Hale returns to scene of Open triumph Irwin shoots 2-under 70 at familiar Medinah Country Club Click here for more on this story Posted: Thursday August 12, 1999 09:50 PM   Irwin may be the oldest player in the PGA Championship field, but he is also the only one to have won a major at Medinah. Stephen Munday/Allsport MEDINAH, Ill. (AP) -- Hale Irwin's glance across the green was enough to tell him where he was. As if he needed a reminder. He was back at Medinah, where he scored one of the most dramatic victories of his long career. And back on the regular tour, competing against younger players, including one of his partners in the first round of the PGA Championship -- 19-year-old Sergio Garcia. "You mean my grandson?" Irwin joked after shooting a 2-under 70 Thursday, leaving him four shots behind Garcia. "He rips it, no doubt," Irwin said. "If I swung that hard you'd have to pick me up in 14 different pieces and put me back together." "I look at him and can't tell if he's 13 or 19. They all look so young to me." At age 54, Irwin is the oldest player in the PGA Championship field. But he's not here as a token from the Senior Tour that he has dominated the last several years with 24 victories, including five this season. He's here to play well and relish his return to Medinah, where, in 1990, he captured the U.S. Open in sudden death on the 91st hole. He also wants to show he can still compete with players half his age. Or, in Garcia's case, younger. "You can laugh about it and joke about it," he said. "It's not a marathon. I'm not trying to get into a strength or stamina test. I'm just trying to play golf. I still have a few skills that are there. "This is a different arena from which I normally play and this is an event that is important. I don't want to say today's round was emotion. I played no golf last week. I needed the rest. You come in and play Medinah against the best players in the world and you need a little energy, maybe like you had when you were 19 years old. "I'm not trying to fool anybody." Irwin's score would have been lower if not for a bogey on the 18th hole and some problems all day with his putter. When he missed his short par putt on 18, he twirled his putter several times, looking as if he'd like to launch it into the trees. Still, he was satisfied with the round. "Let's be realistic," he said. "If I can come here and play good solid golf, which I did today, if I can be competitive and shoot three more scores like that, you never know."   Related information Stories Garcia birdies 3 of last 5 holes for 2-shot lead at PGA Ryder Cup uproar steals some of spotlight from major Elkington withdraws because of caddie's health problems Kelly goes from alternate to one stroke off lead Multimedia Click here for the latest audio and video Search our site Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call your cable operator or DirecTV. Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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