STEVE ELKINGTON AND ROCCO MEDIATE certainly won’t be the quietest pairing when the US Champions Tour holds its very popular Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf event this week in Georgia.
The two tour rookies are not noted for their shy and retiring attitudes but when it comes to golf skills it is a different matter and they are being touted as one of the favourite pairings in this four ball format event that is said to have spurred the creation of the over 50’s tour back in the early 80’s.
“Everybody says we might be the favorite,” Elkington said this week at the long time venue for the event, The Club at Savannah Harbor. “But we’re just a couple of rookies.”
“It’s fair to say we have a good chance. (Rocco) came out of the gate hot, won the first event.”
“Maybe I can cruise a little bit. Rocco likes to talk a lot, he talks when he’s hitting half the time. When you look at him on the range you think he’s one of the amateurs. But he has a tremendous gift of knowing how to play the game and the course.”
Mediate is confident.
“I’m playing with some dude named Elkington,” the American said. “I’ve known Steve for a hundred years.”
The tournament has three divisions in its current form with the top Legends Division reserved for the pro’s.
It was first played in 1978 and is the second oldest senior tour event behind the 74-year-old Senior PGA Championship.
The Elkington/Mediate pairing will have some tough competition, not the least of it being the 2009 winning pairing of Bernhard Langer and Tom Lehman.
“You just want to be with somebody you enjoy,” the pragmatic Langer said. “I don’t want to be out for five hours with someone I don’t like.”
The defending champions are Michael Allen and David Frost, with other featured pairings including Fred Couples and Jay Haas, and John Cook and Corey Pavin.
Australia’s other combatant, Peter Senior, is paired with one of the 44 Major winners involved in the tournament, Mark Calcavecchia.
Golfing greats Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player teamed together to play in the older age group Demaret Division of the event earlier in the week.
2013 Legends of Golf TV Times
The event is being telecast in Australia on ESPN but it looks like a case of swinging the recorders into action for the final rounds.
1st Round, Saturday 6am – 8am; 2nd Round, Live: Sunday 3am – 5am; Final Round, Live: 3am – 5am.
Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf Leaderboard
2013 Legends of Golf Leaderboard