1995 77th PGA / RIVIERA : Maggert Can Steal Spotlight

Here in this tournament that has transformed into Els or Who Else, walking up the final fairway of the final hole in the final twosome will be Jeff Maggert, a man who could definitely win this thing. A man who could have won this thing before.

The old Texas A&M; golf gang will be pulling for Maggie the Aggie, who practically engraved his name on the PGA Championship trophy in 1992 before coming unraveled at Bellerive, shooting a 65 to become the leader and then squandering it Sunday with a 74. Maggert soared higher in St. Louis that day than anything built by TWA.

“Jeff, how are you a different player than that guy three years ago?” some inquiring mind asked Saturday.

“Three years older and about 80 more tournaments’ worth of experience,” he shot back.

Not everybody gets another shot. Maggert’s got one. He is lurking three shots behind eerie Ernie Els, who one of these days is bound to get the yips and go completely to pieces and balloon to some miserable score like, oh, 67. The way this guy is going, Maggert might need one of those Al Geiberger 59 jobs to force a playoff.

Here he is, a man who has just matched the tournament record--of a major, no less--for 54 holes with an on-the-nose total of 200, and where does Maggert stand? Three shots back. The man cards 66-69-65 at Hogan’s Alley and can’t see his name atop the leader board. All anybody sees up there is that three-letter word, except for the time someone accidentally posted: EELS.

Maggert admits to something that superstitious or macho others won’t, saying, “I look at the leader board quite a bit. Some players like to say they don’t, but I think you’ve got to pay attention to what’s going on out there. And I don’t think looking at the scoreboard takes me out of my game plan. I stick to my game plan regardless of where I am.

“I think it’s important to know where you stand, especially coming down the back nine tomorrow.”

In his honor, maybe Riviera should haul out some floodlights. Some of those huge, Hollywood searchlights, like the ones from the beginning of a 20th Century Fox movie. Because the last time--only time--that Jeffrey Maggert, 31, of The Woodlands, Tex., won a tournament on the PGA Tour, that’s the way the golf course was illuminated.

He was playing in the Walt Disney World Oldsmobile Classic, one of those golf events that conjures up the image of a dealership near the Epcot Center where some guy in a mouse costume will sell you a brand new Cutlass sedan. Because of stormy weather, Maggert had to play 36 holes on the final day. He knocked off a 66 in the morning, then made it through the nightcap for a three-stroke conquest, literally in the spotlight.

That was 1993. He hasn’t won since.

“You know,” he says, “one thing about this game is, you try to never look back.”

Maggert will be partnered with Els for today’s PGA climax because Mark O’Meara, who also is at 200, had a higher score Saturday. What could make Maggert the champion is a finishing round like the one he had a few weeks ago at the Western Open, when he closed with a 64 for a piece of second place. A week later, at the British Open, alas, his four-day count barely broke 300.

He feels in a groove. His old caddie, Brian Sullivan, is back at his side after they spent some time apart because of “personality disagreements,” to use Maggert’s phrase. A place on the Ryder Cup squad is a distinct possibility. His wife’s in town and his game face is on.

And that PGA that got away?

“You know, I think I’m a lot different player than I was back then. Maybe back then I was just kinda wishin’ I would win. And now I know I’m playing well enough to win.”

Oh, and even better:

He has to play only 18 holes.