Associated Press
Paul Stankowski, center, is greeted by playing partners
Steve Jones, left, and Bob Gilder after winning
the Kapalua International.

A year ago at this time, Stankowski was on the driving range, beating golf balls while warming up for the PGA Tour Qualifying School. And wondering what the future would bring.

He finished 15th in Q-School to earn exempt status for the tour this year. And what a 1996 it has been.

First, he captured his first tour victory since turning pro four years ago - the BellSouth Classic - one week after winning a Nike Tour event to become the first player ever to pull off that feat in the same year.

Also, the BellSouth Classic playoff victory came a week before the Masters, earning him a serendipitous invitation to Augusta National.

Now this, victory in the $1.2 million Kapalua International when he shot a 21-under-par 269 with a closing 68 yesterday to hold off onrushing Fred Couples, whose 67 gave him a 72-hole total of 270 and a $130,000 payday.

Tied for third at 271 were Davis Love III, who shot a 7-under 66, and U.S. Open champion Steve Jones, who had a closing 69 at the 7,263-yard Plantation Course.

Bob Gilder, who posted a course record-tying 64 along with Jones in the opening round Thursday, was alone in fifth spot with a 272.

Sandy Lyle, the 1984 winner, was next at 273, while 1989 champion Peter Jacobsen, who has played in all 15 Kapalua tournaments, followed at 274.

But Stankowski, who made only two bogeys in four days, walked off with the title in his first appearance.

"This is exciting. Maui is probably one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to," Stankowski said. "I was excited when I got an invite after my win this year. This pretty much tops it off."

He was reminded that last year's Kapalua champion, Jim Furyk, came back to win the United Airlines Hawaiian Open in February.

"I think I gotta come back now. I've got to do the same thing," said Stankowski, who said he was 50-50 about it after missing the cut at Waialae earlier this year.

Missing cuts had been one of his idiosyncracies this year. Stankowski, who finished 52nd on the money list, earning $390,575, made only 10 cuts in 26 events - something he would rather not include in his portfolio.

"Ten cuts isn't impressive. It'll take me forever to get my pension points," said Stankowski. "It wasn't that good a year except for only five weeks. But sometimes one week makes a year. A win made my year."

Stankowski was also encouraged by his ability to be focused when it counts. "I've been in position to win a tournament three times this year and I've won all three on Sunday."

Stankowski held off the challenge of Jones and Gilder, with whom he played, and Couples, who was in the group ahead of him.

"I heard the crowd cheering Freddy on, so I knew he was catching up," Stankowski said.

Couples had the shot of the day - a 3-wood from 249 yards out to within four feet of the flagstick at the 555-yard, par-5 15th hole.

The eagle-3 put Couples at 19-under, momentarily tying him for the lead. But Stankowski slam-dunked a 12-foot birdie putt on the same hole to go one up again.

Couples pulled even at 20-under by two-putting from 20 feet at the par-5 18th, barely missing another eagle. Stankowski also birdied the hole, getting safely on in two and two-putting from 40 feet.

"As far as coming up short, the better guy won," said Couples, who played with Stankowski Saturday and in the final group when the three-time collegiate All-American from Texas-El Paso won on the PGA Tour for the first time at Atlanta.

"I think he's a real good player. He hits the ball long. When he does play well, he's very capable of being right there." "

Couples, a back-to-back winner at Kapalua in 1993-'94, said he hit the ball well. "I played a very good round, without any bogeys or any mistakes. Six under. But my putts were either too long or 'kick-in' birdies."

The "kick-ins" were at holes 4 and 10 where he wedged to within a foot of the pin and 12, where he had a 21/2-footer.

NOTES: Yesterday's gallery, estimated at several thousand by tournament chairman Mark Rolfing, was the largest in the 15-year history of the event ... Plantation's par-4, 473-yard opening hole played the most difficult in the tournament, averaging 4.24. It yielded the fewest birdies (13). The easiest was the par-5 ninth, which had 71 birdies.

At Kapalua, Maui, Par 73

Paul Stankowski, $216,000 	69-65-67-68--269
Fred Couples, $130,000 	 	63-71-69-67--270
Davis Love III, $66,625		66-68-71-66--271
Steve Jones, $66,625 	 	64-69-69-69--271
Bob Gilder, $43,850 	 	64-69-69-70--272
Sandy Lyle, $38,000 	 	68-68-68-69--273
Peter Jacobsen, $33,000		66-69-69-70--274*
Stewart Cink, $28,875 	 	69-69-70-68--276
Scott McCarron, $28,875		67-68-70-71--276
Duffy Waldorf, $24,500 	 	70-71-69-67--277
Billy Mayfair, $24,500 	 	69-65-70-73--277
Justin Leonard, $20,500		66-75-69-68--278
David Ogrin, $20,500 	 	69-68-70-71--278
Billy Andrade, $17,500 	 	71-74-66-68--279
Clarence Rose, $17,500 	 	67-70-73-69--279
Glen Day, $17,500  	 	67-70-69-73--279
Kirk Triplett, $15,000 	 	64-76-71-69--280
Mike Brisky, $15,000 	 	66-73-71-70--280
Dudley Hart, $13,250 	 	70-74-68-69--281
Darren Clarke, $13,250 	 	67-78-69-67--281
Mike Hulbert, $13,250 	 	64-72-73-72--281
Jim Furyk, $13,250 	 	67-74-67-73--281
Scott Simpson, $11,750 	 	70-69-72-71--282*
Jim McGovern, $11,750 	 	71-73-72-66--282
Jerry Kelly, $10,700 	 	68-73-72-70--283
Olin Browne, $10,700 	 	72-68-74-69--283
Tommy Tolles, $10,700 	 	66-73-72-72--283
Woody Austin, $9,760 	 	68-68-77-71--284
Brad Faxon, $9,760 	 	67-74-73-70--284
Patrick Burke, $9,760 	 	67-73-73-71--284
Russ Cochran, $9,760 	 	66-75-72-71--284
David Peoples, $9,760 	 	69-73-72-70--284
Roger Maltbie, $9,425 	 	67-73-73-72--285
Tim Herron, $9,425 	 	67-71-73-74--285
Ben Crenshaw, $9,308.33		67-75-72-72--286
Jay Don Blake, $9,308.33 	73-70-73-70--286
Willie Wood, $9,308.33 	 	71-74-71-70--286
Chip Beck, $9,212.50 	 	72-68-73-74--287
Grant Waite, $9,212.50 	 	71-72-72-72--287
Tom Purtzer, $9,212.50 	 	71-72-74-70--287
Emlyn Aubrey, $9,212.50		68-78-73-78--287
Fred Funk, $9,150  	 	71-73-74-70--288
Nolan Henke, $9,087.50 	 	70-69-73-77--289
Ed Fiori, $9,087.50 	 	72-69-75-73--289
David Feherty, $9,087.50 	76-70-71-72--289
John Daly, $9,087.50 	 	71-75-73-70--289
Steve Pate, $9,012.50 	 	72-77-72-69--290
Andy Bean, $9,012.50 	 	71-76-75-68--290
Brandel Chamblee, $8,975 	75-73-73-70--291
John Adams, $8,925 	 	70-74-74-74--292
Steve Lowery, $8,925 	 	70-77-73-72--292
Gary McCord, $8,925 	 	69-81-70-72--292
John Morse, $8,875 	 	75-73-72-75--295
Joel Edwards, $8,850 	 	75-81-70-76--302
Paul Goydos, $8,825 	 	73-69-83-78--303
Barry Lane, $8,800 	 	73-80-79-73--305

*Hawaii Connection