Posted: Monday May 29, 2006 2:32PM; Updated: Tuesday May 30, 2006 10:11AM
Despite a host of medical procedures over the past few years, Peter Jacobsen has remained a force to contend with on tour.
David Walberg/SI
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EDMOND, Okla. -- Peter Jacobsen knows how to play Hollywood endings. After all, he did win the United States Open in the Kevin Costner film, Tin Cup. And he did win the Colonial National Invitational in the Randy Quaid film, Dead Solid Perfect.
The only thing funnier than those outcomes is real life. Jacobsen actually has won at Colonial. His name is on the Wall of Champions by the first tee. And two years ago, he finally won his Open. All right, it's the U.S. Senior Open. But it's still an Open. And it certainly counts more than winning the Open in Tin Cup, in which Jake barely made an appearance despite winning the title.
"What did Costner do?" Jacobsen said, feigning insult over his minor role. "I hit one shot in that movie, waved like this (he makes a feeble hand wave) and I'm the Open champion."
And another thing: Why didn't he get a scene with Rene Russo? "You tell me," Jacobsen joked. "It was probably her choice."
Few golf fans ever saw Dead Solid Perfect, which was made for pay-TV. "They wanted a player whose name was really on the Wall of Champions," Jacobsen said. "We went out the day after Colonial and played about 12 holes. Randy and I actually played golf. It was a lot of fun."
Jake was one of the few tour players who agreed to be in the movie. The PGA Tour frowned on it because the movie, based on Dan Jenkins' racy and often raunchy book, wasn't exactly family material. "I know somebody said there were a lot of four-letter and eight-letter and 10-letter words in there," he said. "But obviously, the tour has relaxed that rule since they let The Daly Planet run on The Golf Channel."
Unfortunately for Jacobsen, last week's 67th PGA Senior Championship didn't have a Hollywood ending. Jay Haas won the tournament in a playoff with Brad Bryant. Jacobsen, who'd hung near the lead for the first 54 holes, finished with a pair of 75s and tied for seventh. Not bad, but not ideal.
Then again, Jacobsen can't complain; the clock is ticking on his career. He's got a bad left hip, despite two operations. He's also got a bum right knee, also despite two operations. The long-term outlook is worse and, in fact, may actually be coming in the not-too-distant future. Jacobsen needs a hip replacement and a knee replacement. Jacobsen might still be able to play tour golf with an artificial hip, the doctor, who knows golf, said. Jack Nicklaus, in fact, got a new hip a few years ago and he can still play. A knee replacement is pretty serious, however. That might end Jake's playing days.