Other than host golf professional and six-time champion David Ishii, only Greg Meyer has been more of a constant and a perennial name on the leaderboard in the Hawai'i Pearl Open, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary as the first local major of the year.

Meyer has played in the event sponsored by the Pearl Country Club every year since 1987 when he won the first of his four titles, making him second only to Ishii in the number of victories. And Meyer can't even remember the number of times he finished runner-up.

In previous years of the Pearl Open, it has been easy to overlook the quiet and unassuming 46-year-old Hilo native, who now plays on the Japan Golf Tour Organization, where he finished 37th on the money list last year.

Several years ago, there was all that media fuss over Michelle Wie, who became the first and youngest female to make the tournament cut. And, if that wasn't enough, there was another teen queen entered, Japan's Sakura Yokomine.

Last year, it was all Tadd Fujikawa, who at 16 became the youngest Pearl Open champion right after his sensational showing in the Sony Open. Overlooked in all that Tadd Mania was Meyer's second-place finish by one stroke. And that Meyer won the $12,000 top prize because Fujikawa was still an amateur.

So, in more ways than one, the modest Meyer didn't mind not being the center of attention.

Interestingly, he never played in the same group with Wie or Fujikawa. But he saw and heard the crowd following the two local whiz kids.

"With Michelle it was like an exhibition within a tournament. Everybody was following her group," recalled Meyer about Wie's Pearl Open appearances in 2003 and 2004.

"We were kind of doing our own thing," added Meyer, who did such of a good job of doing his own thing that he won both of those years.

It was the same thing again last year. Like Wie, Fujikawa commanded all the attention, drawing the largest gallery and the most noise when birdie putts dropped.

It was deja vu all over again for Meyer, who was playing two groups ahead of Fujikawa.

"I was way behind them (the leaders)," said Meyer, who quietly moved up the leaderboard by sinking birdie putts at 12, 14 and 15 to actually take the lead at 10-under par, which Fujikawa got to with a birdie at the par-3 16th.

But if no one is watching, did Meyer's birdie putts make a sound? Maybe not. But here he was tied for the lead when Fujikawa three-putted 17 for a par after an aggressive try for eagle. Meyer could only watch as the youngster, who has since turned pro, birdied the final hole to win by one stroke.

You would think that with Fujikawa not defending his title this year — he's playing in the AT&T National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach, Calif., on a sponsor's exemption — Meyer finally might get some media attention this week.

Sorry. He still finds himself in the supporting cast again with the media spotlight on another high school sensation, this time from Japan, in Ryo Ishikawa, who at 15 last year became the youngest winner of a Japan Tour event when he took the Munsingwear Open KSB Cup.

Ishikawa, who was outplayed by Fujikawa in last year's Pearl Open, will be making his U.S. pro debut tomorrow and it figures to be well-documented before the 54-hole tournament ends Sunday. With a two-year exemption on the JTGO by virtue of his victory, Ishikawa decided to turn pro a month ago.

This time, though, Meyer will get to be with the crowd and hear the noise when birdie putts fall. He will be playing in the same foursome with Ishikawa for the first two rounds.

"I'll be right in the middle of it, in the middle of the hurricane," said Meyer, who's looking forward to playing with the youngster.

Meyer played with Ishikawa in last year's Dunlop Phoenix and came away impressed: "He has a good attitude. He's got a good short game and is a good putter."

Meyer, Ishikawa and a large number of Japanese pros in the field are using the Pearl Open as a tuneup for the JGTO season that opens in April.

In Meyer's case, he can't wait to get back, especially after enjoying his best year in 2007 when he earned around $226,000 in playing 27 events, improving from his 46th-place finish on the 2006 money list.

"I thought I was a little more consistent in 2006," Meyer said. "Last year I had a good start, lost it in the middle and did well at the end. I'd like to be more consistent and do better this year."

Meyer followed Ishii's footsteps to Japan after a successful career locally with victories in the Manoa Cup (1982), the Hawai'i State Open (1998), the JAL Rainbow Open (1997 and '99) and the Mid-Pacific Open (1990, '97, '99). A 1984 University of Hawai'i graduate, Meyer won the state title in 1978 as a Hilo High School junior.

It was difficult going at first, especially with the language barrier for Meyer, who's now fluent in Japanese.

Ishii, a 14-time winner on the Japan Tour, notes the improvement in Meyer's performance there. "He's getting better and better and last year was his best," Ishii said. "He's a journeyman who made it the hard way. He didn't have too many sponsor's exemptions starting out. He had to do all the qualifying stuff."

Since 2002, Meyer has averaged 24 events a year in Japan and has earned an estimated $1.4 million in career winnings. But he feels his game has improved in recent years.

"Maybe it's wisdom from age" or having settled down with family responsibilities, according to Meyer. He and his wife, Akiko, have a 4-year-old daughter, Christy, and they live in Osaka during the golf season.

When the season's over, it's home to Hawai'i. And every year at this time, it's the Hawai'i Pearl Open for Meyer, who calls the golf course his "own backyard" ever since he began his affiliation with Pearl Country Club as a UH student working at the driving range.