / SENIOR PGA TOUR AT COSTA MESA : Trevino Is Determined to Shake Odd-Year Jinx

Since joining the Senior PGA Tour in 1989 , Lee Trevino has been the player of the year in even - numbered years. He has been injured or recuperating at some point during the odd years.

This being an odd year, Trevino is determined to change things, even though once again he opened the season with a physical problem.

Slowly nearing his best form, Trevino hopes a new tournament will be just what the doctor ordered.

Trevino will face another top field in the $800,000 Toshiba Classic, a new 54-hole event opening today at Mesa Verde Country Club in Costa Mesa.

The Mesa Verde event joins three others on the senior tour in the Southland. The recent rain-shortened tournament at Ojai and the Liberty Mutual Legends of golf at PGA West in La Quinta April 21-23 are other spring events, and the Ralphs at Rancho Park has become a late October fixture.

Among those Trevino will be battling for the championship are Dave Stockton, leading money winner the last two years; Jim Colbert, the current leader, and Bruce Devlin, who won his first tournament in a nine-year senior career at Ojai two weeks ago.

Although he was player of the year in 1994, Trevino lost the money title when he ruptured a spinal disk near his neck in October and had to have surgery. At the time, he had already won six tournaments and $1.2 million.

When Trevino joined the seniors, he envisioned several years of playing the full circuit, then tapering off so he could spend time with his family. Injuries have caused him to change a few plans.

In fact, they have played a major part in Trevino’s entire career. A back problem led to a premature end to his regular tour career and sent him into the broadcast booth. Rest, then hard work prepared him for a successful new career at 50. But in five years on the senior tour he has had the neck problem and a thumb injury that hampered him for more than a year.

Each injury brings out more determination, though.

“Spending eight weeks in a neck brace made me anxious to play again,” Trevino said. “It drove me nuts. I couldn’t practice. I couldn’t hit balls--I couldn’t even putt. I realized how much I missed golf. It’s my life.”

Regaining his form has been a slow process. The neck still hurts occasionally, but he gets stronger by the day.

“I started out with a three-wood,” he said. “And, I was a couple of clubs short with my irons. My strength is coming back. My goal is to win my 25th senior tournament.”

He was close last week at San Antonio when he shot a five-under-par 67 in the second round and finished fourth, by four shots.

Perhaps this will be the week.