Golf: Quite a round for Saltus, eh?

Richard Dunn

Costa Mesa’s Bryan Saltus, a Newport Harbor High alumnus, created

quite a stir last year in his first season on the Canadian Tour with his

Southern California surfing lingo, goatee, wild-colored shirts, baggy

pants and shaggy hair tucked under a golf cap.

But this year Saltus, a back-to-back Costa Mesa city champion in

1995-96, is drawing more attention to himself these days because of his

golf game.

Saltus, who sponsored himself on the Canadian Tour last year, finished

77th on the tour’s 2001 money list ($8,362).

This year, however, Saltus is eighth on the money list after five

events at $15,036, including last weekend’s runner-up finish in the

Michelin Ixtapa (Mexico) Classic at Palma Real Golf Club, where Saltus

shot 65-68-72-66--271, a career-low total score, to claim the biggest

payday of his Canadian Tour career ($14,400).

Pablo del Olmo, an Asian Tour member, shot 267 to win the Ixtapa

Classic.

“You’ve got to hand it to that guy, he just played fantastic all

week,” Saltus said of del Olmo. “I was stoked out there today, but it’s

been so relaxing all week. Every day has been like a vacation.”

Saltus, 31 and a former Big Canyon Country Club caddie, made plenty of

headlines last year on the Canadian Tour with his surfer-turned-golfer

story.

Saltus is trying to become the second Newport-Mesa golfer to win the

Canadian Tour’s Order of Merit.

Eric Woods, a Corona del Mar High product, captured Canadian Tour

money titles in 1993 and ‘94, after winning the South American Tour Order

of Merit in 1992.

Woods, who owns and operates The Swing Lab in Costa Mesa, is also

playing some events this year on the Canadian Tour.

The second annual UCLA Orange County golf tournament will be played

Monday at Newport Beach Country Club.

The UCLA Club of Orange County and the UCLA Chancellor’s Associates of

Orange County are the event hosts in a fund-raiser for scholarships.

The tournament is an 18-hole scramble, lunch, silent auction, Bruins

prizes and dinner.

The UCLA Club of Orange County raises money for merit-based

scholarships for academically superior students, while the UCLA

Chancellor’s Associates, the preeminent donor group on campus, raises

funds for academic programs deemed critical by the chancellor.

Organizers of the UCLA Orange County golf tournament are hopeful of

keeping the event in Newport Beach. Details: (949) 760-6709.

The seventh annual We Care golf tournament, hosted by Tax & Financial

Group, will be May 14 at Pelican Hill Golf Club. The event raises funds

for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Orange County. Details: (800) 373-2177.

Richard Dunn’s golf column appears every Thursday.