Notebook: Back Bothers Yates

By Alex Miceli

Toledo, Ohio -- Thursday's first round at the Senior Open was difficult for most of the field, including Danny Yates. Shooting a 13-over-par 84 - near the bottom of the pack on a difficult Inverness Club course - Yates was dealing with a back that previously hadn't given him problems. But it decided to act up this week.

"Can't play golf like this," said Yates after a round in which he made a lone birdie on the first hole. "I've had back discomfort, but never had it like this."

What makes this week special is that Yates is playing in his 44th USGA event in a career that began 37 years ago at the 1966 U.S. Junior Amateur at California Country Club in Whittier, Calif.

"That's why I wanted to play, because it's really a thrill to play in this," said Yates of playing in his second Senior Open. "I played in the U.S. Open in '71 as an amateur and haven't played since."

Of all his experiences, Yates vividly remembers his week during the 1971 U.S. Open at Merion that turned into a battle between Lee Trevino and Jack Nicklaus.

Yates played a practice round and stayed together with friend and his eventual Walker Cup captain Vinny Giles at Merion.

"Growing up and going to the Masters since I was 11 years old, and then all of a sudden I walk into the locker room and there's Arnold Palmer and there's Jack Nicklaus -- you saw them from behind the ropes at the Masters all the time -- now you're hitting balls next to them or in the locker room with them," said Yates. "It was very special. I can't remember a lot of things, but I can remember most everything that happened that week. I mean, different shots; I played a practice round with Davis Love's dad, who was our pro at our club. Just a real special week."

Hole-In-One

Playing in his first U.S. Senior Open, Randy Reznicek shot a 79, but what he will take home from Thursday's first round will be the first hole-in-one of his golfing career. Reznicek aced the par-3 12th hole from 156 yards with a 7-iron to briefly move onto the leaderboard.

"I would have liked to have been able to see it; it was my first hole-in-one," said Reznicek. "As a young man I worked at a night-lit par-3 golf course - 18 par 3s. Some days I'd go around that thing six or seven times - never made any. What an experience."

Reznicek's ace is the seventh in U.S. Senior Open history. The last one was Hank Cooper's 1999 hole-in-one at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club. The others were by Charles Smith in 1998, Dick Goetz in 1997, Jack Nicklaus in 1995, Bobby Nichols in 1994 and Mac Main in 1985.

Special Group

Four players in the field have played and made the cut in the three major championships played in the last 25 years at Inverness Club. Lanny Wadkins, Wayne Levi, Tom Kite and Ben Crenshaw all competed in the 1979 U.S. Open, and the 1986 and 1993 PGA Championships.

Hale Irwin also played in all three and made the cut, but withdrew from the event this week due to back problems.

Colorful

The flags and flagsticks in use this week may look a little different than those at most events. This week the flags are yellow and boast blue-checked edges.

According to Tom Meeks, Senior Director of Rules and Competition for the USGA, these type of flags have been in use since the 2000 U.S. Senior Open at Saucon Valley, when Bruce Crampton made the suggestion so the players could see the flagstick and hole location better.

Cooling Off?

Towels were a popular item in the locker room after the round for some of the players. After 18 holes at hot and humid Inverness Club, the room felt more like a frigid meat locker. Players could been seen walking around with towels draped around them like shawls.

Withdrew

Leonard Thompson withdrew from play in the first round at 10:30 a.m. Thompson was experiencing cold chills and dizziness after completing six holes at 5-over par.

Ouch

On Jack Nickluas’ final hole, the par-4 9^th, his drive off the tee went left, striking a television spotter in the clavicle area. The spotter was carted away but not before Nicklaus made sure she was OK.

"Are you alright?" he asked while putting his hands on the shaken woman.

The ball, which had bounded off the woman 10 yards closer to the fairway, was originally headed past the ropes.

To which Nicklaus quipped before his next shot, "Take it and throw it where it’s supposed to be."

While walking to the scorer’s table to sign his card, Nicklaus asked a guard to find out how the woman was doing.

Alex Miceli is a free-lance writer from the Golf Press Association. Ken Klavon contributed.