There probably isnt much more Bob Gilder can do when he takes to the course at The Moors Golf Club for the Blue Angels Classic (Begins Fri. at 2:30 p.m. ET, replay at 9:00 p.m.) near Pensacola, Fla. When you shoot 17 under par for the three-day event - with a Sunday round of 63 ' what else is there?'It was really fun because I wasn't nervous. I felt in control,' Gilder said. 'You only get nervous when you're not playing well.'
Gilder opened with a 66 last year, followed by a 64 before he shot his Sunday 63 on the par-70 course. His 193 total set the course record and beat the field by four strokes.
Winning is - you can't force winning to happen, said Gilder. You can't do anything about the other guy. They are going to play their game and you have got to go out and play the best you can play. It just happens. You play your best and hope nobody else playing better than you. That is usually what happens when you win.
When you try to force some things then you make mistakes. And you don't do as well, you put too much pressure on yourself.
The Golf Channel has the coverage, with the first round from 2:30-5 p.m. ET Friday. Other times are 9-11:30 p.m. Saturday and 5-7:30 p.m. Sunday.
The tournament was known since its inception in 1995 as the Emerald Coast Classic. But it was changed to the Blue Angels Classic this year to commemorate the Blue Angels, a precision military flying outfit. The Classic has donated in excess of $1.3 million to charity.
The event's first three champions were decided in playoffs. Raymond Floyd defeated Tom Wargo with a birdie on the second hole in 1995. In 1996, Lee Trevino birdied the first hole in a Senior PGA Tour record five-man playoff to defeat Mike Hill, Bob Eastwood, David Graham and Dave Stockton. Isao Aoki sank an 18-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to defeat Gil Morgan in 1997.
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