GOLF SENIORS AT RANCHO PARK : Player Up by 1, but Trevino Is Back in It

One of the knocks against the 54-hole format of the Senior PGA Tour is that it is almost impossible to recover from a poor first round.

You couldn’t prove it by Lee Trevino and Al Geiberger. Both seemed to have lost all chance to win the $500,000 Security Pacific Classic when they fell six shots behind after the first round at Rancho Park.

But going into today’s final round over the 6,307-yard, par-71 course, they have charged into contention.

The two early starters shot seven-under-par 64s Saturday for a 36-hole total of 136 and trail Gary Player by two shots. Player posted a three-under 68 to go with an opening 66 for 134.

The stage is set for a wild finish. Player leads Chi Chi Rodriguez, Joe Jimenez and Orville Moody by one shot.

Player said he doesn’t consider himself the leader because it’s only a stroke.

“Anyone under par has a chance to win it,” Player said. “I’m not kidding. Two weeks ago at Napa, Lee and I were tied for the lead and Lee made up 11 shots on me in the last round.”

Player may have exaggerated a bit, but followers of Arnold Palmer think Arnie has a shot to win even though, at 139, he trails by five shots. Twenty-two players are within five shots of Player.

That doesn’t include John Schlee. The first-round co-leader at 66 played more like one would expect the 96th player on the money list to play. He bogeyed the first hole, then went downhill. He shot 37-42 for a 79 and, at 145, leads only 14 golfers.

Jimenez, a club pro from Jefferson City, Mo., is 64. For two years he has dominated the Vantage Classics, the tour within a tour for the 60-and-older pros. He tied his own super seniors record with his ninth win.

No super senior has ever won a regular senior event. This is Jimenez’s fourth chance.

“If I just putt a little better, I can do it,” he said. “I’ll birdie the first five holes tomorrow and they’ll have to catch me. Chi Chi did that to me at Albuquerque. Maybe it’s my turn.”

Player seemed more enthusiastic about Jimenez than about his own performance.

“What a man Joe Jimenez is,” he said. “To play the way he does at his age. I was talking about retiring at 60 (he turned 55 Thursday), but how can I with Joe as an example?”

Player was discouraged by his finish. His putting went sour on the last four holes, which he played one over par.

“On all four of those holes I was within eight feet of the pin and I missed every one,” he said. “It’s discouraging after playing so well all day.

“It’s amazing what that little ball can do.”

Although he is only a shot out of first place, Rodriguez said Trevino is the man to beat.

“He recovered from the poor first round and now he smells another victory,” Rodriguez said.

Trevino said he actually played better in the first round, when he shot a 72.

“It is amazing what the putter can do for you,” he said after his 64. “I reached the par-fives in two yesterday and couldn’t putt. Today, I didn’t reach one of them and I birdied them all. It’s a funny game.

“I think that as it turned out, it wasn’t too bad having to play early today. We played when the greens were wet and before the wind. I just wish the wind would pick up. How about gusts to 30 miles?”

Geiberger was thinking about his record round of 59 in 1977 when he followed his 30 on the front side with an eagle three on the 11th to go eight under for the day. Unfortunately, his followers were thinking the same thing.

“I shot 30 on the front nine when I shot the 59,” he said. “So, when I birdied nine, everyone started telling me about it. I think there was too much pressure. I bogeyed 12 when I mis-clubbed and stopped worrying about 59.

“A round of 59 sneaks up on you. But nobody’s going to let me forget it, so it can’t sneak up on me.

“My game improved, in part at least, because the greens were holding. I feel pretty good about the way I’m playing.”

Chi Chi said he was happy to be chasing the leader.

“I’ve won from in front,” he said, “but when you are the leader, you don’t sleep too well.”

Golf Notes

Although he is at 143, one over par and tied for fifth in the super seniors, Jerry Barber might be the most amazing golfer on the tour. The head pro at Griffith Park is 74. Almost every day he goes out and shoots under his age. . . . Another local favorite, Gene Littler, is at 138.