2018 Chubb Classic Notebook: Langer, Woosnam, Lehman recall stints at No. 1

Dave Kempton
Special to the Naples Daily News
Two spectators enjoy a beautiful day as they watch the Chubb Classic at the Twin Eagles golf course in Naples, Fla. on Saturday, February 17, 2018.

Three PGA Tour Champions legends playing at TwinEagles this week are members of a very exclusive club that can only be entered by being ranked as the best in the world.

Since the Official World Golf Ranking debuted in 1986, 20 players have reached No. 1, including current No. 1 Dustin Johnson and the record 683-week reign of Tiger Woods.

PGA Tour Champions veterans Ian Woosnam of Wales, Bernhard Langer and Tim Lehman all had a stay on top of golf’s most lofty perch, ranging from Woosnam’s 50 weeks to Langer at three weeks and Lehman for seven days.

PGA Tour Champions players Vijay Singh, Fred Couples and Nick Faldo were also ranked No. 1, the latter for 97 weeks.

“I look back today, with all the great players, and ask myself, ‘How in the hell did I do that?’” said Woosnam, who was replaced by Couples the next spring when he won at Augusta National. “That’s certainly not the way I’m playing now, for sure.

“I had a goal of being No. 1 and that happened the day after I won the Masters in 1991. It was something to be standing on top of the mountain, I just wish it would have lasted a while longer."

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Langer was the initial No. 1 in April, 1986 for three weeks before Seve Ballesteros reached the pinnacle for the first of five times.

“No. 1 is something very few achieve and I look back today at that honor as a blessing,” Langer said. “I would rank being No. 1 right up there with winning a major.”

Lehman replaced Greg Norman for a week and then relinquished the position back to Norman, who dueled with Woods throughout 1997 and 1998.

“I still consider being No. 1 the ultimate achievement, maybe even greater than winning the 1996 British Open,” Lehman said. “I’m even more than proud. Being No. 1 is something they don’t give you. You earn it. I felt like I belonged and No. 1 was one of five goals I had for myself.”

The golf channel films while Steve Stricker takes a putt at the Chubb Classic at the Twin Eagles golf course in Naples, Fla. on Saturday, February 17, 2018.

Where have you gone Tiger Woods? The 24 junior golfers from around the country invited to participate during the Chubb Classic in the Golf to Paradise–First Tee Champions Challenge held a press conference in the media center Saturday morning.

The junior First Tee players were asked about their favorite professional golfers and why they followed those particular players and Tiger Woods' name never came up. Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson and Lexi Thompson were mentioned as were three PGA Tour Champions players who played with First Tee players at the Pure Insurance First Tee Classic at Pebble Beach in the fall.

The 12 two-person teams will conclude their three days of competition Sunday with a better ball format at TwinEagles after playing the first two days at Quail Creek Country Club.

Stats nerds update: Did you know that five of the top 10 all-time money leaders playing the PGA Tour Champions are in the Chubb Classic?

The five at TwinEagles are: No. 3 Steve Stricker ($44.0 million), No. 4 David Toms ($42.9), No. 6 Bernhard Langer ($35.2), No. 7 Fred Funk ($33.6) and No. 10 Jay Haas ($32.3). Vijay Singh and Davis Love III are 1-2 with $72.8 and $44.9 million respectively.

The list would normally include two more players missing with physical ailments -- No. 5 Kenny Perry ($41.2 million), who is recovering from shoulder surgery, and defending champion Fred Couples (No. 9, $32.6 million), who is out with a back injury.

Triplett shoots 'lucky' 65: 2014 champion Kirk Triplett was 7 under, closing with a bogey late in his round on No. 8, his 17th hole. But he was far from lamenting it.

"I didn't play great," he said. "I made some long putts and chipped in twice. It was a very lucky day. It's a low score, but it doesn't feel all that sustainable. Just happy to get some momentum and get going good. I had a bad finish (Friday)."

Triplett made a 60-footer for his longest putt on No. 7 and chipped in on No. 12, and then for birdie after missing the green right on the par-3 No. 5.

"I kind of turned a 4 into a 2 there," he said.

Rock and Jake: Rocco Mediate stayed patient -- meaning he just couldn't get a birdie to drop. Then one did, and the Calusa Pines member was off and running to a 4-under-par 68 and is tied for 10th at 8 under.

"Steady and patient, and bang, then a couple at the end," Mediate said. "I made a good pitch on No. 13 to four feet and made it, and that was good. I just missed the next one, and then, bang, bang, bang. I hit really good shots."

Bonita Springs' Peter Jacobsen, 63, shot a 2-under-par 70 and is tied for 37th at 3 under.

"I feel good," he said. "I just feel physically great (after a hip replacement). I'm just trying to fight the comeback battle, the rehab battle, and the age battle.

Fort Myers native Tommy Tolles, playing his first year with full status on the tour, came to No. 18 sitting at 6 under for the tournament. But he left 4 under after a double-bogey when he left his pitch shot from behind the green short, pitched it 10 feet past the hole and missed the putt.

Chip shots: Jim Hernovich won the Subway Family Putt for Dough finale on the 18th green after the end of play Saturday. Hernovich didn't win the $50,000, but his putt stopped 12.5 inches short. He wins free Subway for a year. ... Fred Funk withdrew before the second round with a back injury, and Jay Haas withdrew following the second round, also with a back injury.