Hale's reign: Irwin takes aim at third straight LV Classic

He's back.

Hale Irwin snapped a six-month victory drought with a dramatic win on the final hole of the Nationwide Championship in Alpharetta, Ga., Sunday and now he has his sights set on making history in Las Vegas.

Irwin will attempt to become the first player to win the Las Vegas Senior Classic three times when the two-time defending champion tees it up with 77 other professionals beginning Thursday morning.

"It feels very nice to win," Irwin said after posting his first victory in an official Senior PGA Tour event since he captured the Senior Tour Championship last November.

"The hype I've had the last two years has not been there this year. I've had time to step back and reflect. That's over ... now it's time to play golf again."

Those cannot be comforting words to the rest of the Senior Tour as it prepares for the 14th annual Las Vegas Senior Classic.

Last year, Irwin won the week before successfully defending his Las Vegas Senior Classic title and becoming the third player to win back-to-back titles in Las Vegas.

After winning 16 Senior Tour events the past two years and finishing first on the money list in both 1997 and 1998, Irwin had been winless in seven starts this season prior to Sunday.

But Irwin, a three-time winner of the U.S. Open, said he never had any doubts that he may have "lost" his game.

"No, I just do not allow that," Irwin said. "That's not part of what makes me go. I have just not played up to the standards that I have set the last several years -- but those standards are hard to play to.

"I was on the down side (of that emotional high) and I intentionally haven't played that much this year. I kind of wanted to let the game go, to step away from it (because) it was a little too intense."

Sunday's win was worth $210,000 and moved Irwin into the top 10 on the money list with $390,860. Irwin had entered the Nationwide Classic 25th in earnings and trailed top money winner Bruce Fleisher by more than $660,000. Allen Doyle is second in earnings with $762,164.

"At least I can see them now," Irwin said of Fleisher and Doyle. "Allen has had a great year and Bruce has just played wonderfully. They have got off to such a spectacular start, the rest of us are catching up to those two.

"They have set the standard this year and now the rest of us have to perform at that level."

Irwin, Fleisher and Doyle will be among the 78 professionals competing for the $210,000 first prize in the 14th annual Las Vegas Senior Classic, which runs Thursday through Sunday.

Among the other notable players who have committed to play this week are two-time champions Jim Colbert (1995-96), a Las Vegas resident, and Chi Chi Rodriguez (1990-91); 1994 winner Raymond Floyd; 1993 winner Gibby Gilbert; 1992 champion Lee Trevino; and Boulder City resident Bud Allin.

Half the professionals will alternate between the Tournament Players Club at Summerlin and the TPC at The Canyons Thursday and Friday. The final two rounds will be played exclusively at the TPC at Summerlin.

For the second consecutive year, the Las Vegas Senior Classic will feature an expanded field -- up from 56 players in 1997 -- playing 72 holes.

Play will begin at 7:30 a.m. at both courses on Thursday and Friday. Saturday's third round will begin at 9 a.m. and Friday's final round is scheduled to begin at approximately 7:30 a.m.

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