Fresh faces dotting Jones Cup

BRYCE ALDERTON

This summer’s Jones Cup, much like last year, is shaping up to be a

showing of new faces after Newport Beach and Santa Ana country clubs

staged their men’s club championships the last three weeks.

Big Canyon Country Club’s Will Tipton, who teamed with Director of

Golf Bob Lovejoy to claim Jones Cup IV last year -- the third year in

a row a Big Canyon duo emerged victorious in the event -- is the only

returning amateur ready to tee off in the Aug. 11 championship at

Newport Beach.

The Jones Cup pairs the men’s club champion -- or other amateur --

with a golf staff professional from each of the four private clubs in

the this newspaper’s circulation in a better-ball of partners format

over 18 holes. The venue rotates each year. Newport Beach Country

Club hosted the inaugural Jones Cup in 2000.

Bill Welch added his name to the list after claiming the Santa Ana

CC men’s title June 19, the fifth and final day of match play.

Welch, seeded third out of 16 players, defeated Dave Bock, 6 and

5, in the 36-hole final.

Bock holed his tee shot on the par-3 11th in the first round of

the championship final and pulled even with Welch through the first

18 holes before Welch distanced himself in the final round.

The victory came a week after Jeff Wright claimed his first

Newport Beach CC men’s title in a heartfelt tribute to his late

father, Jack. Wright played his first Jones Cup in 2002 with head

professional Paul Hahn.

Mesa Verde Country Club’s Dave Irwin joins Tipton, Wright and

Welch as the four amateurs eligible for this summer’s championship.

All four amateurs -- Bruce Bearer (Newport Beach CC), Steve Rhorer

(Mesa Verde CC), Tipton and Boyd Martin (Santa Ana CC) made their

tournament debuts last year, when Lovejoy and Tipton defeated Rhorer

and Mesa Verde head professional Tom Sargent by one stroke at Mesa

Verde.

Irwin became the third golfer in Mesa Verde CC history to hold

both men’s and senior club titles simultaneously -- Rhorer and Pete

Daley are the other two -- when he edged Rhorer by three strokes last

August for the men’s crown.

In October, Tipton needed 76 holes -- four of those in a playoff

-- to outlast friend Mike Carpenter by one stroke for his second

straight men’s title.

Close finishes are becoming synonymous with the Jones Cup.

All four championships have been decided by two strokes or less.

Lovejoy and partner Ron Maggard needed three playoff holes to upstage

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

in 2001, while Sargent’s flop shot on the 18th hole in 2000 set up an

easy birdie putt as Mesa Verde captured the crown in the inaugural

Jones Cup.

Here’s to similar drama Aug. 11.