Jones Cup: Tom Sargent

Richard Dunn

COSTA MESA - Tom Sargent, one of America’s preeminent golf

authorities and instructors, hopes to conduct a clinic Friday in the

inaugural Jones Cup.

The Mesa Verde Country Club head professional will join handpicked

amateur Pete Daley, the two-time Mesa Verde men’s club champion, in the

ultimate community pro-am, hosted by Newport Beach Country Club at 1 p.m.

Sargent, who came to Mesa Verde in 1995 after 17 years as the head pro

at Yorba Linda Country Club, was voted into golf’s pantheon in 1997 when

he garnered PGA of America Professional of the Year honors.

The past president of the Southern California PGA, Sargent made a name

for himself as a teacher. One of his former pupils, Kellee Booth, can be

regularly seen on the leaderboard at LPGA Tour stops.

“The teachers don’t make the players, the players make the teachers,”

Sargent once said.

Known for upholding the creeds of golf and keeping the game fun,

Sargent is a highly decorated club pro who got his start promoting

juniors. Four times, Sargent was selected the SCPGA’s Junior Golf Leader

and in 1989 won the PGA of America Junior Golf Leader Award.

Three times, Sargent was named SCPGA Teacher of the Year, and in 1991

was chosen as the SCPGA Professional of the Year, then served as the

section’s president from 1993 to ’95.In a meeting for the Tea Cup Classic

prior to the 1999 event at Mesa Verde Country Club, Sargent was asked a

question -- “Would you play?” -- during discussions about the future of

the Fletcher Jones Motorcars/Daily Pilot Club Championship Series and the

possible inclusion of a men’s pro-am.

“Bring’em on,” an eager Sargent said boldly, yet modestly, while

cupping his hand and curling his fingers in rapid motion, a clear sign

for Daily Pilot officials to move forward with the idea.

The Jones Cup, which will be played in a better-ball gross format, is

a spinoff from the Tea Cup Classic, which was started by the series in

1997 for women.