McCord Schedule Clear for Tradition, Giving Him Major Boost

Tournament champion Gary McCord came to the media center after his playoff victory not only to answer questions but to ask a few.

His first question was if the victory Sunday at the Newport Beach Country Club got him into the upcoming Tradition, the first of four majors on the Senior PGA Tour.

A tour representative quickly found out that it did and McCord was thrilled because he has that week off from his announcer duties at CBS.

Then he asked a more important question: “Does this victory get me into the Masters? That would chase them up a tree.”

CBS broadcasts the Masters but tournament officials will not let McCord announce after some on-air remarks he made in 1994 that they found offensive.

McCord’s personalized license plate reads “NOWINS,” a reference to the 376 PGA Tour events he played in without a victory. He won on the Ben Hogan Tour in 1991.

“That car is my regular car so I will leave it on it,” he said, “I’ve always wanted to go to a past champions dinner. Do they have one on this tour?”

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More McCord: He drew large galleries during and after his rounds all week. One autograph seeker asked McCord if he would sign the book “Golf for Dummies,” which McCord wrote.

McCord looked up and said: “You bought the book didn’t you?”

The spectator answered “Yes,” and McCord said: “Then of course I will, that’s another $2.87 for me.”

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The tournament raised at least a record $800,000 for Hoag Hospital Foundation and the primary beneficiary will be the Hoag Heart Institute.

The event raised $700,000 last year, the first in which the Hoag Foundation ran it. One reason for the higher dollar figure was the increased attendance, which tournament director Jeff Purser estimated at 25,000 on Sunday.

The final accounting will be done in about six weeks.

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Ray Carrasco, a longtime local teaching professional who was playing in his third consecutive Toshiba Senior Classic, closed with a two-under 69.

Carrasco, who will join the European Senior Tour in May, opened with two rounds of 72. He had two bogeys and two birdies on the front side, then had three birdies, including both par fives and one bogey on the back side Sunday.

Carrasco’s total of 213 was eight shots better than he had shot the past two years. He finished in a tie for 37th place and won $6,700.