Jones Cup III heats up with area’s best
Richard Dunn
Just as summer arrived with its warm weather this week, Jones Cup
III should be sizzling today in the ultimate community men’s pro-am
at Big Canyon Country Club at 1 p.m.
In a popular format, a better ball of partners, and two foursomes
teeing off back-to-back with two galleries in tow, the Jones Cup has
proved unprecedented in these parts since the inaugural event two
years ago.
The Jones Cup, which features defending champion Big Canyon, Mesa
Verde Country Club, Newport Beach Country Club and Santa Ana Country
Club, was launched as a way to spotlight the Newport-Mesa community’s
directors of golf and head golf professionals, as well as celebrate
the men’s club champions, at the four private clubs in the Daily
Pilot circulation.
Each of the four clubs rotate as host site of the Jones Cup and
the Tea Cup Classic for women, which was started in 1997 under the
auspices of the Fletcher Jones Motorcars/Daily Pilot Club
Championship Series and will be played Sept. 4 at Santa Ana.
The public is invited to gallery at Jones Cup III as long as
individuals meet the required dress code. A food and beverage cart
(with bar) will ride along with the galleries.
From Big Canyon, Director of Golf Bob Lovejoy and men’s club
champion Danny Lane will represent the home folks, while Mesa Verde
enters with head pro Tom Sargent and senior sensation Pete Daley, the
only amateur to tee it up in all three Jones Cups. Mesa Verde won the
inaugural Jones Cup in 2000 at Newport Beach, when Sargent birdied 18
after a remarkable flop shot with his ball deeply embedded into the
thick rough.
Sargent earned local legend status that year, then Lovejoy and Big
Canyon amateur Ron Maggard captured Jones Cup II in a three-hole
playoff against Santa Ana, which will bring the same pro-am team as
last year -- Director of Golf Mike Reehl and two-time men’s club
champion Gregg Hemphill.
Santa Ana rallied to tie Big Canyon last year and force a playoff,
as Hemphill birdied the par-5 No. 15 and par-4 16 on his home course
and Reehl birdied the par-5 18, which he almost eagled with a 3-wood
from the fairway.
Lovejoy ended the playoff last year with a birdie at 18, a dogleg
left and an excellent finishing hole with water on the left and
players going for it in two on the 21st hole with champagne awaiting.
Newport Beach Country Club head pro Paul Hahn, who will play with
amateur standout Jeff Wright, nearly forced a three-way playoff last
year when his 10-foot putt for eagle at 18 burned the edge and rolled
past the hole. Hahn dropped to his hands and knees on the green in an
emotional finish for his club.
In a made-for-fun contest, the winner of the Jones Cup receives a
perpetual trophy to be displayed at their club. And, for local golf
fans and aficionados, the Jones Cup provides a rare opportunity to
see all four head pros, or directors of golf, play in the same venue.
If you have ever wondered about their game, here’s a good chance to
see it in competition.
Big Canyon head pro Clint Whitehead will serve today as the rules
official for Jones Cup III, while Newport Beach’s Bob Price will once
again handle scoring.
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