No catching Meyer
in Mid-Pac Open

By Bill Kwon

Star-Bulletin

Greg Meyer birdied the par-3 fourth hole and never looked back in breezing to a five-stroke victory and the $5,000 top prize in the Mid-Pacific Open yesterday with a 72-hole score of 275.

Meyer, who began the final round one stroke ahead of eight-time champion Lance Suzuki, shot a 69 with only one bogey -- the par-3 14th for the third time in the tournament.

"I never hit that green in four days. It was always between a 3- or 4-iron," said Meyer of the testy 189-yard hole on the Mid-Pacific Country Club course's hilly back nine. Otherwise, there were no complaints for the Pearl Country Club pr, who won the event for the second time, the first in 1986.

Especially after a six-foot birdie putt at No. 4 that jump-started his round, according to Meyer.

"I hit the ball good and played steady, trying to be patient," said Meyer.

"He was very solid today. I could never get close," said Daryl Inaba, referring to Meyer.

Inaba shot a 71 to finish in a tie for second at 280 with Keith Kollmeyer, who closed with a 68. Each earned $2,690.

Kollmeyer, who has had four second-place finishes, had seven birdies. But he admitted it was an all-or-nothing round because he was charging everything, trying to catch Meyer.

But Meyer, who plans to try for the PGA Qualifying School in October, birdied 15 and 16 to keep safely ahead of the pack.

Four straight bogeys at 12 through 15 knocked Suzuki out of contention. He closed with a 77 and tied for fourth at 284 with Maui pro Brian Sasada, who posted the day's low round -- a 5-under 67.

Mid-Pacific Open

At Mid-Pacific Country Club
Final round, par 72

Pro Flight
Greg Meyer 72-68-66-69--275
Keith Kollmeyer 72-74-66-68--280
Daryl Inaba 68-69-72-71--280
Brian Sasada 73-69-75-67--284
Lance Suzuki 71-69-67-77--284
Tommy Hines 70-70-71-75--286
Jerry Mullen 68-71-74-73--286
Mark Takahama 71-72-70-73--286
Tommy Hines 70-70-71-75--286
Mike Pavao 74-71-71-71--287
Ed Tischler 71-70-73-73--287
Philip Chun 74-72-71-71--288
Beau Yokomoto 74-70-72-72--288
Casey Nakama 75-75-70-69--289
Dan Nishimoto 73-72-71-74--290
Kevin Hayashi 71-77-72-71--291
Troy Tamiya 68-75-73-75--291
Tommy Ukauka 74-70-78-71--293
Jay Shannon 72-72-73-76--293
Mark Chapleski 71-76-73-75--295

Championship Flight
Larry Stubblefield 72-73-69-72--286
Stan Souza 73-72-69-78--290
Brandan Kop 77-73-70-72--292
Lance Taketa 74-76-72-72--294
John King 79-72-73-75--299
Terry Meacham 75-80-70-74--299
Guy Yamamoto 73-73-75-78--299
Randy Shibuya 77-71-76-76--299
Kip Fujimoto 74-75-76-76--301
Paul Kimura 70-79-80-73--302
Kendall Fukumoto 73-76-79-74--302
Phil Anamizu 80-75-73-74--302
Ryan Nakata 71-78-79-75--303
Jim Cullen 71-76-81-75--303
Damien Jamila 81-71-74-77--303
Edson Nakanishi 78-72-76-77--303

A-Flight
Robert Kim 78-79-75-74--306
Dino Arado 75-76-83-75--309
George Kunisaki 76-76-79-80--311
Ryan Wong 76-79-76-80--311

B-Flight
Gerald Kushi 78-75-82-79--314
David Hamada 80-75-81-80--316
Ronald Kimura 81-80-82-78--321

Tsuruya Open

At Kawanishi, Japan

Final round, par 72
Mitsuo Harada, $142,800 72-67-72-68--279

Also
David Ishii, U.S. 72-72-74-73--291