Golf: No bending the rules at Newport Beach

Richard Dunn

In one of the more interesting golf weekends at Newport Beach

Country Club, Jim Whitaker captured the three-round men’s club

championship and two-round senior title -- both in playoffs over Bob

Kraft.

But Whitaker’s fifth men’s club title at Newport Beach wasn’t without

controversy.

New member Jeff Wright, a former Dove Canyon standout who grew up

playing at Irvine Coast Country Club (now Newport Beach), entered this

year’s club championship with the lowest handicap index (0.5) in the

field and led the 36-player championship flight after 18 holes with a

3-over 74.

But Wright was disqualified because he played the wrong ball after

hitting a second tee shot on the par-4 No. 6.

Wright, playing with longtime members Whitaker and Dave Coffer,

couldn’t find his tee shot at No. 6. But, just as Wright was hitting off

the tee again, his first ball was found, embedded in the ground after

perhaps getting run over by the wheel of a golf cart.

Wright’s second shot was supposed to be the ball in play, but he

played his original ball by mistake.

“It was just a mental error,” Newport Beach assistant pro Bruce Hooper

said.

One of the players in Wright’s first-round foursome pulled out because

of back spasms.

Wright, who played in the second round Saturday and built his lead to

four strokes, accepted his disqualification with grace after playing 36

holes, but was obviously disappointed.

“Jeff was particularly concerned that this disqualification be

understood,” said his 84-year-old father, Jack, a member at Newport Beach

for 30 years and whose golf-playing membership was taken over last year

by his son, who’s preparing to leave for Ireland.

“(Jeff) wanted to make sure that people know he wasn’t cheating. He

didn’t intend to do it. But those are the rules of golf and he has to

accept it.”

For Newport Beach head pro Paul Hahn, it was one of the toughest

decisions he has ever had to make.

“It was a rough weekend for the pro,” Hahn said. “I don’t like those

things to happen, but sometimes they do. It was unfortunate that it

happened. Obviously Jeff’s a good player. I’m not saying he wouldn’t have

won, and I’m not saying he would’ve won, but he’s a good player.”

To confirm what Hahn already knew in the rules, he called Senior PGA

Tour rules official Skip Whittet, who was in New Jersey for the NFL

Seniors Classic.

“I wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing,” Hahn said. “With

all the circumstances involved, even though I read the rule, it’s always

good to get confirmation from a higher source, like the Senior PGA Tour.

“I didn’t sleep that night. It was a tough decision on Jeff. I hate to

be put in that position to make such a severe ruling on Jeff, but the

rules of golf are there.”

There’s always next year, of course, for Jeff Wright.

With his first men’s club title since 1998, Whitaker, who also

captured championships in 1990, ‘93, and ‘95, likely secured an amateur

spot in the third annual Jones Cup (July 26 at Big Canyon Country Club).

Whitaker, who would play with Hahn in the pro-am better-ball of

partners in Jones Cup III, edged Kraft in a one-hole playoff Saturday to

win the senior-division championship, then beat Kraft again in the

three-hole playoff Sunday for the club championship.

Kraft, who played in the inaugural Jones Cup in 2000, and Whitaker

were tied after 36 holes at 154 and tied again after 54 holes at 228. Jim

Turner finished third and Bruce Bearer fourth.

On the second playoff hole Sunday, Whitaker’s three-foot putt hung

around the lip before falling in the cup, and the drama continued on the

third extra hole (they played Nos. 1, 2 and 3 in the playoff).

On the par-5 No. 3, Whitaker’s winning birdie putt also hung around

the lip before dropping in.

To tie Whitaker in regulation, Kraft rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt.

Whitaker is expected to play in Jones Cup III, joining another senior

standout, Mesa Verde Country Club’s Pete Daley, and young guns Danny Lane

of Big Canyon and Gregg Hemphill of Santa Ana Country Club.

Spots in the Jones Cup are selected by each club. Each team consists

of a pro (any staff member) and an amateur (a club member). The Daily

Pilot sports department, which created the Jones Cup out of the Fletcher

Jones Motorcars/Daily Pilot Club Championship Series, merely suggests

using a high-profile club pro and a men’s club champion as a reward for

their title.

Mesa Verde won the inaugural Jones Cup on head pro Tom Sargent’s

memorable flop shot at 18, and Big Canyon captured last year’s title in a

three-hole playoff over Santa Ana.

The 2003 Toshiba Senior Classic will be played March 17-23, which is

later in the schedule than any other time in tournament history.

A celebration of Phil Arnold’s life will be today at Santa Ana Country

Club at 5:30 p.m. A longtime SACC member and multiple senior-division

champion, he died June 3. Rest in peace, Phil.

The Estancia High Eagle Classic is set for Monday at Costa Mesa Golf &

Country Club (Los Lagos course) with a buffet dinner afterward at Newport

Rib Company.

Prizes will be awarded to winners on three skill levels, as well as

closest to the pin. A long-drive contest, raffle, drawing and no host bar

will accompany the ensuing rib feast. The format is best-ball scramble.

Details: (949) 645-2581.

Richard Dunn’s golf column appears every Thursday.