Overturf Qualifies for Senior Event

Dean Overturf of Dallas shot a 67 and Buzz Thomas of Boca Raton, Fla., shot a 68 Monday at Strawberry Farms in Irvine to qualify for the Toshiba Senior Classic, which begins Friday at Newport Beach Country Club.

The final qualifier for the Senior PGA Tour event will be determined today when La Quinta’s Bob Wynn and Torrance’s Kikuo Arai complete a playoff that was suspended after two holes because of darkness.

Thomas parred the first two holes and advanced when Wynn and Arai bogeyed the second.

Simi Valley’s Mitchell Voges and the loser of the Wynn-Arai playoff will be the alternates.

Overturf led the field of 142 despite playing his round in the afternoon, when the wind blew harder over the 6,400-yard course. Only 11 players broke par.

Tom Sargent, head professional at Mesa Verde Country Club and coach for LPGA rookie Kellee Booth, also attempted to qualify.

The Toshiba Senior Classic will be contested over three days. Gary McCord, the defending champion, finished tied for second at last weekend’s LiquidGolf.com Invitational in Sarasota, Fla.