THIS WEEK

SENIOR PGA TOUR

Verizon Classic

Where: TPC of Tampa Bay (6,638 yards, par 71); Lutz, Fla.

When: Friday-Sunday.

Purse: $1.4 million. Winner’s share: $210,000.

Television: PAX (Friday, 10 a.m.-noon) and CNBC (Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.).

Last year: Bob Gilder won in his third senior start, closing with a 67 to beat 2000 winner Bruce Fleisher, Gil Morgan, Ray Floyd and Bobby Walzel by three strokes.

Last week: Hale Irwin won his record 33rd senior title, taking advantage of Tom Watson’s 17th-hole bogey for a one-stroke victory in the ACE Group Classic at Naples, Fla.

Notes: Irwin has earned a record $14,164,374 in 158 starts in parts of eight seasons. The three-time U.S. Open champion pushed his combined PGA Tour/Senior PGA Tour earnings to $20,130,405. He won 20 times on the regular tour.... Ben Crenshaw tied for 43rd last week in his senior debut, 15 strokes behind Irwin.