Busted rib and all, Maggert guts out 3 over par start  PGATOUR.com Senior Correspondent KAPALUA, Hawaii -- Nearing the end of a family vacation in Beavercreek, Colo., last Friday, Jeff Maggert turned in his snowboarding equipment satisfied that he had not injured himself, which is always the goal for someone who estimates that he is no better than an "80s shooter" when it comes to his skill on the slopes. Then he went grocery shopping and cracked a rib. He still teed it up Thursday in the first round of the Mercedes-Benz Championship, the kickoff of the 2007 PGA TOUR season and the FedExCup competition, literally gutting out a 3-over-par 76 on the Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort. "If it were just about any other event, I might have strongly considered pulling out," Maggert, 42, of Houston, said. "The nice thing about playing here is that there is no cut. If I were healthy I'd feel lucky to be here."  (WireImage)
Maggert qualified for the winners-only tournament by capturing his third career title and first in seven years at the 2006 Fed Ex St. Jude Classic. Winner of the first World Golf Championships event, the '99 Accenture Match Play Championships, the TOUR veteran knew he was throwing a bit of caution to the wind with a ski vacation prior to his first tournament in two months, having seen the likes of Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco take a tumble and lose playing time. After dropping off his ski equipment, Maggert made a quick stop at a grocery store for coffee and a few other items. As he exited the store with bags in hand, he slipped on a large patch of ice just off the curb. He landed on his right side, cracking one rib. He felt discomfort, but didn't think he was hurt that seriously until he got on a plane to come to Maui on New Year's Day. By the time he reached the island, he was miserable. Tuesday morning he could hit no more than 10 balls before packing it in and heading to the hospital for an X-ray, which revealed a 20 percent separation in one of his ribs. He chipped and putted but skipped the Wednesday pro-am. Dudley Hart took his place. Advil, Tylenol and a bit of resolve got Maggert through Thursday's first round on what turned out to be a blustery and bothersome day for the entire field. His efforts put him in 27th place after the first round, seven strokes behind a group of five men tied for the lead. "I still wasn't sure what to expect last night (Wednesday), but I actually felt a lot better today and I went through my normal warm-up routine," said Maggert, who finished 60th on the 2006 PGA TOUR money list with his fourth season of more than $1 million in earnings. "I think it's going to get a little better now every day and I'll be fine." Though he admittedly had a tendency to flinch on almost every swing, knowing that the pain was most sharp on the downswing (he described it as someone poking him with an ice pick), Maggert couldn't blame anything but his short game for his disappointing score. He needed 34 putts on the sloping and swift surfaces, though he managed to make two birdies coming home to salvage a decent performance, given his health. Interestingly, he beat his previous opening round at the Plantation Course by four strokes. Maggert posted an 80 to start the 2000 edition. "I think I managed my game pretty well tee to green," he said. "If it weren't for the putting and short game I might have been even par or even a couple under. But I'm not going to complain." Maggert has committed to next week's Sony Open in Hawaii, and believes he will be healthy enough to remain in the field. He is considering an extra week or two off after to make sure he is fully healed for the rest of the FedExCup season. "You know, I am looking at the long term, and I want to play another 10 years out here," he said. "Parts of my game are getting better. I'll get through this week and next and then take it easy. I won't do much." Snowboarding would be fine. Shopping is out of the question. |
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