Morgan Trying to One-Up Irwin

If it weren’t for Hale Irwin, Gil Morgan would be talking a lot more about matching his own outstanding performance on the Senior PGA Tour last year.

After all, Morgan did win six tournaments and $2.2 million in his first full year playing with the 50-plus guys. Irwin, of course, did him three better, tying the senior tour record with nine victories and winning more money than even Tiger Woods, an all-tour record $2.3 million.

Talk about overshadowed. But Morgan doesn’t bristle at being reminded that he’s No. 2. And why would he, considering he’s putting up Irwin-like results this year?

It’s uncanny, in fact, how similar Morgan’s start this year is to Irwin’s last year. Just like Irwin, Morgan won the season-opening MasterCard Championship and the LG Championship, then cruised to victory in the unofficial Senior Slam.

So is Morgan shooting for nine in ‘98?

“Ten for me,” he said, chuckling. “I was hoping for 10. No, not really. Obviously nine is a lot of tournaments. That is a spectacular record, especially in this day and age. With the increased competition of the senior tour, just to match the record was a pretty nice feat.”

Today, Morgan will try to continue building on his early success, in the first round of the Toshiba Senior Classic at Newport Beach Country Club. Last year Morgan missed a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that would have put him in a playoff with Bob Murphy and Jay Sigel.

The playoff turned out to be a marathon, with Murphy winning with an 80-foot putt on the ninth extra hole. “I don’t think I’d have lasted nine holes,” Morgan said. “It might have been just as well [that he missed it]. Nine holes is a long time.”

Morgan, who won seven events during a 24-year career on the PGA Tour, certainly has made himself comfortable among the older set. He won his first senior title, at the 1996 Ralphs Senior Classic at Wilshire Country Club, 11 days after turning 50, making him the youngest winner in tour history.

Then there was 1997, when he put himself within hailing distance of being player of the year. So is the senior tour what he expected?

“Overall, I think it’s a lot more competitive than I anticipated,” Morgan said. “The golf courses and the competition both are a little more critical than I expected, especially the pin placements.

“When I was on the regular tour, they talked about how the greens were not going to be very fast and the pins were going to be in the middle.

“And I have never seen any of that.”

Morgan did allow that the greens sometimes are a little slower, but if anything, he said, the pin placements might be tougher for the seniors.

Not that it’s holding back Morgan, or Irwin for that matter. Although Irwin, who is also here this week, hasn’t won yet this year, he has been playing well, finishing tied for second, fourth and fifth in three official starts.

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Toshiba Senior Classic

* What: The Senior PGA Tour’s first California stop of 1998; 54 holes, no cut.

* When: Today-Sunday. First tee time 8 a.m. today; 7:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

* Where: Newport Beach Country Club, 1600 East Pacific Coast Highway.

* Last year: Bob Murphy defeated Jay Sigel with an 80-foot putt on the ninth playoff hole.

* TV: ESPN, noon-2 p.m. today, 2:30-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.