Bryce AldertonThe number of cameras following Japan’s...

Bryce Alderton

The number of cameras following Japan’s Hajime Meshiai are slowly

starting to increase with each passing day leading into Friday’s

first round of the Toshiba Senior Classic at Newport Beach Country

Club.

They are all seeking a glimpse of the Tokyo resident who will make

his Champions Tour debut at this week’s tournament.

Meshiai, who turned 50 last Friday, will be paired with Sam

Torrance, who has played and captained victorious European Ryder Cup

teams, and NBCC head golf professional Paul Hahn when the threesome

tees off at 12:34 p.m. this Friday.

The 11-time winner on the Japan golf tour left himself plenty of

time to familiarize himself with the course. He arrived last week and

had already played the course twice heading into Monday’s Pro-Am.

Meshiai is no stranger to American soil, having played 18 PGA Tour

events while competing in the Masters, U.S. Open and PGA Championship

in 1994, a year that also saw make seven appearances. That year he

also earned his largest paycheck on tour -- $9,315 -- at the

Memorial.

His best finish at a PGA Tour event came when he tied for 29th in

the 1998 Honda Classic.

Now the senior tour beckons and Meshiai, who began playing golf

before his freshman year in college after spending his childhood in

baseball, is eager put his talents up against the best the game has

to offer.

“I look forward to the competition being more stiff and playing at

a high level,” said Meshiai through an interpreter. “I’m also looking

forward to renewing the camaraderie and friendship I’ve made over the

years and meeting old friends.”

One of those players Meshiai remembers was Fuzzy Zoeller, whom he

played with during the first two rounds of the 1994 Masters.

Zoeller was also paired with Meshiai on the final day of the KBC

Augusta championship in 1985 in Japan. Meshiai went on to win the

tournament for his first professional victory.

“I have good memories of Fuzzy,” Meshiai said. “It is fun to play

with him.”

Zoeller approached Meshiai Monday on the driving range to welcome

him to the tour and the two soon embraced.

“Welcome, have fun,” Zoeller said with a smile.

Meshiai grinned.

“You are a great player. I enjoy watching you on [television],”

Meshiai said.

Meshiai hasn’t played an official tour event since November, but

feels ready for the challenge of facing 77 of the best senior golfers

in the world, despite being seven tournaments into the season. He has

been practicing often and pounded balls on the range Monday and again

Tuesday before his practice round.

Meshiai said the PGA Tour is tougher than the Japan Tour and

expects the Champions Tour to provide just as fierce a challenge.

Meshiai earned exempt status for this season after finishing third

at last year’s national qualifying tournament near Fort Lauderdale,

Fla. He vaulted from seventh to third on the final day, when he

birdied five of the last six holes to shoot 66 at the at the TPC

Eagle Trace, equaling the low round of the event. His career low

round in a PGA Tour event was also a 66 at the Southwestern

Bell/Colonial.

Last season he earned $141,885 in 22 events on the Japan Golf Tour

-- his best finish was a tie for sixth at the Japan Golf Tour

Championship.

His best season on the Japan Tour came in 1993, when he won four

times and was the leading money winner, earning nearly $1.2 million.

Meshiai turned professional in 1978, two years after earning his

law degree from Komazawa University. He is married with two children.

“I wish I could tell you what it is going to be like, but it is

the first event and I don’t know what to expect,” Meshiai said. “I

have worked hard in Japan, but it is about being tournament ready.

I’m looking forward to seeing how I do.”