Sigel Wins Battle This Time Around

It didn’t mean nearly as much and it wasn’t worth nearly as much money, but Bob Murphy and Jay Sigel met in another playoff Tuesday at the Newport Beach Country Club.

The same two that wrestled for nine extra holes last year until Murphy won the tournament, squared off from 50 yards as part of the Gillette Tour challenge.

Sigel got a modest amount of revenge, hitting a wedge to within six feet to take first place for himself and partner Jim Colbert. The winning team split $8,000. Second place paid $2,500 each to Murphy and Hugh Baiocchi.

Sigel was asked if he thought about last year’s playoff when getting ready to hit the chip, and he said, “Not at all.”

Sigel and Colbert held a one-shot lead over three teams going into the par-5 18th hole, the final one of the six-hole, alternate-shot event.

Sigel and Colbert made par after Colbert hit the team’s second shot into the sand trap near the left side of the green.

Murphy made a birdie putt on the same hole to force the playoff.

Sigel hit first and his shot appeared headed well past the hole. Hubert Green, who had the microphone when Sigel hit, was saying “goodbye” to the low trajectory chip that suddenly checked up and stopped six feet from the hole.

“Whoops,” Green said, “nice shot, Jay.”

No other shot was within six feet of Sigel’s, but he figured Murphy held the advantage because of his deft short game.

Murphy was happy to point out the economics of the situation. “[Sigel] won this time,” Murphy said. “He won $8,000. I won $150,000.”

The teams of Dave Stockton and Bruce Summerhays and Bob Eastwood and Walter Morgan each won $1,250 for a third-place tie.

Green and 1995 Toshiba winner George Archer received $1,000 each for finishing fifth. They were doomed when Archer hit his drive out of bounds on the second-to-last hole.

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The Tour challenges bring 10 players together in what is supposed to be a light-hearted competition. A microphone is passed around from player to player and the insults fly as fast as Green’s swing.

The teams are drawn from a hat by spectators, which numbered about 400, and all 10 professionals hit tee shots on the first hole. They alternated shots after that.

The first-tee high jinks included a couple of players rushing in and throwing other player’s teed balls into the crowd. Morgan tossed Colbert’s ball into the crowd and Colbert said he would sign it later.

Stockton jumped in and said, “I’ll sign it so it’ll be worth something.”

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The combination of clear skies and the course being in great shape has many people, including course superintendent Ron Benedict, talking about some very low scores this weekend.

“I think if the weather holds up, the course record will be broken,” Benedict said.

The competitive record is held by Eastwood, who shot 64 in the final round in 1996.