HUALALAI, Hawaii >> Much like the PGA Tour, the Champions Tour is about to have a changing of the guard.
For years, the likes of Jay Haas, Loren Roberts, Tom Watson and Hale Irwin ruled the fairways and greens of the senior circuit. But that fearsome foursome are all over the age of 60 and will have less of an impact as the days go by.
Fred Couples, Tom Lehman, Kenny Perry, Davis Love III and Vijay Singh figure to have their time at the top in the coming campaigns, but even they may face some stiff challenges from the onslaught of 50-year-olds heading their way as this decade draws to a close.
The dilemma many of these great golfers face is leaving the PGA Tour behind and embracing the Champions Tour by playing in 20 or more events a year. At the moment, Singh and Love still have status with the younger guys, and plan to play with the boys as long as their golf swings will let them.
By doing this, they lessen their prime playing time with the older set and leave the Champions Tour in search of an identity. Perry faced a similar situation last year. He decided to give himself a farewell tour on the PGA to say goodbye to all the sponsors and fans who followed him throughout the years.
He’s now committed to the Champions Tour, but by continuing to play both for several seasons, the 55-year-old might not have as big an impact as he would have had if he made this choice five years ago. The same can be said for Love and Singh, and even Couples, who at 56, still plays in several events on the PGA Tour.
The class of 2016 has some interesting players coming on board, chief among them Jose Maria Olazabal and big John Daly.
Those two have pretty much left the PGA Tour in their rearview mirror. Throw in Craig Parry, Bob Estes, Michael Bradley, Billy Mayfair and Tim Petrovic, and you have the potential for some upheaval on the old-boy network.
But as solid as this class could be, it’s what’s coming down the road that has the Champions Tour hoping to breathe some new life into their tournaments. The class of 2017 has Jerry Kelly, David Toms, Steve Stricker, Steve Flesch and Len Mattice ready to make an impact of their own. By 2019, quality players like Darren Clarke, Chris DiMarco, Retief Goosen, Angel Cabrera and Ernie Els will be eligible as well, giving fans the potential of a whole new breed of cat ruling the senior circuit.
“It’s hard to leave the PGA Tour behind because you believe you can still play with those guys in any given tournament,” Perry said of his decision to play the Champions Tour full time for the rest of his career. “You’ve been out there a long time and made a lot of memories. But I decided I didn’t want to beat my head against the wall any longer.”
One reason Love will not become a full-time senior this year is because he is the Ryder Cup captain. His chances of winning again on the PGA Tour diminish with each passing tournament, but he needs to stay out there and monitor who is playing well and who is not in order to shape the team. There are a lot of 20-somethings who will want to pick his brain and see where things are headed.
For Singh, the decision is not as clear-cut. The 52-year-old was tied for the lead after the first round of the Sony Open in Hawaii at 7 under, but only managed to go one stroke lower over the next 54 holes. In some events, he might make a difference, but he’s much more likely to win with the seniors than the youngsters.
Regardless, the Champions Tour is due to have a face-lift soon with many quality players joining in over the next four years. It promises to be a good thing as both tours plan for new faces in the crowd.
