SUNRIVER Mark OMeara has more than golf on his mind this week.

The two-time PGA major champion is also an avid fly fisherman and he intends to make good use of his time in Central Oregon.

On Sunday, after the final round of the Jeld-Wen Tradition, OMeara plans to head (about two hours north) to fish for steelhead on the Deschutes River near Maupin. He expects to fish until Tuesday, when he travels to Seattle for next weeks Boeing Classic.

I love (Central Oregon), OMeara said Tuesday afternoon before teeing off for The Tradition pro-am. I love this place. I got goose bumps when I flew in.

OMeara has not had much time to fish of late, he said.

He went through a divorce of his wife of 30 years more than a year ago and remarried in June.

His personal life, and golf, have kept him busy, OMeara said.

I havent done enough fishing in the last year, just going through this whole change in my life of where I am at personally, OMeara said. Last week was the first time that I was able to get away for four or five days and just go trout fishing (on the Snake River in Idaho).

He calls trout fishing a bypass to get ready for the steelhead season.

And he plans to take advantage this week.

When I landed here, the first thing I did was call the Deschutes Angler (Fly) Shop down there (in Maupin) and talked to the boys in the shop, OMeara said. I had heard that the number of the (steelhead) runs coming over Bonneville (Dam, on the Columbia River near Cascade Locks) were huge like second of all time. So Sunday, when I get done here, Ill be in Maupin Sunday afternoon fishing the evening session somewhere down there in the canyon.

Beautiful

Golf legend Gary Player played his first round ever at Crosswater Club on Tuesday on a chamber of commerce day in Central Oregon.

The nine-time PGA Tour major champion came away impressed, sounding almost as if he should be working for the local chamber of commerce.

Its a beautiful part of the country, said Player after finishing his round and putting himself at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome from signing dozens of autographs. Its a paradise.

At 73 years old, Player does not figure to be a contender at this weeks Tradition. But the South African, who fired a 2-over-par 74 in the pro-am, said he should be able to manage Crosswaters 7,500 yards at least, as long as the weather cooperates like it did Tuesday.

Its a very beautiful course, but theyve got some LONG carries there if the wind comes up, Player said of Crosswater, one of the longest courses on the Champions Tour. If the wind comes up, there will be 20 or 30 guys that wont reach the fairway. And then youre unplayable.

Pairings

The Tradition on Tuesday released the pairings for the first two rounds, scheduled to be played Thursday and Friday.

Among the marquee pairings will be the threesome of Greg Norman, Oregon native Peter Jacobsen and Craig Stadler. That trio is scheduled to tee off at 9:26 a.m. on Thursday and play together again at 11:27 a.m. on Friday.

The group immediately following Norman, Jacobsen and Stadler on Thursday will be reigning Tradition champion Fred Funk, all-time Champions Tour money winner Hale Irwin, and 21-time PGA Tour winner Lanny Wadkins.

At 9:59 a.m. on Thursday, hall-of-famers Tom Watson and Ben Crenshaw will tee off with Keith Fergus. Spectators at the 2007 Tradition, also at Crosswater, might remember Crenshaw and Watson each taking two-stroke penalties for inadvertently hitting each others golf balls during the second round.

PGA Tour food drive

The Tradition will be hosting an on-course food drive this week as part of a larger PGA Tour program.

The food drive, which will take place Thursday through Sunday, will be managed by staff and volunteers from Central Oregons NeighborImpact and will benefit the local nonprofit.

Tournament attendees are encouraged to bring canned or nonperishable food items to the tournament. Donations brought to the tournament will be collected in general parking lot C, located at the La Pine Fire Station. Donations may also be dropped off in Bend at the Tower Theatre or in the Orvis parking lot at The Old Mill District.