MCBRIDE EARNS SPOT IN U.S. SENIOR OPEN

The site may have been Bogey Hills, but birdies were on the mind of Cape Girardeau resident Bob McBride Wednesday at the Senior Open qualifying in St. Louis.

After touring the front nine in 38, McBride knew a few birdies were desperately needed if he was going to be one of two golfers in the field of 52 to qualify for the U.S. Senior Open June 26-29.

McBride, who has two Missouri State Senior championships on his golf resume, proceeded to cover the back nine in 32 and ultimately beat out former Senior Open qualifier Terry Houser in a seven-hole playoff.

"This is absolutely, without a question of a doubt (the highlight of my golf career)," said McBride. "Winning the state tournaments was nice, but it was nothing like this."

He added, "This is like the Indy 500 and Kentucky Derby all wrapped into one."

By qualifying for the 140-player field at Olympia Fields near Chicago, McBride will be rubbing shoulders with the likes of golf legends Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino and Gary Player.

"They'll pick me up at the airport and I'll get to drive a Cadillac for the week," said McBride, adding a few perks for the week.

On Wednesday, after nine holes, it looked like the 53-year-old McBride would be doing nothing more than driving the same old car home.

"I told my caddie when we played nine holes, `We have to shoot three under on the back to have a chance,'" said McBride.

He made just one birdie entering the final two holes, but then a funny thing happened on the way back to the clubhouse. On the par-4 17th he dropped a 135-yard, 8-iron shot within eight inches of the hole and made birdie.

He followed that up with a birdie on the par 4 18th, sinking a breaking 12-footer uphill.

"It went in like a rat," said McBride. "It just dove in the hole."

McBride didn't know it at the time, but the putt, which capped a 1-under-par-70 round, put him in a sudden-death playoff.

McBride and Houser matched shots until No. 7, a 175-yard par 3. McBride secured his place in the U.S. Senior Open by knocking a 5-iron within a foot of the hole for a birdie.

"It never left the flag," he said. "I knew when I hit it, it would be close. I was plenty pleased with the shot. Really, more relieved than anything. I was getting a little tired after 25 holes."

The shot also marked a departure from McBride's previous luck since turning professional in 1993.

"It's been pretty dry," said McBride. "I really haven't been playing very well. All of a sudden last month I started playing better."

Interestingly, McBride cites a recent bout with the flu as the turning point with his game. While he feared he would lack stamina as well as fight rust after the layoff, he returned to the course and was surprised to find both a healthy body and game.

"You get to the point where your golf game has to go up a level, and it's very difficult," he said. "My first goal this year was to play in a regular Senior Tour event and I've accomplished that. My second goal now is to make the cut. One reason is for pride and another is for money."

No matter the outcome, McBride will be in for an exciting ride -- in a Cadillac to boot.