Johnson’s ‘Crew’ gets outfitted

NEWPORT BEACH ? Toshiba Classic attendees can be more than just fans of defending champion Mark Johnson. They can join his “Brew Crew.”

One of the vendor booths at the Newport Beach Country Club is offering hats for “Mark Johnson’s Brew Crew.” The hats, which sell for $15, have “2005 Toshiba Classic Champion” sewn into the side and many are autographed by Johnson.

All proceeds from hat sales go to benefit the junior golf program at Silver Lakes Golf Club in Helendale, Johnson’s home course.

“They’re going like hotcakes,” said Chuck Shaw, who manned the booth Friday.

Johnson got the nickname “The Beer Man” because he drove a beer truck for an Anheuser Busch distributor for 18 years while pursuing a career as a pro golfer.

ISN’T IT GRAND?

After the end of the second round, Bob Eastwood defeated Graham Marsh in a one-hole playoff to win the Grand Champions portion of the tournament for players 60-and-over.

Eastwood and Marsh were tied atop the tournament leaderboard with Tom Purtzer, sending the two into the playoff.

The Grand Champions event compiles player scores from the first two rounds of the tournament. Eastwood, playing his first Grand Champions event, won $30,000 and has a chance to become the first player since J.C. Snead in 2002 to win the both Grand Champions and overall title at a tournament.

KIDS’ STUFF

The Toshiba Classic’s Junior Golf Clinic, sponsored by Wells Fargo, drew about 250 kids on Saturday, according to Tournament Director Jeff Purser. The majority of the kids came from Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs in Orange County. The kids were bussed in and fed an early dinner.

In addition, the kids were offered golf pointers from some of the Toshiba Classic’s biggest stars, including Dave Stockton, Fuzzy Zoeller, Tom Purtzer and Andy Bean.

“It was great for the kids to get up close and personal with some of the all-time greats in golf,” Purser said.

THE ROUND’S ON HIM

Jose Maria Canizares, who won the Toshiba Classic in 2001, made history again when he aced the 187-yard eighth hole on Saturday.

It was only the second hole-in-one in tournament history. The previous ace came in 2002 when Sammy Rachels holed his tee shot on the 13th hole.

SO LONG

Wayne Levi (wrist) and Doug Tewell (illness) withdrew from the field after Friday’s first round.dpt.19-toshiba-4-dz-BPhotoInfo6J1P3TBK20060319iwcue5knDOUGLAS ZIMMERMAN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Walter Hall reacts after missing a birdie putt at the 17th hole.