Off the tee: Quarter-million dollars sure beats a Bud

Mark Johnson was shouting beers rather than delivering them last week after one of golf's dreams became reality.

Thousands of amateur golfers around the world look at the lucrative senior tours for players over 50 and dream of gold-plated retirement. A few make it past the qualifying stages. Hardly any go much further.

As Johnson drove a Budweiser beer truck around California, he shared that dream. After all he was a very good amateur, competitive enough to win state titles against many who went on to be successful in the money game.

Six years ago at the age of 45 he stopped supplying the clubs and started swinging them for a living with an eye to the US seniors tour when he turned 50. The odds are stacked against outsiders as established tournament pros dominate the new entrants each year.

The first part of Johnson's dream came true at the end of last year when he was top qualifier at the tour school, shooting six consecutive sub-par rounds, including a final eight-under-par 64.

That earned him $US45,000 ($63,260), the biggest cheque of his belated professional career. What followed was beyond his wildest dreams.

A couple of weeks ago, he was clinging precariously to a two-stroke lead on the final hole at the Toshiba Senior Classic.

After hitting his drive to the right of the par-five 480m hole, Johnson hit a recovery shot with a six-iron, leaving him in the middle of the fairway. After hitting his wedge slightly past the hole, he watched as the ball rolled back into the cup for his second eagle in the round.

He finished with a comfortable four-stroke advantage over Keith Fergus and Wayne Levi to win $US247,500 and a place on the tour well into his 50s. The advertisers might not agree but this sure beats a Bud.

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The 17th hole on the Sawgrass course used for the Players Championship last week is tough at the best of times, with a small island green to aim at from 134m away. But in the wind that swept the course for the final round it had some of the best players in the world at its mercy.

For the final round the scoring average for the par-three hole was 3.780. There were 11 birdies, 31 pars, 18 bogeys, 13 double-bogeys and nine "others". A total of 28 balls were hit into the water.

During the third round Bob Tway hit four balls into the water.AKARANA are in line to break a more than 50-year drought in Auckland men's interclub competition.

The Mt Roskill-based club won the senior pennants competition in 1952, beating Titirangi in the final. The club have never regained the title. But this year, after five rounds of the Bissett Shield, Akarana lead by 5.5 points from Auckland after victories over Whitford Park, Auckland, Titirangi, Remuera and Maungakiekie. Included in the team are 13-year-old Seve Ha, television star Peter Williams and past or present Auckland representatives Mark Pirihi, Brent Fabish and Tony Simpson.

There are two more rounds before the semifinals at Akarana on May 15 and the final at Pukekohe the following weekend. For good measure Akarana also share the lead in the handicap section with Auckland. After two rounds of the North Harbour Frank Nobilo pennants, North Shore hold a narrow lead over Pupuke and Redwood Park. The third round will be at Gulf Harbour on Sunday.

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Colin Montgomerie committed to playing the Indonesian Open last weekend to regain his position in the world top 50, guaranteeing himself a spot in the US Masters.

He finished fourth and missed out on a Masters invitation, but still created his own bit of history by shooting 60 in the final round. The 60 was his career low and his nine birdies in a row is a European tour record. The tournament was co-sanctioned by the Asian and European tours.

Thai Thaworn Wiratchant won by five shots. Kiwi Mahal Pearce finished at 13 under for a share of 17th and a cheque for $US13,200.