Lyle gears up for first season on the Champions Tour

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If not for moments like Gene Sarazen's incomparable -- and incomprehensible -- double eagle at the 1935 Masters Tournament on No.15, Augusta, Ga., might have been just another dot on the map.

Sandy Lyle debuts on the Champions Tour this week. (Lewis/Getty Images)

Tiger Woods' chip in on No. 16 in 2005 and nearly any shot from Jack Nicklaus' magical back-nine 30 in 1986 should be mentioned in the same breath with Sarazen's "Shot Heard Round the World". And it could be argued that, written among the top-10 greatest shots in Masters history, is also Sandy Lyle's incredible bunker shot in 1988.

Adrenaline kicked in as he stood on the final hole of the tournament, needing at least par to force a play-off with Mark Calcavecchia. He elected to use a 1-iron in hopes of landing short of the left-side bunker but, adrenaline pumping, he hit it too hard and it sailed into the sand. Staring at an uphill shot, Lyle aimed for a tree in the distance because he couldn't even see the pin.

His crisply struck next shot with a 7-iron nestled just 18 feet from the flag, evoking huge cheers from the crowd. Lyle sank the putt for birdie and a Greek Jacket.

"That Masters has gotten a huge amount of coverage over the years, probably because of the way that I made a birdie on the last hole from the bunker -- very dramatic -- and eventually holing an 18-foot putt to win the Masters," Lyle said. "There's not a day or a week goes by that I'm playing with people in pro-ams or whatever and they recognize the Masters champion. It's lovely to have that honor."

In a little over a month Lyle will celebrate the 20th anniversary of that Masters win. It's just one part of a busy few months for the newly-minted 50-year-old. Since he celebrated his birthday on Feb. 9, he's now eligible to compete on the Champions Tour and can book a busy schedule this season.

The six-time PGA TOUR winner book-ended his TOUR career with major championships, with his first win at the 1985 British Open (a special treat for the man from Great Britain) and his last win coming at that memorable Masters.

Naturally, with a resume like that, Lyle has a pretty lofty goal this week as he makes his debut. For a man who has captured two majors, a PLAYERS Championship and 18 victories on the European Tour, one would expect great things from the youngest player on the Tour.

Or not.

"I definitely want to make the cut, first of all," Lyle joked, since the 54-hole Toshiba Classic does not have a cut. "I like my chances; I might put a bet in on that one. I would say that I would hold to being in the top 15, 20 if possible. That would be a nice week for me."

All kidding aside, Lyle is anxious to get back to being completive. It's been a while since Lyle's last win -- 16 years to be exact -- and trying to hang in there with the young guys while approaching the age of 50 isn't always easy.

"I've spent quite a few years now playing on tours in the U.S. and tours in Europe against these 18-year-olds and they are all built like Arnold Schwarzeneggers and hit the ball a million miles and have got no nerves. It's kind of demoralizing. Even though I've been a good player in my time, it's hard to compete at that level."

Lyle expects to play in 20 tournaments this upcoming season, including the Masters and the British Open. His last competitive round occurred during the Volvo Masters at the end of the 2007 European Tour season, after which Lyle hung up the clubs for the winter.

This week he will meet the par-71, 6,584-yard Newport Beach Country Club course for the first time. Despite taking several months off, he's more than ready for the challenge.

"The last course I played was Valderrama, but [there] you almost walk single-file down some of the fairways they're that tight. These are a little bit more forgiving. The rough obviously isn't heavy. It doesn't look heavy, but it plays heavy because of the strands in the grass. The greens will be the main defender of the course in the end," Lyle said, adding that it all boils down to the flatstick.

"You've just got to putt well. I'm not the greatest putter on the planet. Tight greens --Pebble Beach and things, I've never felt comfortable, but I'll make the most of what I can do this week."

Last year, Lyle hibernated from golf for the winter and still managed to make the cut at the Masters with a tie for 43rd.

"I hadn't played anything for about four and a half months, even touched a golf club. And crammed in about 10 days, two weeks of plays and golf at TPC Sawgrass there and then made the cut at the Masters," Lyle said. "It's a stupid game. I'm like a Bruce Lietzke I suppose.

"...Once I get a few tournaments under my belt on the Champions Tour before the Masters [this year], I'm not saying I'm going to be a contender but I might give them a fright for a while."

Unlike many of his Champions Tour counterparts, he has "no backaches or illnesses" to speak of. The worst thing Lyle will be battling is a little rust and maybe a little fatigue.

Lyle will play the Toshiba Classic then jet over to Korea to serve as Official Ambassador for the Ballantine's Championship, the first European Tour event to be held in Korea. Lyle will tee it up on the European Tour the following week then return to the States for the Champions Tour's Ginn Championship at Hammock Beach and the Masters.

He and fellow Champions Tour newcomer Ian Woosnam will pair together in the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in late April. After that, Lyle plans to devote most of his season to the Champions Tour.

"I haven't been exactly doing anything to get excited about. So I'm looking forward to having a full week of golf. And that's the thing, I'm really enjoying the pro-ams and the three-man groups and the no-cut with a big C. I'm really happy about that," Lyle said. "It just makes life a bit more enjoyable, and that's where I think the Champions Tour has got the balance right."