OMED: Michael O'Brien, once a star of classic Hollywood action films, now covers sports for the Tillamook Headlight Herald    (Photo: Publicity shot of Mike O'Brien during his days in Hollywood.) 

Chapter One
 
 June 21, 2005 -- In 1997, Netarts native Megan Heckeroth was already getting some whispers around the golf community, from the men she was beating in their tournaments at Alderbrook, as well as from those teaching and playing in the Tillamook High School golf program. 

By her very nature, somewhat shy, she wasn't anxious for attention. But, as the new sportswriter, I persisted and Heckeroth agreed to play nine holes and chat about golf. Personally, I had no idea what I was about to get a glimpse of. Raw, pure talent. Still young enough to make plenty of errors in the process of playing one of the hardest games to truly excel at, but my-oh-my. 

Early on, when she launched a long iron, one that started to draw toward the pin from its extraordinary apex, landing with a quick hop and a spin back, it took my breath away. There was something special going on with this young lady and her golf swing. 

By the end of that season, when she crushed the field at the state tournament in Redmond, so far ahead after day one that the battle was for second place, golf has remained the place Megan Heckeroth lives and breathes. 

University of Oregon was next, and allowed her to pursue her other talent, as an artist, as well as play golf. Life became full and busy at a campus 50 times more populated than her hometown, but, she kept at it until it simply wasn't a comfortable situation. 

In the process, she saw Australia through her golf, played some of the best courses on the West Coast and continued to improve, but before she reached full fruition as a golfer, she found herself back at work, needing a paycheck like the rest of us. Golf was always close by and there were flashes of her brilliance along the route. She set the women's course record at Bandon in the Oregon Women's Amateur, compiled sub-par rounds here and there, and eventually, the opportunity arose for Heckeroth to go to work in the golf world, at the Wilshire Country Club. (Ed: a golf course in California.  Very ritzy layout for Hollywood and other famous or very rich types.)  

The Game Begins: Open Rules Let Unknown Golfers Qualify

The beauty of the U.S. Open is that the qualifying opportunities allow determined women like Heckeroth to have a remote chance of achieving what she has, a berth at the most important and prestigious women's tournament in the world. Even if you didn't grow up with a personal caddy in a country club universe. 

As for Cherry Hills, which will be welcoming Heckeroth as a participant, it is the only golf course in the world that has held four various major USGA championships. The men's U.S. Open (twice), The U.S. Men's Amateur, the U.S. Men's Senior Open, and now, the U.S. Women's Open. Winners of those events include Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Phil Mickelson. That's some fancy history. 

It is the longest course in Women's Open history and the tournament is nationally televised all four days. 

After two days, only those with the low 60 scores will finish the final two rounds. As challenging as Cherry Hills will be, Heckeroth may well have the game and the momentum to earn that right. Nine birdies in one 36-hole day, for a 147 score, suggests there is still room for better. She is playing some great golf. There's a distinct difference in scoring potential between someone who makes nine birdies and throws a few springs (Ed: picks up a few strokes by constantly going for the big shot) on other holes, and someone who simply grinds it out with a ton of pars. Give me the birdie-bagger every time. There's room to catch fire there. 

Only a handful of Oregonians have ever reached the hallowed ground of a U.S. Women's Open. This year, as well as last, Allison Hanna of Portland qualified. She finished 32nd overall at New York last year. 

Heckeroth has had a nice view of the golf world the past year, but now she's flying with the eagles. Regardless of what transpires on the scoreboard, her qualifying is a life achievement and only a dream for many of the very finest golfers in the world. She'll be pampered and surrounded by golf royalty for a week. Hopefully, it will be the first of other such opportunities, but one has to cherish the moment. 

When the news hit Tillamook June 14, her coaches along the way, Fred Berkey, Pat Vining, Mike Lehman, Harry Coffman, Linda Shuford, her parents Kurt and Jan, her grandparents Chris and Vera Heil (who sponsored junior golf in Megan's younger days), and all of us who know the young lady, were sharing big smiles from a distance. 

Heckeroth's father, Kurt, called Megan as she was making the all-night drive back to Los Angeles for work the next day, to make sure she was all right traveling. As they talked through the dark night drive home, Megan said, "Dad, do you realize who I'm going to be playing with?" 
"It was hard not to get teary-eyed," said Kurt. 

The thought here is whomever she draws as playing partners will be, themselves, enriched by being part of her amazing journey to the place she'll be walking, June 23-26. 

And there'll be a lot of energy being channeled her way from her hometown fans. That is a surety.

Chapter Two

Heckeroth makes spirited run at U.S. Open

June 27, 2005 -- Tillamook High School graduate and Netarts native Megan Heckeroth capped an amazing five days at the Women's U.S. Open Golf Championship at Cherry Hills, Colo., with a second-round rally, which nearly got her to the weekend, amidst the lofty company of the top-63 players in the field. 

With the best women players in the world, numbering 156, battling for the richest and most prestigious championship in women's golf, Heckeroth made it quite clear she belonged. 

Her second round 74, on the heels of an opening round of 78, was bettered by just 45 players, and, may have been better, but for the timing of the stoppage of play, after a 16th-hole mishap, with just two holes remaining in her round. 

Heckeroth, playing well enough to have fought her way back to the projected cutline, by virtue of a one-over par score, had just birdied her 15th hole on Friday, June 24, putting herself in position to par the three remaining holes for a stellar comeback, to make the halfway cut at eight-over par. At that point, the winds kicked up to 25-30 mph, as a thunderstorm approached. Consequently, a wind-affected double-bogey on the 16th hole stifled her run. Minutes later, the course was evacuated. Upon returning after the weather delay, she did finish strong with two pars, concluding her championship at 10-over par for the two days (78-74). 

Heckeroth still had a chance to make the cut, as every player excepting Nicole Perrot was at even-par or higher, which would put Heckeroth within 10-shots, another way to qualify. After a long wait behind the 18th green for Perrot to finish, it was finally determined, when Perrot concluded her round at 2-under, establishing the cut line at plus-eight. 

Heckeroth finished tied for 65th place in her first U.S. Open, quite a remarkable accomplishment for the young woman who had never played in such a league of talent, until the week of the event. Only the one woman bettered par for the first two days. 

In her second round, Heckeroth had six birdie putts under 10-feet, holing just the one on the 15th hole. As a result, she tied for 77th place in her two-days of play, with the field at 156 players. Heckeroth averaged 259 yards with her tee shots over the two days, most of which she struck with a three-wood to keep the ball in play. She hit 19 of 28 fairways on the narrow course (68 percent) and hit 19 of 36 greens in regulation (53 percent). She had 25 pars and two birdies in her two rounds, with three double-bogeys and six bogeys. Heckeroth averaged 31 putts per round. 

In the end, of the 63 remaining players in the field, just 18 scored better than Heckeroth's 10-over par total for two rounds. On day four, only a dozen beat her second-day score of 74. Annika Sorenstam wound up 12-over-par as did Michelle Wei, both of whom Heckeroth enjoyed practice rounds with. 

Quite clearly, she brought the skills necessary to play on golf's highest level and that awareness will be factored in to what comes next in her golf career. 

© 2005 Michael O'Brien