Irwin Passes Milestone

At age 50, Hale Irwin is a rookie again.

“The real shock hit me a few moments ago when I had to check Senior PGA Tour on my registration card,” Irwin said from Nashville, Tenn. “That was a bit of a wake-up call.”

Irwin celebrated his 50th birthday and eligibility for the Senior Tour on last Saturday with black balloons at the Memorial Tournament. He decided to debut on the Senior Tour on Friday at the BellSouth Senior Classic for a break before the U.S. Open.

“I’ll not necessarily relax more because we are here. But the fact that it’s going to be new gives it sort of a freshness, something fresh before the U.S. Open which does take on a pretty serious nature,” Irwin said.

Jim Ritts, president of network affairs for Channel One Communications, has been selected to succeed Charles Mechem Jr. as LPGA commissioner.

Ritts was chosen Tuesday by the tour’s board of directors meeting at Brooklyn Park, Minn.