Notah Begay

"That's the hardest thing to cope with sometimes, that I was there and now it seems so far away." Notah Begay, who is recovering from a back injury and will earn his first paycheck on the PGA Tour today in the St. Jude Classic.

Once upon a time, Notah Begay III was a big story in golf. Now, a decade or so later, he hopes to become one again. "I was 27," he says. "It was a month after I played for the U.S. in the President's Cup. I had gotten into the top 20 in the world rankings, had won four tour events and close to $4 million. I made it to No. 15 in Ryder Cup points. " Then he blew out two discs in his back. "Now, it is 11 years later, and I wouldn't have changed a thing. " He says, even though he kept trying comebacks on the PGA Tour, that it took him six or seven years to get his back in "manageable condition.

The young American Indian stood on a practice tee on a Saturday morning 20 summers ago, his hands wrapped around a golf club, a bucket of balls at his feet. In a groove of confidence and concentration, the 7-year-old boy hit one ball after another into the air, unaware of the adult who had walked up behind him. "I eased up to him 'cause I didn't want him to see me," said Notah Begay Jr., the boy's father. "He was hitting it really pure.

"That's the hardest thing to cope with sometimes, that I was there and now it seems so far away." Notah Begay, who is recovering from a back injury and will earn his first paycheck on the PGA Tour today in the St. Jude Classic.

For the record, when Notah Begay said, "It's terrible. It's embarrassing," he was talking about his bad approach shot on the 17th hole Saturday. It's important to keep these things straight, because Begay has spent as much time discussing his Jan. 19 arrest for driving under the influence as he has his play at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am this week.

Once upon a time, Notah Begay III was a big story in golf. Now, a decade or so later, he hopes to become one again. "I was 27," he says. "It was a month after I played for the U.S. in the President's Cup. I had gotten into the top 20 in the world rankings, had won four tour events and close to $4 million. I made it to No. 15 in Ryder Cup points. " Then he blew out two discs in his back. "Now, it is 11 years later, and I wouldn't have changed a thing. " He says, even though he kept trying comebacks on the PGA Tour, that it took him six or seven years to get his back in "manageable condition.

Doug Dunakey became the fourth player to shoot a 59 and the second in three weeks on the Nike Tour when he did it in the second round of the Miami Valley Open. Al Geiberger and Chip Beck shot 59s on the PGA Tour and Notah Begay III did it two weeks ago in Richmond, Va. Dunakey has a one-shot lead with a 12-under 128 total.

San Diego's Chris Riley, who advanced to the semifinals last year, failed to reach the final 16 this year when he was beaten Thursday at the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship at Lake Merced Golf and Country Club in Daly City. Chris Riley won his first-round match against Chad Dawson of Frankfort, Ky., 6 and 4, but lost to Colby Lamberton of Lake Forest, Ill., 2 and 1. Among those advancing were Optimist World Junior champions Notah Begay of Albuquerque and Tiger Woods of Cypress.

Chris Tidland of Placentia reached the quarterfinals but was eliminated in the 91st Western Amateur golf tournament at the 6,884-yard, par-71 Point O'Woods Golf & Country Club. Tidland beat Jason Gore, 2-up, in the round of 16 but lost to Heath Fell of Lapeer, Mich., 5 and 4, in the quarterfinal. Justin Leonard of Dallas beat Jaxon Brigman, 1-up, in 20 holes, Chris Riley of El Cajon defeated Notah Begay of Albuquerque, N.M., 1-up, in 20 holes, and Danny Green of Jackson, Tenn.

Defending champion Justin Leonard and medalist Brian Gay were upset in the quarterfinals of the rain-interrupted U.S. Amateur golf championship Saturday. Leonard lost to Walker Cup teammate John Harris, 2 and 1, and Danny Ellis beat Gay, 3 and 2, at the Champions Golf Club. Play was delayed 4 hours 31 minutes because of rain and lightning. On Friday, there was a five-hour delay. The delays forced the USGA to push the 36-hole final to Monday.

The young American Indian stood on a practice tee on a Saturday morning 20 summers ago, his hands wrapped around a golf club, a bucket of balls at his feet. In a groove of confidence and concentration, the 7-year-old boy hit one ball after another into the air, unaware of the adult who had walked up behind him. "I eased up to him 'cause I didn't want him to see me," said Notah Begay Jr., the boy's father. "He was hitting it really pure.

For the record, when Notah Begay said, "It's terrible. It's embarrassing," he was talking about his bad approach shot on the 17th hole Saturday. It's important to keep these things straight, because Begay has spent as much time discussing his Jan. 19 arrest for driving under the influence as he has his play at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am this week.

Standings through Jan. 7 for the 2001 Ryder Cup matches to be played at The Belfry in Birmingham, England. UNITED STATES 1. Tiger Woods: 1,487.500 2. Phil Mickelson: 548.125 3. David Duval: 420.000 4. Tom Lehman: 343.750 5. Loren Roberts: 343.000 6. Hal Sutton: 338.000 7. John Huston: 297.500 8. Davis Love III: 290.000 9. Kirk Triplett: 261.666 10. David Toms: 255.000 11. Jim Furyk: 247.875 12. Stewart Cink: 244.125 13. Franklin Langham: 232.500 14. Notah Begay III: 225.000 14.

Shigeki Maruyama of Japan took golf's magic number one notch lower Monday by shooting a 58 in the first round of qualifying for the U.S. Open. The score will not be recognized as a PGA Tour record because it happened in a qualifying round. The lowest score in tour history is a 59 set by five players--David Duval, Chip Beck, Al Geiberger on the PGA Tour; and Doug Dunakey and Notah Begay on the Nike Tour.