Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 14, 1995 TAG: 9504210023
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS AND STAFF REPORTS
DATELINE: WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. LENGTH: Medium
``No matter what happens,'' King said, ``I can tell everybody that I tied [Lee] Trevino and [Gary] Player and beat Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. For a day, at least.''
King, 51, the longtime club professional at Roanoke's Blue Hills Golf Club, beat most of the field Thursday at PGA National Champions course, firing an even-par 72. He enters today's second round of the 72-hole major only four shots behind leaders Calvin Peete, Harry Toscano and DeWitt Weaver.
``My first goal is to make the cut,'' King said. ``Then I can hang around and play for a pretty good paycheck.''
King failed to make the cut in last summer's U.S. Senior Open at Pinehurst, N.C., shooting 78-82. He spent a lot of time in Florida this winter honing his game for a second run with golf's big boys.
``I think I was a little less nervous this time,'' King said. ``I was still nervous as hell. But it was a good kind of nervous, not choking nervous.''
King, one of 58 club pros in the 144-member field, made a 2-foot birdie putt on the final hole to finish even. It was his fourth birdie in a round that included four bogeys.
``It was a solid round,'' King said. ``The only mistake I made was three-putting [No.] 17 for bogey. Considering the wind and how tough this track is, I'll take 72 anytime.''
If King can shoot 76 or better today, he should be a lock to survive the 36-hole cut. The projected cutline should be 148 or 149. Only six players broke 70 Thursday. Only 21 bettered King's 72.
J.C. Snead of Hot Springs opened with a 71. Danville's Bobby Mitchell and Roanoke native Ed Sneed each shot 73.
Palmer, who won this title in 1984, opened with 75, while Nicklaus struggled to a 76 on a course he designed.
Peete, the most successful black player in PGA Tour history, shot 68 after going 4-under for the first eight holes. Toscano was lifted by an eagle-3 at No.2, while Weaver birdied five of his first seven holes. Weaver was 1-over on the back nine.
``Those last nine holes are hard,'' Weaver said. ``They're intimidating. Every one of them.''
Particularly the last four, known as the ``Bear Trap'' after Jack Nicklaus strengthened the course six years ago. And it claimed a couple of potential contenders.
Australia's Graham Marsh was 4-under going into that finishing stretch, and promptly went double bogey-double bogey. Orville Moody also was 4-under and lost them all in a three-hole stretch.
Larry Laoretti came to that stretch alone in the lead at 5-under. He blew a sand shot into the water and double bogeyed the 15th.
Laoretti hung on for a 69 and a tie with Jim Colbert and Jim Albus, the only others in the 144-man field to shoot in the 60s.
Defending champion Trevino and South Africa's Player, each a two-time winner of this event, were at 72. Ray Floyd had a 70.
Peete, 51, who has yet to win in a brief career on the senior circuit, said he has been slowed by his injured shoulder and an unwillingness to devote himself fully to his game.
He says the torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder is about ``80-85'' percent healed.
``It's like an accident waiting to happen,'' he said. ``You know it's there. And you know somewhere in the round you're going to hit a bad shot.''
by CNB