Golf: College coach picks Heaven to become star on pro circuit

1.00pm

New Zealand golfer Brad Heaven has re-written the record books in his United States university, and his coach there says turning professional will make the Aucklander a multi-millionaire.

Heaven, 23, -- at Toledo University in Ohio -- is expected to join the professional ranks after next month's National Collegiate Athletic Association's regional inter-varsity golf tournament.

He hopes to draw sponsor exemptions into some PGA tour events, then will attempt to qualify for PGA tour and European tour playing cards.

"I'm not sure where those steps will take me, but being able to play college golf in the US has allowed me to compete against some of the top young players in the world, and it has convinced me I'm capable," Heaven told the Toledo Blade newspaper.

"I'm going to take my best shot."

His university coach Jamie Mauntler said he had no doubts that Heaven's best shot would be more than good enough.

"He'll be a multi-millionaire," the coach said.

"He has the physical ability and all the tools. With the technology today, everybody hits it long. But his chipping and putting are what separates him, and that's what creates pro tour winners.

"Brad's the best we've ever had here, but the truth is, he's just getting started."

New Zealand golf officials, keen to have Heaven in their team for this year's Eisenhower Cup, have delayed naming their three-man line-up until August.

If Heaven wins one of either the upcoming US Public Links, US Amateur or British Amateur championships, he would remain an amateur for another year at least because of an automatic starting spot in grand slam championships such as the Masters, US Open or British Open.

Heaven, who finished second in the New Zealand Open behind Australian Terry Price in January, would be an asset to a New Zealand team looking to repeat the Eisenhower triumph of 1992.

Last weekend, Heaven led Toledo to their second Mid-American Conference (MAC) men's golf championship in the past three years -- there had been no titles in three decades before his arrival at the university.

The team won by nine strokes -- and at the same time Heaven won the individual title, thanks to a 3m birdie putt on the final hole.

In addition to Heaven's win, another New Zealand student, Doug Batty, of Northland, tied for 30th place.

Heaven received the title of MAC Golfer of the Year for the third straight year -- the first individual ever to win the award three times.

"It's a great honour to be recognised as MAC Golfer of the Year," Heaven said.

"I'm just really happy we were able to play well this weekend and come away with the title."

Heaven, a former Auckland Grammar School student who is now a business studies major, said his four years at Toledo had gone by so fast "it seems like it was yesterday when I came here as a freshman".

Mauntler described him as "one of the top five, maybe 10 athletes ever" at his university.

"He raised the bar and took the university to where it had never before been as a team."

Local commentators said the New Zealander was on track to be named an All-American for the fourth time, and to re-write his own record for season stroke average and shatter the university's record for career stroke average.

Heaven was recruited by former Toledo University coach John Jasinski, who was frustrated in his attempts to interest top US junior golfers in playing at a northern, mid-major school, and felt that recruiting internationally might be the answer to building UT's programme.

"JJ was very upfront with me," Heaven said.

"I knew it wasn't one of the top 10 programmes in the nation, but it was an up-and-coming programme.

"It was a place I was confident I could go and play every week for four years. I thought it was a great opportunity, and if I could start again and get another four years, I'd do it. It has been tremendous."

Heaven has posted 28 top-10 finishes during his career, more than any golfer in UT history.

He has scored individual titles at some of the nation's most prestigious tournaments, including the College All-America Golf Classic - where previous winners included Tiger Woods, Davis Love III and David Duval - the Nelson Invitational at Stanford and, twice, the FirstEnergy Intercollegiate in Akron.

Heaven -- ranked as the 17th-best university golfer in the USA -- has been a constant figure in a university sports programme that has gone through four coaches in four years.

But some commentators have suggested his main legacy may be seen in New Zealand, as more students seek athletic scholarships in America for golf.

Heaven has told American journalists it has been "kind of frowned upon" for New Zealand juniors to emigrate for college golf.

"The New Zealand Golf Association tries to keep us home," he said.

"The tough thing about that is there are no inter-collegiate athletics. At home, you go to university solely to study, and golfers pretty much have to give up the game to get that done.

"One reason coming to the US was so attractive to me was being able to get a degree and play golf at the same time."

When Heaven returned home last January he came within one stroke of becoming the first amateur since Bob Charles, in 1954, to win the New Zealand Open.

"I was in the clubhouse at 8-under and Terry Price had to par the last two holes to beat me, which he did," Heaven recalled.

"I came so close, so it was slightly disappointing.

"But it was still a great week. And I think it continued to change the views a little on leaving home to play college golf. A lot of kids came up to me to discuss it."

- NZPA