Associated Press
Wednesday, November 1

MURRELLS INLET, S.C. -- Larry Nelson, the Senior Tour's leading money-winner this year, can also become its first golfer to win $3 million in a season at the Senior Tour Championship.

"I've played well since June and I have a lot of confidence coming in here," said Nelson, who has more than $2.65 million in earnings and six tour victories this season.

"Not that I will win the tournament, not that I will finish in the top 10, but I've been playing well enough that if I play the way I have been playing, it will take care of itself," he said Wednesday.

A victory in the $2.1 million tournament at the par-72, 6,840-yard Tournament Players Club of Myrtle Beach would give Nelson a $365,000 first-place check and more than $3 million.

A solo second-place finish would break Hale Irwin's single-season earnings record of $2.8 million.

Also at stake is this year's tour money title. If Bruce Fleisher, second on the earnings list with $2.4 million, wins, Nelson would need a solo 11th-place finish or better to retain the season lead.

Nelson said he thinks about the money title when not playing. But when play starts, "I won't think any more about the money title or any other thing outside what I'm doing at the moment."

"Larry almost has the money title wrapped up. Poor, ol' Hale is left out," said Irwin, third in winnings this year with $2.1 million. "I still want to beat Larry and Bruce. It doesn't take much to get the competitive juices flowing."

Fleisher took last week off to prepare.

"Larry's probably feeling pretty good at this moment," he said. "Maybe Hale and I will give him a run for his money."

Nelson said a victory in the Tour Championship "at this point in my career would be as satisfying as anything."

Fleisher and Nelson tied for second last year when Gary McCord came from 10 strokes back for a one-stroke victory.

Nelson said that was disappointing because he played well that weekend. But then again, "I played so poorly in the last third of the season that finishing second here was actually uplifting. I was definitely not disappointed."

This year, McCord did not qualify for the tournament, which features the top 31 money-winners on the Senior Tour. McCord finished 33rd.

The championship is being played for the first time at the TPC course. It was to have been here last year, but damage from Hurricane Floyd forced the tournament to be moved back to The Dunes Club in Myrtle Beach.