Golf: Mesa Verde ready to pull another fast one in Jones Cup

Richard Dunn

COSTA MESA - The defending champions of the Jones Cup from Mesa

Verde Country Club like to disguise themselves, stay close to the lead,

then drop in for a win.

When Mesa Verde head professional Tom Sargent was asked about his

amateur partner, Pete Daley, he said inclement weather in Northern

Ireland had pushed back the British Senior Amateur Championship a couple

of days and Daley, who’s playing in the event, wouldn’t return home in

time for Tuesday’s Jones Cup at Santa Ana Country Club.

With tongue still in cheek, Sargent added he also wouldn’t be able to

defend Mesa Verde’s title.

When pressed about possible fill-in players, Sargent the prankster

couldn’t hold back his grin.

One should know better than to fall for a gag from Sargent, who has

pulled a fast one more than once in his life, including last year’s

inaugural Jones Cup at Newport Beach Country Club, where his flop shot

from the deep rough at 18 set up a birdie tap-in to win the event by one

stroke.

One should know better than to count Sargent out of any tournament.

And, as for Daley, who has been out of the country for several days

but said “for sure” he would play in Jones Cup II, he’s the only repeat

amateur in the men’s pro-am better-ball of partners locals-only

championship.

The Jones Cup, started last year by this sports section, features the

men’s club champions at each of the four private country clubs in the

Daily Pilot circulation, along with the club’s head professional or

director of golf.

Daley, one of the top senior golfers in the Newport-Mesa community,

secured his place at the front of the line to represent Mesa Verde in

Jones Cup II by winning his third consecutive men’s club championship

last summer.

And, at 61, Daley’s golf game is better than ever.

“I’m just a late bloomer,” said Daley, who is competing in the British

Senior Amateur this week, the final round scheduled for today at

Portrush, Northern Ireland.

In July, Daley played in the Canadian Senior Amateur and finished

fourth in stroke play at Lloydminster Golf & Curling Club in

Saskatchewan, where the format was 54 holes of stroke play, with the low

32 players advancing to match play.

Seeded fourth, Daley won his first match on the 19th hole, then won

again in the second round, 3 and 2, before losing in the quarterfinals, 2

and 1, to eventual finalist Jim Scissons.

Daley, who didn’t start playing golf until he was 41 and has never

taken a lesson in his life, won his first big title in 1997, when he

captured Mesa Verde’s senior club championship.

Then, the next year, Daley won Mesa Verde’s open club championship,

his first of three straight titles.

To earn his spot in Jones Cup II, Daley won the 2000 club title at

Mesa Verde, shooting 78-72-78--228. He was followed by David Sun (231)

and Randall Thorne (232).

Clyde Sarver is Mesa Verde’s all-time men’s club champion with five

titles (1962-63, ‘71, ’73 and ‘77).

A Newport Beach resident, Daley last fall reached the Round of 16 for

the second straight year at the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship in

Charlotte, N.C.

Before Daley picked up golf, he and his wife, Sue, had three children

to raise and Daley often carried a whistle around his neck as an AYSO

coach.

He grew up a baseball player, competed in fast-pitch softball for

several years, then got married and started playing tennis. Tennis was a

sport that could be played leisurely with the entire family and there

were no five-hour rounds.

But, after his kids grew older and nine years of coaching soccer,

Daley decided to pick up the sticks on a regular basis 20 years ago and

thought, “OK, now it’s my turn.”

Last year in Jones Cup I as Mesa Verde won the first perpetual trophy,

which is proudly displayed at the club, Daley saved par for his team with

a big up and down on No. 9.

Mesa Verde finished at 2-under 69 for a one-stroke victory over

Newport Beach in the pro-am.

Jones Cup II, played under the auspices of the Fletcher Jones

Motorcars/Daily Pilot Club Championship Series, will start at 1 p.m.

Tuesday, with two foursomes teeing off back-to-back at Santa Ana with

galleries in tow. A pre-event drawing is held to decide which two clubs

play in a group.

“There’s no pressure (to repeat),” Sargent said, “because we shouldn’t

have won last time. We just got lucky.”

Mesa Verde is expected to see stiff competition from home-course hero

and Santa Ana CC Director of Golf Mike Reehl and amateur partner Gregg

Hemphill.

Big Canyon Country Club is coming into Jones Cup II with a completely

different team in Director of Golf Bob Lovejoy and amateur Ron Maggard,

while Newport Beach head pro Paul Hahn will team with amateur Vinnie

Brascia.

All four amateurs are reigning men’s club champions at their

respective clubs.