Maggert joins Every in lead
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2012 Sony Open in Hawaii | Round Three | 15 Jan 2012
Jeff Maggert has won three times on the PGA Tour, has played on three Ryder Cup and one Presidents Cup Team and won over US$17 million but that did not stop the 47 year old from having to return to the PGA Tour School last year.
Today Maggert displayed he was far from a spent force in the game when he added a third round of 64 at the Sony Open at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu to his opening rounds of 68 and 65 to share the lead heading into the final day with 36 hole leader Matt Every.
The pair leads by two over Johnson Wagner, Charles Howell and Brendon De Jonge.
22 years ago Maggert won the inaugural Vine Classic in Perth then joined the PGA Tour twelve months later. Until the last couple of years Maggert has maintained his status on the PGA Tour but is declining play in recent years has meant a visit or two to the Tour School but on both occasions he has been up to the task finishing 2nd in 2009 and 13th last year.
After shoulder surgery in the middle of 2011 he appears to have had a new lease of life. He did have a Major Medic al Exemption for 2012 but decided to go back to Tour School to improve his situation. He has certainly done just that.
Maggert travelled to Australia just two weeks after the Tour School to play the J.B. Were Masters where, almost unnoticed, he missed the cut.
“I tried not to set any expectations this year, said Maggert after his round. “I had shoulder surgery back in June of last year and had a lot of time off and rehabilitated. So just kind of coming into the year just feeling healthy has been the best thing. The surgery went great. I’m just looking forward to being healthy and hopefully playing some good golf.
“This course suits me very well,” added Maggert. “If you’re a big hitter, you can take advantage of it, but also a player like myself can compete very well just keeping the ball in the fairway. When the wind is gusty here, the golf course is challenging.
Maggert knows the course well having played most of the Sony Opens at Waialae. “The first time I came here to Monday qualify, I think in 1990, I was playing in Australia. I just came up here. I had a week off in Australia and tried to Monday qualify but didn’t make it.
“1991 was my first exempt year on TOUR and that would have been my first Sony Open. I have played most of them but I haven’t played all of them. But probably out of 22 years out here, I’ve probably played 18 probably.”
Every was able to put the furore of the last 24 hours behind him following his controversial interview with the Golf Channel’s Kelly Tilghman where he was asked about the comeback from his arrest for the possession of Cannabis.
He might have been able to but others were not quite so keen to allow it to drop. “I’m not uncomfortable with what happened yesterday,” he responded when asked that question. “But I talked about it yesterday and I know you guys have a…. it’s your job to ask questions and I totally respect that. But I already talked about it. It’s old news and I’m over it.
“It did a little,” he added referring to a question on how the aftermath of the interview had impacted on him last evening. “But I mean, my whole life, I’ve never really…other than like my parents and my wife and people…well, my family and my close friends, If other people don’t like what I say, I mean, I’m sorry. You know, like I’m not trying to hurt your feelings. I’m not running for president; I’m a golfer. So I’m really not trying to, you know, piss anyone off.”
Every let his clubs do the talking on the golf course, however, recovering from an early bogey to record a round of 68 to regain a share of the lead he held overnight.
John Senden leads the Australians in 19th position at 7 under and five behind the lead.
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