Nicklaus Feeling Fit, Ready to Take On PGA

Jack Nicklaus is considering a 2000 schedule that would include the Nissan Open at Riviera Country Club, he said Friday, in part to join his son, Gary, in the field.

Speaking after his pro-am round at the Diners Club Matches, a round that included an eagle on the par-4 14th hole at Pelican Hill Golf Club, Nicklaus said he was fit and prepared to expand his participation on the PGA Tour by at least a few tournaments.

Gary, 30, survived the three-stage PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament three weeks ago and intends to play as many events as the Tour will allow. He is not fully exempt.

Jack, who will turn 60 in January, figures Gary is more likely to make the traditionally weaker fields of the early-season West Coast swing. Of course, having the Golden Bear show up would make “Heir Bear” an attractive sponsor’s exemption.

Rather than have Barbara Nicklaus choose between Jack’s Senior events and Gary’s PGA events, he said, they’ll tee it up together. In fact, Jack has made a running joke of his intent to add three or four tournaments to his usual schedule of the four majors, along with Pebble Beach, Doral and Memorial.

“I told Gary,” Jack said, “we’ll go to these tournaments, I’ll play on Thursday and Friday and I can watch you on the weekends.”

He laughed and added, “Obviously, I hope I’m kidding on that.”

The Nissan Open, scheduled Feb. 17-20, is one of the tournaments the Nicklaus men are considering. The only possible issue: Jack loves to play the Senior tournament at the TPC at Tampa Bay, an event he once won and one that conflicts this year with the Nissan.

“L.A. may be a tournament I would play,” he said. “Barbara would like to see some of that, so we might do that.

“If I can be presentable and halfway competitive, rather than just go out there and be part of it, I’ll do it.”

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Still recovering from the hip replacement surgery he underwent in January, a procedure that forced him to miss his first Masters in four decades, Nicklaus said his health was at about 60 percent. That’s up, he said, from “about 2 percent” a year ago.

He walks with ease and his game is benefiting. On the 14th hole, and with tournament partner Tom Watson playing in the group behind him, Nicklaus holed a 6-iron from the fairway, 158 yards out. Remarkably, Watson lipped out his approach shot from about the same distance on the same hole.

“A lot of [the schedule] at the start of the year will depend on how I feel,” Nicklaus said. “My hip is fine. That’s not an issue.”

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Gary got the Sports Illustrated cover 14 years ago, but Tiger Woods, the PGA Tour player of the year, is the popular choice as “Heir Bear.”

“He’s got tremendous belief in himself,” Nicklaus said.

Apparently, Woods also believes in Nicklaus. During a telephone conversation between the two this summer, Nicklaus suggested to Woods that his problems with short-iron distance control could be due to poor club position at the top.

“I don’t want to take credit for it,” Nicklaus insisted.

Except that the two talked about it again last weekend, and Woods mentioned it as part of the reason for his late-season victories.

“I made that change,” Woods said.

“It certainly shows,” Nicklaus told him.

“He’s learned how to win at a very young age,” Nicklaus said of Woods. “He’s learned how to handle himself with people. He’s no different than I was. When I came out, I was rough around the edges like a lot of kids are.

“I give him a tremendous amount of credit.”

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Parking for the weekend’s event is available at the lot at Newport Coast Drive and San Joaquin Hills Road. The parking and shuttle service are free. . . . Laura Davies, who replaced Nancy Lopez, won last weekend’s JCPenney tournament in Palm Harbor, Fla., with partner John Daly. She was notified of the Diners Club vacancy just before boarding a plane for her native England.