A New Twist on Old Theme at Newport

Dave Eichelberger and Roy Vucinich have very different histories on the Senior PGA Tour, but after the first round of the Toshiba Senior Classic at Newport Beach Country Club on Friday, they have at least two things in common.

First, they shot five-under-par 66s and are tied for the lead, a stroke ahead of Larry Nelson and Howard Twitty. Second, neither has a game plan for today’s second round.

For Eichelberger, a seven-year senior tour veteran with 212 appearances and five victories, playing without a plan is nothing new.

“I really don’t ever have a strategy or goal or anything like that,” he said. “I just start off on that first hole and try to hit it as far as I can down the fairway and then start trying to knock it in the hole.”

For Vucinich, a 27-year club professional from the Pittsburgh area, playing at this level is still a relatively new experience. He has only 13 senior tour appearances with a top finish of 14th in 1997. He finished sixth at qualifying school last December to become exempt for the first time.

“Five under is a little more than I was expecting today,” he said. “Playing in such a big group [with Eichelberger and Twitty] as well as the last group as well as tied for the tournament . . . these are all unknowns to me.

“I’ve never led or tied for a lead in this size tournament before so there’s no telling what could happen, but the one thing I’m going to do is have fun with it and hopefully learn from the experience.”

Eichelberger doesn’t need to worry if his approach doesn’t work, he has shown the ability to adjust on the fly.

Last November, on his way to the Senior Tour Championship in Myrtle Beach, S.C., his flight from New York was canceled because of bad weather.

Afraid he would fall asleep if he rented a car and drove, Eichelberger hired a limousine for the 11-hour trip and met his pro-am group on the tee minutes before the shotgun start.

Under tour rules, any player missing a pro-am is automatically disqualified from the tournament.

“When we pulled up alongside the fifth green . . . the people were all in their carts coming out to the tees,” Eichelberger said. “So I was less than five minutes from missing the whole thing.”

The limo ride, plus tip, cost $3,200. Eichelberger made $18,000 for placing 31st in the tournament.

Friday at Newport Beach, the 1999 U.S. Senior Open champion showed up early and with a hot putter.

Starting at 9 a.m., he needed only 23 putts in a round that included six birdies and a bogey.

Vucinich, playing in the final threesome of the day, hit 15 greens in regulation and made a remarkable recovery shot from behind a tree on the 18th, then drained a dramatic 30-foot putt to tie for the lead.

He tried not to think about that Friday night.

“I’m just gonna try to find a nice place to get a nice dinner and go to bed and sleep as late as I can and try not to put too much thought on playing in the last group,” he said.

Nelson, a five-time senior tour winner, came to Newport Beach in a slump. He had finished 10th, 42nd, 18th, 45th and 42nd in his five starts this season.

Practice-swinging in front of a mirror, he discovered an improper weight shift caused his head to move.

“I was hitting some ugly shots the last two or three weeks,” Nelson said. “I had a lot more confidence today than I did yesterday. Hopefully I’ll have a lot more tomorrow.”

Defending champion Gary McCord is among a group of eight at 69. Eight others shot 70 and eight more are at 71 in a tournament noted for crowding at the top of the leaderboard.

Since the tournament moved to Newport Beach Country Club in 1994, there never has been a solo leader after the first round.