O’Neill And Keim, A First For U. S. Open?

Dan O’Neill is going to keep a weather eye out for Bob Goalby while competing in the U. S. Open at Pebble Beach along California’s Pacific shores this week.Dan, who with Jim Keim Jr., may be setting an all-time first for the Open when they tee off, remembers some tips Goalby gave him in 1968.

O’Neill and his father, physiotherapist J. Robert, departed for Erie yesterday afternoon where they en-planed for California.

Goalby, now a part-time tournament commentator, will very likely be at the Open. “He helped Dan a lot in ‘68,” the elder O’Neill explained, “and Dan wants to look him up and thank him.”

Young O’Neill, more or less unpolished in 1968 but good enough to impress pros Ken Venturini and Goalby during an exhibition round at Dunkirk’s Shorewood Country Club, along with the host pro Jack Schubert, learned a lot about grips that day.

Advice About Grip

“Goalby advised him to change his lefthand grip in order to “weaken it.” the father said. The wrist turned to the left produces a “strong” grip “and as you get older you’ll hook,” Goalby explained. He induced Dan to go right with his grip and get his hand on top of the club, a maneuver that young O’Neill says improved his game immediately.

“Dan has received a lot of help from several pro golfers,” J. Robert added, “especially Ed Golen at Moon Brook.

As for the possibility of a “first,” O’Neill and Keim may be the first two amateurs from the same club to play in the same U. S. Open. Keim earlier petitioned the United States Golf Association for reinstatement as an amateur and the request was granted. Keim, a resident of Erie, is a member of Moon Brook as is O’Neill.

One USGA official was unsure as to this being a U. S. Open first but promised The Post-Journal he would “check it out and let you know as soon as possible.”

Few Amateurs Make It

In any event, O’Neill and Keim shooting in the same Open is obviously highly unusual in view of these facts: Approximately 4,200 applicants sought 115 places for this year’s tourney of which about 1,500 were amateurs. Of the latter figure, probably 15 or 20 will actually play in the Open and two of them will be Moon Brook members.

O’Neill and Keim will be the third and fourth local or ex-local golfers to tee off in the classic. Toby Lyons, long-time pro at Moon Brook, played in the tournament at Inverness, Toledo, in 1957, shooting rounds of 82 and 78, and his son, Denny, was in the starting field at Merion CC last June. Denny came up with rounds of 74-77 for a 151 and also missed the cut. Although Denny was not living here last year, he was a Jamestown resident during the years his father was a pro at Moon Brook.

No Fear of Choking

As for young O’Neill and the 1972 Open – he has no fear of “choking up.” Both Dan and his father stressed the fact he plays better when the competition is tough and the opposition will be first class at Pebble Beach. “I may play badly, but it won’t be from excessive nervousness,” Dan predicted.

Naturally, this Open is the golfing thrill of a lifetime for the entire O’Neill family. “I knew he was going to be quite a golfer when he won the county amateur at 14 years of age,” Robert said. “He entered the Boys Division at Chautauqua and Jim (Keim Sr.) asked him what he planned to do. When Dan told him he hoped to win it, Jim asked him why he didn’t try to win it all, the overall tournament, so that’s what he did.”

This time out Dan hopes to play well, does not expect to win it all, but is aiming for more of the ingredients from which big-time champs are made – the experience and the pressure that the United States Open can provide.