IT HAS BEEN A MASTERS-FUL YEAR; AFTER TWO MAJOR TITLES IN 1998, MARK O'MEARA IS IN DEMAND.

Byline: Larry Morgan

Mark O'Meara has long been respected by his peers for not only possessing one of the game's smoothest swings but for consistent, winning golf.

But not great golf.

O'Meara has had a run of success since turning professional in 1980. The former U.S. Amateur champion has 16 victories, $10,293,473 in career earnings and is a four-time member of the U.S. Ryder Cup. Still, there was something missing in his impressive resume - a major championship.

O'Meara's world as he knew it, however, ended April 12 in Augusta, Ga., when he sank a birdie putt on the 72nd hole to win the Masters for his first major title. He was at it again three months later in the British Open, when he defeated Brian Watts in a playoff.

O'Meara went from a good player to a great one almost overnight. With it have come the spoils of victory, such as the 60,000 miles he figures he'll log in less than a month. He'll be jetting to La Quinta, Calif., where he will compete in this weekend's Skins Game at Rancho La Quinta Country Club, then to South Africa for the Sun City Challenge and, finally, to Melbourne, Australia for the Presidents Cup early next month.

O'Meara suddenly is in demand all over the world, but he is more than willing to put up with a little jet lag.

``If I get tired,'' he said, ``well, it's not such a bad way to make a living.''

It has been a year to remember for O'Meara, although the demands on his time haven't afforded him the chance to think much about it. But he has savored it, and understandably so.

``It's been a dream year for me,'' O'Meara said. ``I have been very busy all year long. At 41 years of age, my 18th year on tour, to finally break through and win my first major championship . . . sometimes I don't take enough time to reminisce, but when I look back and see that putt on the 72nd hole at Augusta National to win the Masters, it gives me goose bumps, probably more so now then when it happened.

``And the British Open, that is a tournament I have cherished for many, many years. I felt like if there was a major that I was going to be able to win, that would probably be the one. The history behind that championship is unbelievable. I would say it has definitely been one of my best years.''

O'Meara, who also won the World Match Play Championship in a 36-hole duel with close friend Tiger Woods, said he remembers the final-hole scenario at the Masters almost as clearly now as when it happened more than six months ago.

``When I went to mark my ball,'' he said, ``I took a couple of deep breaths to try and relax myself as much as possible. As I was lining up my ball, I thought to myself, `This is what I play for.' Sooner or later, I knew I had to make a putt and that now it was in my hands. Why not close the door?

``When it disappeared and my hands went into the air and the fans got all excited, I think more shock and a little disbelief and more joy went through my mind that I just won The Masters.''

O'Meara often has been asked what he can do for an encore in 1999. He answers by saying his year isn't over.

``I constantly like to compete and play and win,'' he said. ``I know that winning doesn't come all the time. When you look at the best players of all time in the game of golf, the winning percentage is really small. In the game of golf, you lose a lot more than you win.

``I feel my career has been one of consistency, with a little struggle here and there.''

O'Meara, who defeated John Cook in the final of the 1979 U.S. Amateur Championship and was named the PGA Tour's Rookie of the Year in 1981, won just $31,711 in 1982 and $69,354 in '83. His yearly winnings have never been less than $200,000 since then, although there was 1994, when he earned $214,070 and his best finish in a major was a tie for 15th in the Masters.

``I've probably been one of the more consistent players on the tour for the last 15 or 16 years,'' O'Meara said. ``It takes a lot of pride and hard work. So, hopefully, I can continue on that . . . build on what happened here this year.

``I know I'll turn 42 in January, but my best golf years are ahead of me. There is no reason not to think that.''

Part of his thinking is his belief that age means nothing in golf. Even friendly competitions against the 23-year-old Woods back home in Windermere, Fla., a suburb of Orlando, don't leave him feeling he's ready for the geriatric set.

``Well, I think with age comes wisdom,'' O'Meara said. ``There is no question that a lot of the young players have more power, quite a bit of talent and no fear. That is why I think they have risen to an unbelievable level in such a short period of time.

``But I still also believe patience and learning from experience also plays a role. I've said it before, and I'll say it again . . . the golf ball doesn't know how old you are. It just kind of sits on the ground.

``I think age is a factor if you look out at the strength of, let's say, David Duval or Tiger Woods compared to Mark O'Meara. Sure, they have more strength, but there are lot of ways to win golf tournaments, and I guess I proved that this year in winning the Masters and British Open.

``Age and wisdom from learning from your past mistakes can also be a tremendous advantage sometimes.''

Especially when it comes to his drawing power. O'Meara admitted his marquee value isn't the same as, say, Greg Norman or John Daly, but he has no problem with that.

``I realize that, and that's fine,'' he said. ``Sure, people recognize me more and (fame) that comes along with that is really nice, but I'm me and I can only be me. If people appreciate Mark O'Meara for the kind of person and the player that I am, that's fine and I appreciate that. If they come out and watch me, I'll give them my best.

``I take a lot of pride in the consistency I have had in my career. So, if that is a way of determining someone's greatness, then I've been good at that.''

PGA SKINS GAME

Site: Saturday-Sunday at La Quinta.

Course: Rancho La Quinta Golf Club (7,087 yards, par 71).

Purse: $1 million (Nos. 1-6, $25,000 each; Nos. 7-12, $50,000; Nos. 13-17, $70,000, No. 18, $200,000).

Television: ABC (Saturday, 1:30-4 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30-5 p.m.).

Last year: Tom Lehman won with $300,000. He birdied seven of the final nine holes for a Skins-record 10 birdies in a round of 61. Mark O'Meara was second with $240,000, and Tiger Woods was third with $60,000.

Notes: Lehman is defending his title against O'Meara, Greg Norman and Fred Couples. . . . Norman is making his second start following shoulder surgery. He teamed with Steve Elkington two weeks ago to win the Shark Shootout. . . . Couples, the 1995 and 1996 winner, was unable to defend his title last year because of his father's death. . . . Lehman won the Callaway Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Sunday. He is winless on the PGA Tour since the 1996 Tour Championship.

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: Mark O'Meara hadn't won a major golf championship in 18 pro seasons before taking two of them this year.

Ralph Priddy/Associated Press

Box: PGA SKINS GAME (See Text)