Kuchar still in nation’s spotlight

Thursday, May 28, 1998 | 10:52 a.m.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- It has been a whirlwind year for Georgia Tech sophomore Matt Kuchar, beginning with his win in the U.S. Amateur last summer and culminating with his storybook performance in The Masters.

Kuchar captivated golf viewers across the country as he smiled his way through four magnificent rounds at Augusta, obviously having the time of his young life. In the process, Kuchar finished as the low amateur, shooting even-par 288 and tying for 21st place.

After such heady experiences, it must be hard for the 19-year-old to get excited about the NCAA Men's Golf Championships, right?

"No, not at all," Kuchar said Wednesday after shooting an opening-round 69 at the University of New Mexico Championship Course. "This is our big dance, this is the biggest thing we've got going for Georgia Tech. It's what we've been practicing for all year, what we've been waiting for all year ... this is it for us."

At times Wednesday, Kuchar went through spans of several holes without flashing his now-trademark smile that landed him on the front pages of newspapers, on magazine covers and on television sportscasts during The Masters. His explanation?

"I was quite nervous out there and I know some of our other boys were, too," Kuchar said. "But it's fun when you get that kind of nervous -- that's what you play for. There is a feeling you get when you're nervous out on the golf course and it's something you don't experience in anything else."

Kuchar's 3-under-par 69 left him tied for ninth place with 11 other golfers heading into today's second round. The Yellow Jackets shot 7-under-par 281 and were in third place, three shots behind first-round leader Oklahoma State.

"I didn't play that well (Wednesday) so I'm very happy coming in at three under," Kuchar said. "It was just kind of an off-day and it has been that way the two practice rounds: very average off the tee, irons shots aren't crisp and putting is just average."

* ADD KUCHAR: Despite his impressive play in both The Masters and at a subsequent PGA Tour event, Georgia Tech sophomore Matt Kuchar said he has every intention of completing his education. "Coach (Bruce) Heppler has kind of prepped me for that (question) this week," Kuchar said. "We've talked about it and he said, 'Matt, all the other coaches out here keep asking me when are you going to leave. They're advising me to advise you to leave.'" Kuchar, incidentally, was a teammate of UNLV sophomore Jeremy Anderson at Seminole High School in Lake Mary, Fla.

* VEGAS TIES: Former UNLV assistant coach J.T. Higgins is in his first year as the head golf coach at the University of New Mexico. Higgins' Lobos, which tied with Arizona State for the team title at the West Regional, shot a 1-over-par 289 on their home course Wednesday and were tied for 15th place going into today's second round. ... UNM senior associate athletic director Conrad Colbert, who is the tournament director for this year's NCAA Men's Golf Championships, is the father of Las Vegas Stars coach Craig Colbert. ... Heppler, the Georgia Tech head coach, served as an assistant under Dwaine Knight at UNLV from 1989-91.

* ON THE DEFENSE: Defending NCAA individual champion Charles Warren of Clemson shot an opening-round 69 Wednesday and was two shots off the lead going into today's second round. Pepperdine, the defending NCAA team champion, did not qualify for this year's championship.