Ernie

Gonzalez

No, the winner of the weather-abbreviated, 36-hole Pensacola Open in 1986 is hardly a fantasy force, but feel-good stories are always welcome. The 48-year-old Las Vegas resident hasn’t played regularly on the PGA Tour in 20 years and hasn’t cashed on this tour since the 2001 B.C. Open. He only cracked this field by virtue of surviving a 3-for-1 playoff at Monday’s four-spotter. That he was able to go this low today is incredible. His 15th hole was a highlight reel, as he drove the par-4 15th, leaving a 21-inch eagle putt that he drained. Tack on eight birdies and it was a day that the lefty will never forget.

It looks like Gonzalez will get to celebrate his 49th birthday on Friday at the Mayakoba. This will be his first start of the 2010 season.

Gonzalez was added to the field a couple of hours on Tuesday. He has been replaced in the field by Ted Schulz.

This is the first start of the year for Gonzalez. Last year he played in only one event, the Justin Timberlake Children Open, and finished in a tie for 47th place, which was his first check on the Tour in eight years. It should be noted that Denis Paulson and Bob Gilder were briefly in the Reno-Tahoe field before they withdrew.