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Faxon relaxing in Newport Beach

(Don Leach / Daily Pilot)
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Brad Faxon already has one win on the Champions Tour, but you could say he’s still finding his way.

Faxon, an eight-time PGA Tour winner who turned 50 seven months ago, had a troublesome start to his Toshiba Classic debut Wednesday.

He showed up to Newport Beach Golf Course to play in the pro-am. One problem, the Toshiba is at Newport Beach Country Club.

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Not a big deal. He made it to NBCC for an interview with media and then out for his afternoon of pro-am. No harm.

It goes in sync to how Faxon feels on the Champions Tour. He said he feels more relaxed playing against golfers 50 and older rather the PGA Tour.

“I love the [PGA Tour] intensity too,” Faxon said.

He reminded the media that the Champion Tour is not all about camaraderie and good times.

“You know a guy is still trying to win a tournament,” Faxon said of players on the final holes of a Champions Tour event.

Faxon certainly didn’t come to Newport Beach to lose, even though he got lost on Wednesday. He’s been in Newport Beach since Monday. He played in an event for a sponsor at Oak Creek Golf Course in Irvine. He said he also went to the Titleist test facility Wednesday morning.

He’s yet to do any of the tourist-type stuff, but he plans to sometime during the week.

“My 20-year-old daughter is flying in … so she’ll come in [Thursday] and be here for the weekend,” he said. “We’re going to wear our rain gear all weekend.”

Rain is expected Saturday and Sunday in Newport Beach. Faxon is no stranger to rain.

His first win on the Champions Tour was at an event that was cut short because of rain. Faxon won the Insperity Championship after two rounds. The third round was not played because of heavy rain at The Woodlands Country Club in Texas.

It was Faxon’s sixth start on the Champions Tour.

This year, his highest finish in three starts came at the Allianz Championship, where he finished tied for 15th.

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Peter Jacobsen assuredly had a great day on Wednesday.

He tweeted about his hole-in-one on No. 8 during pro-am.

“Just got a hole-in-one on the 8th hole of the @ToshibaClassic pro-am!” Jacobsen, @JakeTrout, tweeted. He also posted a photo taken from his family watching from a nearby hotel room.

The 203-yard, par-three No. 8 is regarded as one of the tougher holes on the NBCC course.

Jay Don Blake, @jblake7266, asked Jacobsen what did he use for his hole-in-one on Twitter.

“3 iron!!” Jacobsen responded.

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Vartan Kupelian of championstour.com has provided his, “Power Rankings” for the Toshiba Classic.

Nick Price, the defending champion, is No. 5. Bernhard Langer, a two-time Masters champion who won the Toshiba in 2008, is No. 4. At No. 3 is So Cal favorite Corey Pavin. No. 2 is Fred Couples, who won the Toshiba in 2010. And, No. 1 is Jay Haas, who won the Toshiba in 2007 and was runner-up in 2008.

It’s hard to argue with that top five.

If I had to pick a No. 1, I would lean toward Pavin.

steve.virgen@latimes.com

Twitter: @SteveVirgen

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