Associated Press
Hale Irwin will attempt to tie the Senior Tour
record for wins in this week's Kaanapali Classic.

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Irwin having
time of his life

The eight-time Senior PGA Tour
winner tops the field for this week's
Kaanapali Classic

By Bill Kwon
Star-Bulletin

Hale Irwin doesn't feel any different despite being golf's first $2-Million Man.

Irwin, who's on his adopted-island of Maui for the $850,000 Hyatt Regency Maui Kaanapali Classic starting tomorrow, is still having the time -- and year -- of his life on the golf course.

His zest for the game, which produced three U.S. Open championships while playing on the regular PGA Tour, hasn't diminished at all since he became a "Golden Oldie."

If anything, Irwin has moved on to greener -- as in the color of money -- pastures on the Senior PGA Tour.

Irwin the $2 million mark by winning the Vantage Championships two weeks ago.

"It's a nice milestone, a fantastic achievement. One not to be taken lightly," Irwin said. "But winning, not money, is still the name of the game."

That's why he'd like nothing better than to win the Kaanapali Classic. With eight victories so far this year, Irwin can tie the Senior Tour's single-season record of nine set in 1985 by Peter Thomson.

Doing it at Kaanapali, just down the road from the Kapalua Resort, which he represents on the tour, would make it doubly satisfying, according to Irwin, runner-up to Bob Charles last year.

The Senior Tour has become sort of a personal money machine for Irwin, who has earned more ($6,833,752) in less than three years than 24 years on the regular tour ($5,876,574).

In part, it reflects the growing popularity of the senior circuit, says Irwin.

"I was just talking to my wife (Sally) about how much I earned my first year on the (regular) tour, something like $20,000," he said. "Now, 271/2 years later, unbelievable."

A lot of it has to do with the escalating times in the world sports and entertainment, according to Irwin.

With one major difference for golfers, he added.

"We do it playing with no contracts. We're doing it the hard way. We're all playing for the prize money with no guarantees."

He sees the Senior Tour only getting better and better.

"Every spring there's a new leaf on the tree," Irwin said, referring to Gil Morgan and Larry Nelson, two of the pros, who've turned 50 recently.

"And there are a lot of good years left for Graham Marsh, Isao Aoki and, I hope, me too. And (Jim) Colbert's coming back."

It so happens that Marsh, Aoki and Colbert are entered in this year's tournament, making it the best field in the 11-year history of the Kaanapali Classic.

Aoki, who won the 1983 United Airlines Hawaiian Open, is making his first appearance here since joining the Senior Tour five years ago. Colbert, who won the 1991 Kaanapali Classic, will be playing for the first time since his surgery for prostate cancer in June.

Fifteen of the year's top 20 money winners are here. And No. 20 on the list probably bears watching the most -- the left-handed Charles, the two-time defending champion who also won in 1990.

Other former champions shooting for the $127,000 top prize pare Don Bies (1988-'89), George Archer (1993) and Bob Murphy (1994).

Also entered in the 78-player field are Lee Trevino, who's looking for his first victory of the year, Dave Stockton, Gary Player and popular Chi Chi Rodriguez.

Admission is free and all three rounds will be televised live on ESPN.