Hogarth Goes Public With an 80

Since he won the U.S. Public Links championship last summer and the automatic invitation to Augusta National that goes with it, Tim Hogarth has been preparing to play in the Masters.

It’s not as if he didn’t have anything else to think about, though. Hogarth, a 30-year-old health food broker from Chatsworth, bought a house, got a mortgage, worked his job and

played golf as often as he could to get ready.

So Thursday, Hogarth got his chance. He finished with an eight-over-par 80, but he couldn’t stop smiling.

“I think my fiancee has heard the end of my preparing for the Masters,” Hogarth said. “Now maybe we can get back to normal.”

A two-time All-American at Cal State Northridge, Hogarth turned pro for two years and played on the Golden State Tour but had his amateur status reinstated last April.

“I just wasn’t paying the bills,” he said. “I was pretty tired of being broke.”

Hogarth won the Public Links in Kauai, even though he hadn’t planned anything like that.

“To be honest, I just wanted to take a trip to Hawaii and have some fun,” he said. “At that time, I was just playing a couple of times a week. I was playing against college All-Americans that were playing every day.”

Hogarth had some company for his first-round pairing with Gary Player on Thursday. His cheering section included his parents, Betty and Rob from Van Nuys; his fiancee, Sandy Roehlig, and his aunt and uncle, Phil and Terry Young from Irvine.

He was scheduled to play with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus in Wednesday’s par-three contest, but Palmer and Nicklaus withdrew.

Hogarth decided to play by himself. If that was an experience, so was his Masters debut.

“I had a great time,” he said. “I expected more, but that was the best I could do.”

AGE-OLD NEWS

The combined age of the three honorary starters Thursday morning at the Masters: 264.

That would be Gene Sarazen, 95; Byron Nelson, 85; Sam Snead, 84. And Snead had the best drive, about 200 yards down the left side of the fairway.

THAT’S PAR

For what it’s worth, Tom Watson’s par on the second hole was No. 1,000 for him at the Masters. This is the 23rd Masters for Watson, who has won it twice.

By the way, Watson, 47, has 319 birdies at the Masters.

PALMER ON TIGER

At 67, Arnold Palmer has 46 years on Tiger Woods, which is long enough to acquire an insight on the life of a superstar.

Palmer said he recently spent some time with Woods and gave him a little advice.

The public probably won’t let him act like a normal 21-year-old, Woods told Palmer.

Palmer said Woods might find the experience more pleasant if he went with the flow a little.

“You have to enjoy it,” Palmer said. “If you don’t enjoy it, then it’s going to be tough. I used to marvel at the people who wanted my autograph. And my father thought it was great because he didn’t think I was going to be worth a damn.”

MONEY MASTERS

The color of the Masters is green, like the color of the money that’s filling the cash registers at a speedy rate.

It’s probably no surprise, but the Masters is not merely an important golf tournament but a tremendously successful business enterprise.

Even though the Masters has no income from corporate hospitality, charges nothing for parking, little for concessions (sandwiches are $1.25) and provides nearly commercial-free television, the tournament still clears $7 million, according to Golf Digest.

The main merchandise building at Augusta National had long lines of fans standing in roped-in lanes waiting to get inside. At one point, there was a sign that read, “The Wait at This Point is Estimated 8-10 Minutes.”

DALY UPDATE

Paulette Daly filed for divorce from husband John Daly on Tuesday in Memphis, Tenn., citing “inappropriate marital conduct.” The Dalys were married 14 months ago.

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Tommy Bolt is 81 and knows something about the perils of golf that can find you even when you’re not on the golf course.

Bolt said he sympathizes with Daly, who is in an alcohol treatment program at the Betty Ford Clinic.

“Back in my day, every one of us had a chance to be an alcoholic,” Bolt said. “After a round of golf, the members would buy you drink after drink after drink until you couldn’t stand up.”

Bolt noted that many of the players on the regular and senior tours today take advantage of the fitness van at each tournament site.

“We didn’t have that,” Bolt said. “The bar was our fitness center.”

Brian Barnes, who once drove his car to the edge of a cliff in despair over his drinking problem, said he has written Daly a letter of support.

Barnes has been sober for more than a decade, after nearly ruining his career because of alcohol abuse.

Meanwhile, Nicklaus said he thought Daly was headed for trouble when Daly began social drinking last fall.

“You felt like it was going to be a problem for him,” Nicklaus said. “I think John Daly is a great talent and can be a great credit to the game, but if he isn’t, if he’s not true to himself, he can’t be true to anybody.”

LPGA: ANNIKA’S TOUR?

How consistent is Annika Sorenstam? Consider this: Beginning with her victory at the U.S. Open last year, Sorenstam has played 21 tournaments--15 top-10 finishes, 10 top-three finishes and six victories.

In seven events this year, Sorenstam has three victories, a second place and a third place.

She leads the money list with $401,551 and at 26 is the youngest LPGA player to reach $2 million in earnings. Dottie Pepper was 28 when she passed $2 million in 1993.

What’s more, Sorenstam reached the money milestone quicker than anyone else--three years, one month and 18 days. Pepper needed five years and eight months.

SENIORS: FLYING HIGH

When they take the team picture of the senior tour players, it’s probably going to be at the airport. Dave Stockton recently became the ninth senior player to own his own jet.

Other members of the jet set are Nicklaus, Palmer, Lee Trevino, Raymond Floyd, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Hale Irwin, Tom Weiskopf and Jim Colbert.

BIRDIES, BOGEYS, PARS

John Bland’s brother, Ray Bland, is caddying for Player during the Masters. . . . Iron Man Award: It has to go to Bruce Summerhays, who has played in 82 consecutive events he has been eligible for on the senior tour. It has paid off too. During this stretch, Summerhays has made $1.39 million, including $195,111 this year. . . . Charlotta Sorenstam, 23, Annika’s younger sister, is the leader in the LPGA rookie-of-the-year race. . . . Natalie Gulbis, the 14-year-old high school freshman qualifier for last week’s event in Sacramento, missed the cut but came back Sunday to present flowers to Annika Sorenstam in the awards ceremony. . . . The fourth AirTouch Cellular/Red Cross tournament will be held May 12 at 11:30 a.m. at Pelican Hill’s Ocean Course. The event benefits the American Red Cross. Details: (714) 222-8781. . . . The fourth Blacks in Government classic will be held July 17 at the Navy Course in Cypress. The event benefits the Judie Davis National Marrow Donor Recruitment Program. Details: (310) 335-3633.