Golfers Receive the Maximum Gain From This Mini-Tour

Their brows aren’t quite as sweaty and their knees aren’t knocking nearly as much, but the competitors on the Tournament Players Tour want to win as much as any other tour golfer.

The Tournament Players Tour, based in Newport Beach, offers professionals and amateurs the opportunity to play competitive golf for prizes on quality courses under tournament conditions.

But unlike other mini-tours, a poorly timed three-putt is unlikely to mean dinner at fast-food restaurants for the next week and a wayward tee shot will probably not mean sleeping in your car at the next tour stop.

The members are mostly affluent: doctors, lawyers and businessmen who fancy themselves competitive golfers, but acknowledge they aren’t good enough to make a living as one.

Top-level amateurs and local mini-tour professionals also occasionally enter events to stay sharp.

With an average field of 70 to 80 players and average purses of $6,000, the Southern California-based tour has no lack of competitive spirit.

“It’s mostly for the recreational golfer who wants to play in a tournament atmosphere,” tournament director Mike Warren said. “At the same time we have a group of guys who are serious about going after the prize money.”

Entry fees run about $150 per tournament and the fields are divided into divisions based on handicap. Anyone can enter the Open Division, which offers prizes of $500 to $600 to the winner and often includes several professionals. Other division winners are paid in gift certificates or entry fee credits in order to preserve amateur status.

Glenn Stuart, a PGA professional and former touring pro, created the tour in 1991. It has expanded from a few tournaments a year to more than 50 tournaments slated for this year. Golf legends Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player have endorsed the tour.

The tour distinguishes itself from other mini-tours by selecting only top-quality courses in Southern California. Among the Orange County courses on the 2000 schedule are: Tijeras Creek, Strawberry Farms, Coyote Hills, Dove Canyon and Newport Beach Country Club.

“We like to play the nicer courses,” Warren said. “We’re a little spoiled, but that’s OK. One of the reasons a lot of guys come out is to get on some courses that they normally wouldn’t be able to play.”

For more information, call the tour office at (949) 475-2666.

FUTURE IS NOW

Candie Kung turned in a solid performance in the Pacific Bell Futures Classic, shooting 77-72-70--219 to finish sixth in the Futures Tour event at Quail Ranch Golf Club in Moreno Valley.

Kung, a former Fountain Valley High standout and current USC freshman, played the tournament as an amateur. Her third-round two-under-par 70 tied for low score of the tournament and she finished three shots behind winner Melinda Daniels-Price of Jupiter, Fla. Eunice Choi of Dove Canyon, a Laguna Hills High graduate, tied for second at 76-70-72--218.

CONSTRUCTION COMPLETE

Construction on the PGA of Southern California Golf Club at Oak Valley was completed Monday and section officials are planning for a late June or early July opening.

The 36-hole layout, near Beaumont in Riverside County, will be measured and rated in the next few weeks and then it will be allowed to mature until ready for play.

Scott Wilson has been selected head professional at the new home for the SCPGA. Wilson, a 1989 graduate of Cal State Fullerton, has been head professional at La Costa Resort and Spa since 1997. He also served as assistant professional at Alta Vista Country Club, Rancho Bernardo Inn, Spyglass Golf Club and Bent Pine Golf Club in Vero Beach, Fla.

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES

The SCPGA Web site is under construction and will not be available for at least another month, according to section spokesman Greg Flores.

The former Web site address, https://www.scpga.org, will no longer be valid when it is back up. Instead, users must access the site through a link at https://www.pga.com.

JUNIOR WORLD QUALIFYING

Qualifying sites and dates for the Junior World Championships have been announced. Local sites include: the SCGA Members Club, Murietta, June 26-27; Monterey Country Club, Palm Desert, June 28; Yorba Linda Country Club, June 29; Balboa Golf Course, Encino, June 30 and Hansen Dam Golf Course, Pacoima, June 30.

The Junior World Championships are July 18-21 at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla; Steele Canyon Country Club in Jamul; Singing Hills Resort in El Cajon; Lawrence Welk Resort in Escondido and Presidio Hills in San Diego.