John Harris took his golf game to the “next level” when he won the Commerce Bank Championship last year at Eisenhower Park’s Red Course. This year he wants to go one step further.
The 54-year-old Minnesota native returned to East Meadow yesterday to say he’s looking forward to defending his Commerce title at this year’s Champions Tour event, which will be contested June 29-July 1.
Harris, a former hockey player who quit the Hartford Whalers to pursue a golf career in 1976, played on the Champions Tour for four years before he finally struck gold last summer, defeating Tom Jenkins on the first playoff hole for the Commerce Bank title.
“Winning last year removed some of the doubt about whether or not I could compete at the next level,” said Harris, a former U.S. Amateur champ. “Maybe I haven’t handled it well since. It’s time to gear up, reassess and set loftier goals. I’m here to say I will be competitive when I come back here in June.”
Harris, who continues to run an insurance company he founded in 1979, expects to face a formidable field at this year’s Commerce tournament. Nick Price, Mark O’Meara and Seve Ballesteros are some of the big names who are turning 50 years old this year.
Gary Player, Bobby Wadkins, Jim Thorpe, Ron Streck, Dana Quigley and Bruce Fleisher are among the list of former champions expected to compete. Tournament manager Tony Marr expects to finalize the 78-man field within the next few weeks.
Now in its 21st year on Long Island, the tournament will benefit Schneider Children’s Hospital and the Boomer Esiason Foundation. For ticket info, call the tournament office at 516-802-4653.