McCord Talks, Plays Good Game

When commentator-golfer Gary McCord teed off at 8:30 Friday morning with Ray Carrasco and David Lundstrom, there was nothing to indicate he would shoot a 67 and be tied for the lead after the first day of the Toshiba Senior Classic at Newport Beach Country Club.

McCord’s high-pitched voice, witty remarks and handlebar mustache are more famous than his golf game. In 24 years on the PGA Tour, he never won a tournament and his highest finish on the money list was 59th in 1975. In six senior events last year, his best finish was sixth.

While most on the Senior Tour play nearly every day, McCord--the color commentator on CBS’ golf coverage--plays every few weeks, if he’s lucky. In the last five weeks, McCord only completed 18 holes twice--during Monday’s and Tuesday’s practice rounds at a course he hadn’t played since the 1960s. Since he finished tied for 16th in senior tour qualifying, McCord is playing this weekend because he was given a sponsor’s exemption into the tournament.

But Friday, McCord played like somebody who has been on the courses grinding every week, instead of someone who is taking a break from his color-commentating, movie-producing, sitcom writing and commercial-shooting life.

The front nine: He started his round with six pars, and then as the sun brightened, the birdies began falling. He birdied seven and he could have easily birdied eight and nine--missing a four-footer on No. 8 and a 15-footer on No. 9.

After tapping in on seven, McCord signed an autograph and chatted with friends while Carrasco and Lundstrom putted out. He could have easily made the turn at three under, but he pushed a four-foot birdie putt on the par-three No. 8 and he pulled a 15-foot uphill birdie putt on the difficult par-four ninth.

The back nine: After lipping out for birdie on No. 10, McCord went to minus two with an eight-footer on the par-four 11th. On No. 12, he moved into a tie for the lead with Frank Conner and Bob Murphy at three-under by sinking a 35-foot downhill putt from the back fringe.

The gallery, which numbered only 20 or so on the front nine, started to grow. And with the crowds, came the cameras. The golfer-turned announcer-turned broadcaster was in an awkward position and he didn’t much like it.

“TV cameras make me nervous,” McCord said. “When you haven’t played in a while, you think, ‘God, I must be playing good. Here they come.’ You try to put your best swing on and you really forget about what you’re trying to do. I want everybody to know that [the camera] does affect everybody, even when you’re in front of one for most of your life.”

But McCord didn’t flinch. He birdied No. 15, a par-five 492 dogleg-left, with a four-footer. As he did all day, McCord sailed his drive past Lundstrom and Carrasco’s balls by 35 yards.

“I’ve got a little length going,” McCord said. “When I go home [to Scottsdale, Ariz.] and play, I’m 60 yards behind the guys I play with. [Phil] Mickelson, Larry Barber, Miller Barber’s son, who is as long as Tiger and [David] Duval. I’m swinging hard just trying to keep within seeing distance of those kids. And luckily, I’m a young guy out here on this tour and I’ve still got some freshness in the old body.”

Shot of the day: Without a doubt, it was McCord’s nine iron from the middle of the fairway on No. 7. He was two inches from holing out for eagle.

“When the sun’s behind me, I never miss those,” McCord said later.

Where he stands: “After you haven’t played for awhile, you just aim for the middle and see if it’s going left or right,” said McCord, who turns 51 on May 23. “All I’m trying to do is get my swing. It’s pretty good right now, its got nice timing to it. The longer it goes, the more familiar you get with it. Then you deal with the adrenaline.”

How often does McCord plan to deal with the adrenaline this year?

“I don’t know,” he said. “My schedule is a wagon without a rider.”