Nelson’s Caddie Is Relative, Relevant

A father teaches his son to play golf. Tries anyway. The son is hard-headed.

Many years later the son instructs the father, who is all ears.

Strange, considering the father is Larry Nelson, the hottest player on the Senior PGA Tour.

Yet it’s part of the reason he won eight tournaments in less than a year, including six of 10 in one stretch. Nelson listens. He adjusts. He improves.

And often the results are dramatic.

Nelson is co-leader of the 54-hole SBC Senior Classic after equaling the course record with a second-round 64 Saturday at Valencia Country Club.

“Larry has played for seven or eight months like Tiger Woods,” said Jim Colbert, who shot his second 67 in a row and is tied with Nelson at 134.

“He has the same look, the same confidence level and dedication. He is committed to being the best he can be.”

Dedication takes various forms. After Nelson shot a 70 Friday, it meant spending a couple of hours on the practice tee and allowing his son Drew, 24, to tinker with his swing.

Drew, who is trying to establish his own pro career, is Nelson’s caddie this week.

“Drew knows as much about my swing as I do,” Nelson said. “He noticed my weight was too much on my heels. I had to get on my toes and get over the ball.

“It’s interesting. I taught him how to play only as much as you can ever teach your children. I listen to him more than he ever listened to me.”

Nelson and Colbert hold a one-shot lead over Jim Ahern and Jose Maria Canizares, a first-round co-leader who is coming off his first senior victory last week in the Toshiba Classic at Newport Beach.

Graham Marsh is two strokes back at 136, followed by Gary McCord and Bob Eastwood at 138 and a group of seven at 139 that includes first-round co-leader Bob Charles.

The low scores elicited surprise all around. At 6,905 yards, Valencia is longer than most courses on the tour and few in the field of 78 had played it before. But a brief but intense rain shower Friday night kept the greens soft enough to hold even long irons.

The lift-clean-and-place rule in force during the first round was not applied, yet the players hardly noticed.

“Somebody did a magnificent job getting the course ready,” Colbert said. “The greens were in really good shape.”

Colbert especially liked the five-iron he hit from 180 yards into the wind with his second shot on the par-four 17th, the most difficult hole on the course. The ball landed a few feet past the hole and backed in for an eagle.

The soft greens triggered similar bold fairway efforts from others. Hugh Baiocchi made the tour’s first hole in one this year with a shot at the 178-yard third hole nearly identical to Colbert’s eagle--a five-iron with backspin.

Of course, Nelson, 53, had the most fun, firing eight birdies and 10 pars. He scorched the back with five birdies for a 31.

“I’m much happier about the way I’m playing,” he said. “[Friday] I thought I’d struggle to get into the top 10. I honestly was not comfortable and I haven’t been for a few weeks. Today I felt comfortable.”

Nelson comfortable? It’s enough to make his counterparts squirm.

“He’s the mark,” Colbert said. “There’s no question about it. I watch his name on the leaderboard.”

Nelson’s recent lack of comfort meant only that he went from winner to somewhere in the bottom half of the top 10. He opened the year with victories at the MasterCard Classic and the Royal Caribbean Classic, then finished eighth, sixth and seventh in his last three tournaments.

He was the money leader in 2000 with $2.7 million, leads again with $584,960 and has his sights set on the $210,000 that goes to today’s winner.

“I feel like the potential is there,” he said.

Any problems will be promptly diagnosed by Drew, who is making amends for his youthful stubbornness in more ways than one.

On Jan. 26, his wife had a son, Larry’s first grandchild.

“Drew, his wife and the baby are all here,” Nelson said. “It’s a good week.”

In Front

SBC Senior Classic leaders going into today’s final round at Valencia Country Club (36-hole scores, par 72):

Larry Nelson: 70-64--134 -10

Jim Colbert: 67-67--134 -10

Jim Ahern: 68-67--135 -9

Jose Maria Canizares: 65-70--135 -9

Graham Marsh: 69-67--136 -8

Gary McCord: 73-65--138 -6

Bob Eastwood: 67-71--138 -6

* COMPLETE SCORES, D20