Sidney Crosby may be the next big thing in the NHL, but his neighbor Brian MacLeod made his own claim to fame recently when he won the U.S. Open Blind Golf Championship.

Crosby comes from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, and MacLeod from nearby Truro.

So they/re from similar geographic backgrounds.

Their sports differ, however.

The NHL may be shrinking its way to becoming a niche sport but MacLeod/s event barely appears on sports fans/ radar screen.

MacLeod/s U.S. Open title came in Raleigh, North Carolina two weeks ago in the marquee event of the U.S. Blind Golf Association.

MacLeod is blind, totally. For 17 years, he has seen no light, no shapes. That/s called B-1 among blind golfers.

In Raleigh, MacLeod 7 an eight-time Canadian champion 7 shot 209 over 36 holes to best two legends in blind golf, Pat Brown and Phil Blackwell. Brown by six strokes, Blackwell by 16.

&#8220Pat Brown, that guy/s short game is amazing,C said MacLeod Thursday as he practiced at Rancho Maria 7 the site of Monday/s California Blind Golf Classic. &#8220He shot in the 70/s thirty years ago. He never missed a fairway but he/s not long anymore because he/s 72.C

&#8220Phil had a kidney stone so he wasn/t playing his best but he was the first one over to congratulate me.

&#8220I/m not stupid enough to believe that if we played again that he wouldn/t win, but I know I/m right there. I/m happy because now I know I/m playing as good as those guys. That/s my biggest achievement.

&#8220I wanted to get some respect. The only way to do that is to win down here. Now they know, hey, he can play a little bit. You can/t take him too lightly.C

MacLeod/s dream now is to win the world championship in Japan next April.

Blackwell, a former world champ, will be there. So will two year world titleholder David Morris of England.

Morris found himself amidst a controversy last summer when allegations were made that he was not in fact totally blind.

Nothing of the sort has been ever been levelled at MacLeod, who is dependent on his coach Brian Smith to scope out his shots and set him in position.

&#8220A PGA tour pro could close his eyes after getting set up over the ball, swing and hit it because their swings are so grooved,C said Smith, a rail-thin 24-year-old with white hair.

&#8220The difference with Brian is he can/t see the ball. He has to have complete trust that we put the club in exactly the spot behind the ball. And that/s not easy to do. I/ve had people do it for me and I/d want to take a peek to see that it/s in that spot. Brian has no option. He has to believe that.C

MacLeod estimated it has been just in the past three years that he seriously developed his game, and says jokingly &#8220I don/t want to but I have to give credit to Brian.

&#8220He is my practice coach. I play 80% of my golf with Brian.C

MacLeod/s coach at the U.S. Open, and all previous tournaments, was Andy Crowe, but Crowe could not get free to make the trip to California.

MacLeod insists his game will not suffer with Smith replacing Crowe. &#8220They both coach me the same. They don/t do anything different lining me up,C he declared. &#8220I was with Brian the day I shot 86,C his career best round.

&#8220He had two birdies that day,C Smith added.

At 46, MacLeod is built like a linebacker at 208 pounds on a 5-10 frame. He played amateur hockey and baseball and even received interest from the old Montreal Expos. His drives carry 220-230 yards. Before losing his sight in an industrial accident, he was a 6-7 handicapper.

Blind golf/s closest brushes with mainstream sport came when Blackwell played a round on the Nationwide tour this spring.

But MacLeod has a dream7 a nation vs. nation matchup with himself and PGA pro Mike Weir representing Canada vs. Blackwell and Phil Mickleson of the U.S. &#8220It would be all lefties,C MacLeod noted.

But for now, a pasting of Bob Comba, a righty from British Columbia who upset him in 2003, will suffice.

Respect on the national scene requires as much.

The California Classic will hold Sponsor/s Day on Sunday at noon when sighted golfers may play in foursomes with a blind golfer. The classic itself is Monday. Volunteer scorekeepers are still needed. To help or play on Sunday call Howard Shaw at 735-1807.

q Sports writer John McReynolds can be reached at 736-2313, Ext. 106, or jmcreynolds@lompocrecord.com

October 21, 2005