AROUND THE GREENS
Ex-Islanders make successful return

By Bill Kwon

John and Chie Hearn returned to Hawai'i for a vacation, during which John won the pro division of the Waikoloa Open last week. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

In a more remarkable coincidence, Hearn and McClean live five miles from each other in Palm Springs, Calif.

"Isn't that unbelievable? Two guys from the desert," said McClean, a former Kapalua golf pro who won the senior title by four strokes with a closing 65 at the Beach Course. He had a 54-hole score of 203.

Hearn, the head pro at a private golf course called The Reserve, shot a final-round 66 at the Village Course for a 211 total and a three-shot victory over defending champion Regan Lee.

"I happened to have a good last round. Rolled the ball well and got lucky when I hit two shots left that should have gone out of bounds. The Kikuyu grass saved it from going OB," said Hearn, who made his first appearance at the Waikoloa Open his first major victory locally.

"I've never played it before. I was always in high school or away at college," he said.

"It's the first major event I've come out on top. I was runner-up in the Manoa Cup once, came close at Mililani when Casey (Nakama) won and played OK at Pearl (Open) a few times," added Hearn. Hearn returned for a vacation with his wife, Chie, a former University of Hawai'i golfer, and their 2-year-old son, John-John, and to visit his parents, Jayce and Lani Hearn.

Hearn postponed knee surgery to play in the event.

"I always enjoy coming back to see the guys. It's always fun to see them again," said Hearn, a 1985 Punahou graduate. He met with a lot of old buddies at Waikoloa, including Jerry Mullen, a former University of the Pacific golf teammate.

"It's the slow time of the year in Palm Springs now," Hearn said. "The whole course is seeded with rye grass. It gets real busy there from November to May.

"I'm not playing as much as I would like to. But I still enjoy playing."

Hearn plans on entering the Hawai'i State Open next month.

He and Chie celebrated their third wedding anniversary Tuesday.

"We're trying to come back home if we both can get a job," said Chie, whose father, Masa Shimada, headed an investment group to develop the Kapolei Golf Course, and was instrumental in making it an LPGA Tour site for the Hawaiian Ladies Open.

Like her husband, Chie left Hawai'i more than a decade ago. She was affiliated with the Jim McLean Golf School at the PGA West in La Quinta, Calif., and also with Jerry Mowlds at the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Oregon, site of this year's U.S. Women's Open.

Seeing to the care of John-John is her priority right now, Chie said. She also feels the need to return home to see her widowed mom, Hiromi. "At this time, family is more important."

McClean lived on Maui for 14 years before moving to Palm Springs four years ago to try the PGA senior tour.

"I missed the islands a lot," said the 57-year-old McClean, a two-time State Open champion (1990-91) who also won the 1992 Waikoloa Open and the Maui Open four times.

McClean sells memberships for The Palms, a golf course in La Quinta, operated by J.D. Ebersberger, former director of golf at Mauna Kea.

"It's a small world," said McClean. "I played in a little event there (at Hearn's golf course) about 10 days ago and we both learned we were going to play at Waikoloa."

Not only play. They both wound up winning — Hearn pocketing $5,000 and McClean taking the $2,500 senior purse.

Waikoloa also was a tuneup for McClean, who will be trying to qualify Monday for the Turtle Bay Championship, next week's Champions Tour event on O'ahu's North Shore.

"I've been playing quite a bit lately," said McClean, who appeared in four of the past five Senior British Open championships. And he has come oh so close this summer. At Turnberry, McClean missed the 36-hole cut by one stroke. He also shot a 145 to miss qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open by one shot.

Good times at Waikoloa

The 30th annual Waikoloa Open — played at three courses for the first time — was a great success, according to Dave Pritchett, Waikoloa Beach Resort's director of golf.

He was particularly excited that Amanda Wilson, a Waiakea High School junior, beat 52 guys in playing from the regular tees to win A flight.

Wilson won by four strokes with a 54-hole total of 225.

Through Pritchett's efforts, the California Hotel & Casino became one of the major sponsors for the first time.

"It's something we wanted to do when the Maui Open was canceled," said John Repetti, senior vice president and director of Sam Boyd's downtown Las Vegas properties. "And we're also hoping the Maui Open comes back."

Bill Kwon can be reached at bkwon@aloha.net