Collegians tee it up

By Bill Kwon
Special to The Advertiser

Competitors at intercollegiate event have high praise for director, atmosphere

Chez Reavie, the reigning National Public Links champion, will lead Arizona State in the 12th annual TaylorMade/Waikoloa Intercollegiate at the Waikoloa Kings' Course on the Big Island. Arizona State University

This week, the Yellow Jackets are playing in the 12th annual TaylorMade/Waikoloa Intercollegiate at the Waikoloa Kings' Course on the Big Island. After a week of classes back in Atlanta, their next stop will be Puerto Rico for another golf tournament.

For Heppler, though, there's still no place like Hawai'i.

He has brought his golf team to Waikoloa every year since taking over as the Yellow Jackets' head coach in 1995. Heppler had been at Waikoloa before that as an assistant coach at Nevada-Las Vegas and then Oklahoma State.

Another "kama'aina" is Arizona State's Randy Lein, who began bringing his University of Southern California golf team to Waikoloa 12 years ago.

His streak has not stopped since taking over as the Sun Devils' coach in 1993.

"This is the one tournament I look forward to most all year," Lein said. "The people are so friendly here, you just feel comfortable. And rain's never a problem."

This from a guy who is from desert country.

Heppler likes to bring his team because it gives them a chance to travel to a far-off location, play in windier conditions, putt on Bermuda greens and compete against different faces under tournament conditions.

"There aren't many East Coast schools who come here," Heppler said. "It's a good opportunity for our players. It might be the only time they get to come here. I'm happy I can bring them."

Both coaches agree that it's not just the chance to get in a lot of golf under ideal conditions but also an opportunity to experience Hawai'i's people and culture.

In that regard, both Heppler and Lein give a lot of credit for the tournament's success to University of Hawai'i-Hilo golf coach Earl Tamiya, who organized it as a way of jump-starting the Vulcan golf program.

"It was a way for us to get a nice Division-I schedule for UH-Hilo. And TaylorMade has been good enough to be our sponsor every year," said Tamiya, a sports coordinator for the Hawai'i Community Colleges.

"We set out to try and get a real class field. We've been told it's now one of the best tournaments in college golf," Tamiya said. "This is the most expensive trip that all the schools make. But they still want to come.

"There's a waiting list to get in."

Twenty-four schools, including UH-Manoa, are entered in this year's 54-hole tournament that ends tomorrow with team and individual titles on the line.

Hawai'i is a big part of the allure. But that's not all there is.

"Earl does a terrific job," Heppler said. "It's hard to find anyone who has more friends than he does. It's probably because he's just who he is, warm and friendly. All my guys who've been here before think the world of him."

"He kind of exemplifies what we Mainlanders think of what Hawai'i is — friendly, laid-back, a place where you feel welcome," Lein said. "At the end of the week, you don't want to leave."

There is also quality golf, too.

If the tournament's history is any indication, a number of the 120 or so players here this week will be playing on the PGA Tour some day.

Tiger Woods heads the A-list of future pros who have played at Waikoloa. Others include Jim Furyk, who has since gone on to win the Mercedes Championships and Hawaiian Open, Notah Begay, Bob May, Tim Herron and Matt Kuchar. Oh yes, also Casey Martin, before all that fuss about golf carts.

The University of Texas is not back to defend its team championship, but Nevada's Sprague Kolp will be defending his individual title.

Among the others to watch are Arizona State's Chez Reavie, the reigning National Public Links champion who finished fourth as a freshman in the NCAA Tournament last year, and the three most responsible for Georgia Tech's No. 1 ranking — Matt Weibring, Kris Mikkelson and Troy Matteson.

Weibring's dad, D.A., plays on the PGA Tour.

And that's not counting Heppler's prized freshman recruit, Chan Wongluekiet, whose younger sisters, Naree and especially Aree, have already made headlines in women's golf.

"He was wanted by everybody and with good reason," says Heppler. "If my recruiting doesn't go well, I may also have to go after them (his sisters)."

Heppler feels the key to success in college golf is recruiting and creating an environment for recruits to get better. He and the other golf coaches are doing just that at Waikoloa.

Bill Kwon can be reached at bkwon@aloha.net.