Building Fan Support Is Key to Quigley’s Game

Dana Quigley left the Newport Beach Country Club Saturday with a much lighter golf bag.

Quigley not only signed autographs for anyone who asked, but also passed out as many souvenirs as possible to kids even though some thought he was Gil Morgan, one of his playing partners.

Quigley, who had won twice last year and once in 1997 on the Senior Tour, signed and gave away both golf gloves he had in his pocket. He then went back to his bag for more gloves and after they were gone, he returned for golf balls.

“I save everything for the kids,” Quigley said, “that’s what keeps the game going. They’ll get home and throw them away, but right now they feel really special and that’s good.”

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Eagle, eagle, eagle: There were no eagles during Friday’s first round but there were 13 in the second round, including eight on the 492-yard, par-five 15th.

Quigley, Morgan and Allen Doyle, playing in the same group, all had eagles at No. 15, which has been the easiest hole in first two rounds.

Doyle started the eagle run by making about an 18-footer. “That’s an odd happening I guess,” he said about the three eagles. “I’ve never seen it before.”

Next up was Morgan, who made his putt from about 12 feet. Then it was up to Quigley who had a four-footer.

Quigley’s putt got more difficult as his partners made theirs, so he needed something to a release the tension.

“I asked everyone there if they should give me that putt,” Quigley said. The remark broke up the gallery and Quigley then made his putt.

“I was shaking but it went in,” he said.

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Former champion: George Archer, who won the first Toshiba Senior Classic when it was played at Mesa Verde Country Club in 1995, shot a four-under 67 Saturday to move within four shots of the lead.

Archer made three birdies on each side but made consecutive bogeys on the sixth and seventh holes, both par fours.

“I played fine,” Archer said, “I had a few bum shots but I had a lot of birdies and that was the big thing.”

Archer was in position to finish with a birdie but his five-footer on the 18th hole hit the right edge of the hole, went around the rim and came out.

“It looked like it was going to go in but it didn’t,” Archer said. “That’s golf.”