ACE in the hole

Paul Clinton

Bill Thompson ranks it as a crowning moment of his years hoofing and

swinging his way through a string of golf courses.

As a member of a pro-am foursome at this past weekend’s Memorial

Tournament, Thompson had played 17 holes of good golf before he would

play one phenomenal hole.

Thompson, the chief executive of Newport Beach-based Pacific

Investment Management Company, approached the final hole with his

team two strokes off the leaders.

The 57-year-old Thompson, playing with a 14 handicap, shot a

fairly solid round on the day, he said. He was playing with Alan

Lacy, the chairman and chief executive of Sears, Roebuck & Co., and

Dennis Burns, a senior partner at Morgan Stanley. Professional Len

Mattiace had also joined the team.

The team was high off eagling the second to last hole -- scoring

two under par, for those uninitiated with the game -- to bring them

to two shots behind the leaders. For the finale, a 175-yard par 3

hole, Thompson carefully chose a 5-iron club from his bag, aimed his

shot and let it rip.

“Len’s caddy yelled, ‘That’s got a chance,’” Thompson remembered

excitedly. “It bounced two times on the green and rolled and rolled,

then disappeared.”

Thompson froze.

Then he flung his club into the air.

Thompson’s hole in one had won them the tournament.

It was a spectacular, dramatic moment for Thompson, who

acknowledged that he has played better rounds of golf, but had never

won a tournament with a single shot.

It was a moment every sports enthusiast and athlete dreams about.

Hitting the game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth.

Swooshing a three-pointer to win a basketball game with three seconds

on the clock.

“It was really exciting,” Thompson said. “I’ve never had a hole in

one.”

At that moment, Thomson was a golf hero. And he’ll have the memory

for as long as he steps up to a tee box for a golf shot.

Afterward, the tournament creator, famed pro Jack “the Golden

Bear” Nicholas, congratulated Thompson on his feat. The renowned

golfer signed Thompson’s card “Nice Going, Bill.”

Mattiace autographed the ball.

The tournament took place a week ago Tuesday, a few days before

the pros took the course at the Muirfield Village Golf Club in

Columbus, Ohio, for the PGA Tour event. Kenny Perry won the $700,000

purse after shooting a 275 over four rounds of play.

Thompson, who lives in Laguna Beach with his wife Nancy and three

children, joined PIMCO in 1993 after serving an 18-year career with

Salomon Brothers.

He has been active in the community, completing a three-year term

as chairman of the Hoag Hospital Foundation board. He has also played

in the annual Toshiba Senior Golf Classic.

* PAUL CLINTON covers the environment, business and politics. He

may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

paul.clinton@latimes.com.