Albus Celebrates Old Home Week With 65

NEWPORT BEACH —  Jim Albus was the assistant club professional, the starter, ran the driving range and worked in the pro shop at Mission Viejo Country Club after graduating from college in 1965. He returned to the Mission Viejo course earlier last week and didn’t recognize a hole because of the changes on the course through the years.

But it did bring back memories of his time there, including a three-legged dog named Beer Can that made a daily commute from Westwood to Mission Viejo and back resting on the gas tank of Albus’ motorcycle.

“Poor dog,” Albus said. “In the winter time I had him all covered up with a mask on. When I got stopped by a policeman, he about fell over when he saw that dog sitting there on the tank.”

Albus also played at Newport Beach Country Club in the mid-70s in mini tour events. And he didn’t recognize the course when he returned three years ago for the Toshiba event because the trees had grown so much.

But Albus played the course as if he had grown up on it Saturday during the second round of the Toshiba Senior Class.

He shot the low round of the day, a six-under 65. Albus shot 69 Friday and, at 134, is a shot behind leader Hubert Green.

The highlight of the round for Albus was an eagle on the par-five 15th that put him temporarily in the lead at eight under.

He hit a big drive and followed it with a three wood from 240 yards that stopped about six feet behind a cup that was cut five feet from the right edge of the green.

Albus rolled it in for one of five eagles on the hole Saturday.

“This course sets up nice for me,” Albus said. “Driving is my strength. But today I putted great. The rest of it was OK.”

Albus hit only two poor drives--both pull hooks well left--in Saturday’s round and both resulted in bogeys. The second one came at 16, where his second shot and his chip came up short.

Albus got the shot back with a three-foot birdie putt on the par-five 18th to tie for the lead until Green closed with a birdie as well.

Albus started with birdies at the first and third holes, but got onto the leader board when he made birdies on the ninth, 10th and 12th.

Albus is a six-time winner on the Senior PGA Tour, including once this year. But he is coming off down years in 1996 and 1997, partly because of neck and ankle injuries.

“The field is small for comeback player of the year,” Albus said. “I guess it’s [Jim] Colbert and me. I’ll try to stay ahead of him.

“I feel good. Last year, I was 100%, but never played very well. It takes a while to get confidence back.”