Sports Watch
HERE'S to a golfer who always seems to finish second. So much so that he wondered if he'd ever win. Or at least if he should be working for Avis. A major change
for KollmeyerJeff Maggert? No, local pro Keith Kollmeyer.
Both finally made a breakthrough and gained the victory circle. No more Mr. Runner-Up.
Maggert had been without a PGA Tour victory since 1993 with so many second-place finishes - 13 to be exact, including the inaugural Sony Open in Hawaii - before finally winning the Andersen Consulting World Match Play Championship in February. The $1-million first prize was great, but nothing compared to the satisfaction of finally winning again, according to Maggert.
Kollmeyer knows the feeling, even though he might be playing for fewer bucks.
After finishing as runner-up four times, Kollmeyer finally won the Mid-Pacific Open last year with a final-round 65 for a 279 total. It was the first local major open championship for Kollmeyer, who said he must have finished second in 10 or 12 other tournaments, including the Mid-Pac Open.
So while all golfing eyes are fixed on the Masters at the Augusta National, a few are peeking ahead to next week's Mid-Pac Open at the Mid-Pacific Country Club in Lanikai.
FOR Kollmeyer, it's a far different feeling this time. He never entered a major tournament as the defending champion before.
"Yes, it's a new experience, and I'm looking forward to it," said Kollmeyer, who did win the 1988 Maui Open and 1989 Makaha Open. But they were 54-hole events and not one of the local majors.
Kollmeyer hopes his game will be ready to take on an expected crack field, which will include eight-time winner Lance Suzuki and former champions Casey Nakama, Greg Meyer, Deron Doi and amateur Brandan Kop.
Kollmeyer's game had been in limbo for the past 10 months when he lost a major golf line, Snake Eyes, which was bought out by another company. "I played the least amount of golf in my life in the last 10 months," he said.
He's now with a new company, Wright Golf, and getting accustomed to playing with that company's driver and irons.
"It's like starting all over again. I have been practicing, but practicing versus going into competition are two different things.
"It has been a real dry spell - the business being shaky and not playing. The only good thing I had going was my marriage," said Kollmeyer. "The good news is that it's all behind me. I'm looking forward to playing again."
This year's 36th Mid-Pac Open (the tournament wasn't held in 1967 and 1988) will feature a new look at the first, second and 12th holes. Deeper bunkers have been added at the opening two downwind par-4 holes, giving them more character. Five new bunkers at the uphill par-5 12th will cause long hitters to think about trying to get on in two.
SWING FOR GOOD CAUSES: Here are two golf fund-raisers for your consideration later this month:
Palolo Chinese Home Dynasty Invitational: April 22, 12:30 p.m. shotgun start, Ala Wai course. Format: 3-person modified scramble. Donation: $100 per person. Contact: 739-6032.