Monday, April 20, 1998

Kollmeyer takes
Mid-Pacific Open

By Bill Kwon
Star-Bulletin

Keith Kollmeyer has finished second so often, he thinks he should represent Avis.

No more.

"I needed that. I've had too many second-place finishes. I finally got the monkey off my back," said Kollmeyer, who shot a final-round 65 for a 72-hole score of 279 to win the Mid-Pacific Open yesterday.

Kollmeyer needed his hot 7-under-par round at the Mid-Pacific Country Club course to overtake third-round leader Mark Chapleski and hold off Kevin Hayashi for a three-stroke victory that was worth $5,000.

Hayashi, who plays out of Hilo Municipal, posted a 66 to finish second at 282, while former University of Hawaii standout Mike Pavao was third at 286 after a 72 yesterday. Chapleski, Ko Olina's head professional, was next at 287 after a final-round 75.

"I knew what I had to do. Make the last day the best of my four," said Kollmeyer, who posted his first major open title. He won the 1988 Maui Open and the 1989 Makaha Open but both are not 72-hole events.

"This definitely was my best open win, especially having been so close so many times," said Kollmeyer, a four-time runner-up in the Mid-Pac Open alone. "I think I had 10 or 12 second-place finishes in the last eight years."