PURTZER'S PLAY AT END A GOOD SIGN.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - The Kite was flying high, the Doctor was getting well again on the 18th hole, and Tom Terrific was roaring down the stretch the way you might expect from someone who had won eight major championships.

But Tom Purtzer was hanging tough, too. The man with a swing long called one of the sweetest in professional golf got bonus style points for the way he swung in a bunker Sunday, hitting sand three times in his final two holes and playing those holes in 1 under par.

At that point, Purtzer was within reach of a playoff for the SBC Senior Classic championship at Valencia Country Club. He and Dr. Gil Morgan wound up spectators despite Morgan's closing eagle - after a near-double eagle from 270 yards - and despite Purtzer's birdie from out of the 18th bunker to tie Morgan at 3-under-par 213 for the week.

But after congratulating playoff qualifiers Tom Watson - the eight-time major champion who got in with a near-120-foot eagle chip on No. 18 - and Tom Kite, whose closing two-putt birdie tied Watson at 4-under, Purtzer acknowledged his own game is getting him closer to his first Senior PGA Tour victory.

``Every time you get back in the hunt, it gets a little easier,'' said Purtzer, 50, a senior tour rookie who has not won anywhere in professional golf since placing first in the 1993 Fred Meyer Challenge while teamed with Steve Elkington.

Purtzer thought he got even closer Sunday, only to be sent outside the ropes by the wildest finish of the 2002 senior tour.

The most dramatic shot wound up a incidental statistic, as Purtzer's playing partner Morgan - then two shots off the lead - hit a 3-wood second shot from the fairway on the 546-yard par-5 18th and nearly holed it. His ball rolled over the edge of the cup to set up a short eagle putt that got the 55-year-old doctor of optometry from 1 under par to 3 under and into a share of the share of the lead with Purtzer and Kite.

But minutes later, Watson - playing in the final group with Kite - holed his long eagle chip to get to 4-under, and Kite followed with the two-putt birdie from the back of the green to leave Purtzer and Morgan offering congratulations.

Purtzer later offered condolences to playing partner Morgan, who went birdie-birdie-eagle on No. 18 for the tournament only to have his dramatic near-double eagle overshadowed in the wild finish by the last group.

``His shot went from the shot of the day to the second-best shot of the day,'' Purtzer said.

Purtzer was nearly as impressive scrambling in the sand. On the 449- yard, par-4 17th, running out of holes and trailing by a stroke, he hit his drive into a fairway bunker, hit his second shot into a greenside bunker and then bounced his third shot off the flagstick to set up a short par putt that kept him in contention.

On the par-5 18th, he hit his second shot into a greenside bunker but blasted out close to within four feet to set up the birdie putt that left him in position for a playoff.

They wound up short but agreed their tour took a boost.

``That was exciting golf,'' Morgan said. ``We like to show how good these guys can still really play.''

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Tom Purtzer's play down the stretch left him just short of the playoff at Valencia CC but happy with his game nonetheless.

Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News

Box:

SBC SENIOR CLASSIC SCORES