Sunday, September 26, 1999
KROGER NOTEBOOK
Trevino remains in hunt
BY MICHAEL PERRY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MASON — How to explain that Lee Trevino sits just two shots off the lead after two rounds of the Kroger Senior Classic?
“They must be playing bad if they let me get this close to them,” he said laughing after finishing Saturday with a 5-under-par 135. He was 3-under for the day.
“I always did like this golf course. My last hole-in-one was here on No. 12. I think it was '92. We had about an hour-and-a-half delay. I went over there and hit this 4-iron, and it hit short of the green and bounced and rolled and rolled and it went in for a one. And then I made a seven on the next hole.”
Trevino's last title came at the 1998 Southwestern Bell Dominion. His best finish this year: third in the Cadillac NFL Golf Classic.
“I could care less what I do,” he said smiling. “I'm coming out here and just play the best I can. For me to win, I would have to shoot an extremely low round, something I haven't done in years. I'd have to shoot 64, 63. It's a possibility. Don't think that it might not happen.”
Will he approach the final round any differently?
“Hell no,” Trevino said. “I'll still have a Snickers bar for dinner and what's the one that I like so much? Steak 'N Shake. That's my favorite.”
Quick pace
Today's final round will tee off at 8:35 a.m. on two holes — Nos. 1 and 10. That's so the tournament will move along quicker and end within ESPN's telecast time of 1-3 p.m.
The decision to do that, which is not uncommon, was made by the Senior PGA Tour in consultation with ESPN, said Kroger tournament chairman Don Schumacher, who added: “We execute the plan once they decide how to handle things. Not that it makes us unhappy. We're very happy we're concluding at 3.”
Why? Last year's final round was rained out, and the playoff extended into near darkness; it wasn't originally scheduled to be finished until 6 p.m. The earlier ending time gives a tournament some leeway.
At home
If Simon Hobday, 59, ever walked up the 17th fairway and didn't see a sign welcoming him on the back of the house behind the green, he said, “That would be heartbreaking.”
Cincinnati's love affair with the South African started in 1993 when he won the Kroger for his first Senior Tour title.
“Welcome! Simon Hobday. Simon says "Drink Miller Lite'” is printed on a banner that hangs for all to see.
“There's buzzing in the clubhouse every time about the sign,” Hobday said. “That's the kind of thing that makes it special.”
He was threatening to make this year even more special with a 4-under round Saturday, leaving him at 3-under-par 137 — four shots off the lead.
“I played fantastic today,” Hobday said. “I holed a few putts but I missed a whole bunch. I could've been right in there with them.”
Super finish
Jimmy Powell defeated Jim Dent in a one-hole playoff to win the Georgia-Pacific Super Seniors competition, which is for players age 60 and over and goes over two rounds. Both finished Saturday at 6-under 134. Dent hit his tee shot out of bounds on the extra hole. Powell takes home $30,000 for the victory; Dent gets $23,500.
Sports Stories
REDS 6, CARDINALS 1
Neagle an ace-come-lately
REDS NOTEBOOK
Box, runs
How Reds, Astros, Mets finish
Brewers 3, Astros 2
Phillies 4, Mets 2
Bengals' boss needs to see improvement
BENGALS NOTEBOOK
BENGALS TO WATCH
PANTHERS PLAYERS TO WATCH
BENGALS-PANTHERS MATCHUPS
No repeat upset for UC
Questionable penalty ends UC's chance at miracle
BEARCATS NOTEBOOK
UC in hunt for juco player
