Meyer defends his Pearl Open crown

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

'AIEA — Greg Meyer blew around the final turn yesterday at birdie-birdie-eagle speed. Before any of the golfers knew what hit them, Meyer had his fourth Hawai'i Pearl Open championship. Meyer sealed his successful title defense with birdie on the final hole at Pearl Country Club to beat two-time champion Kiyoshi Murota by two shots.

Greg Meyer wrapped up his second consecutive Hawai'i Pearl Open with a birdie on No. 18 and sealed it with a kiss. Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser

But Murota did not lose this one as much as Meyer grabbed it by the throat. Hilo's contribution to the JGTO buried birdie putts on the 10th — from 20 feet to tie for first — the 11th, then took a long look at his 40-foot eagle putt from the fringe at No. 12 before sliding it in.

"Then I told myself don't do anything crazy," Meyer said. "The pressure is on them. All I had to do was par or birdie in. I tried really hard not to lose it, not to let it go. That was pretty much my thought."

The eagle put Meyer up by three and ultimately proved the difference. His 67 gave him the $12,000 first prize and a tournament total of 13-under 203. Berry (71), whose putting failed him the final day, and Japanese pros Hiroya Kamide (66) and Hisashi Sawada (67) tied for third.

Jonathan Ota catapulted past Punahou freshman Michelle Wie with a final-round 66 to win low amateur honors.

Greg Meyer

Kiyoshi Murota

Ota tied for 20th overall at 211, with JGTO pro David Ishii, rookie pros Parker McLachlin and Jim Seki, former Manoa Cup champion Shane Hoshino and Japan's Takuya Ogawa. Wie closed with a 72 and was 38th — second among the amateurs — at 214.

Wie beat Ota at last month's Sony Open in Hawai'i, where she missed the PGA Tour cut by a shot. Ishii, who made the cut, had copies of The Advertiser sports page listing the scores made for the Hawai'i golfers Wie beat. He highlighted their names, then had Wie autograph the pages before giving them to his "friends."

"I told David don't forget to have her autograph this one, too," Ota said.

While Ota relentlessly went after amateur honors with six birdies and an eagle, the chase for the 26th Pearl title took some strange twists.

First, there was Murota's surprising front-nine fade, after he had opened a three-shot advantage. Through an interpreter, Murota said he initially thought the shot he hit out on No. 5 would be safe. His bad fortune continued when he landed in a divot on the eighth hole and his tee shot on the 11th hit a tree and bounced the wrong way.

Michelle Wie chips onto the green on the 18th hole. The 14-year-old closed with a 72 and was the No. 2 amateur and 38th overall. Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser

"After that, I felt it was Gregory's tournament all the way. ... He played really, really well."

There was also Meyer's brilliant blitz to start the back nine, where he gave away a lead last year before rallying.

Finally, there were the final two holes, which Meyer made suspenseful. He went into the eminently birdie-able par-5 17th with a three-shot lead but came out with one when Murota birdied and Meyer three-putted for bogey.

"I hit a good first putt, it just kept on going another three feet by," said Meyer, who worked for Pearl 15 years. "I hit the next putt and thought I made it and that slid by another three. I made that one luckily."

Meyer's drive on the final hole got caught in the right rough, 95 yards from the hole. He took out a new iron — his clubs were stolen Wednesday — and lofted the ball over the bunker to 12 feet below the hole for the clinching birdie.

Wie might not play another tournament in Hawai'i this year. She has two LPGA events scheduled next month, including the Kraft Nabisco Championship — a major — where she finished ninth last year. By the time we see her here again she hopes to have improved her consistency and short game.

If she plays in a fourth Hawai'i Pearl Open, she will feel right at home. There is a huge difference now from when it was her first open event two years ago.

"All the guys know I really want to play out here now," Wie said. "When I was 12, they wondered what I was doing here. Now they're all really nice to me. I don't even remember when I was 12 now. There's been a lot of time since then."

SHORT PUTTS: Now that Jim Seki (Stanford) and Parker McLachlin (UCLA) are out of college, the former Punahou teammates are playing mini-tours. Seki just made his first cut on the Gateway Tour in San Diego. McLachlin plans to play on the Hooters Tour. ... Joe Phengsavath, who recently turned pro, plans to try the Asian Tour late this year. ... Tommy Kim is leaving this week for the final stage of the Canadian Tour's Qualifying School. ... Greg Meyer also won this tournament in 1987 and '88. ... Japan amateur champion Yuki Ito, 15, missed the cut at 4-over. His caddy wore a Lego cap.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8043.