Irwin understanding pressure

Bryce Alderton

Dave Irwin just wanted to eat lunch with his wife and children,

reflect and celebrate his victory after a pressure-packed final round

of the Mesa Verde Country Club men’s club championship last August.

What he got instead was pressure of a different sort: Coming from

his kidneys.

A half-hour after parring the par-3 18th hole to earn a

three-stroke victory over prior champion Steve Rhorer for his first

Mesa Verde men’s club title, Irwin felt a sharp pain in his back as

he, wife, Janet, and sons Jesse and Gabe readied to eat lunch.

This was no normal sensation.

“I went to sit down and couldn’t sit down,” said Irwin, 57, who

lives in Long Beach. “Within 15 minutes I was in full hospital mode.”

Irwin recognized the pain.

He had two prior bouts with kidney stones earlier that summer. One

even caused hospitalization while he vacationed in Hawaii.

This time, Irwin spent the rest of the afternoon and evening at

Long Beach Memorial hospital.

“I didn’t get to enjoy [the victory] as much as I hoped to, but

you know when you get those things it is time to go,” Irwin said.

Just as the kidney stones chased Irwin to the hospital, Rhorer and

former champion Pete Daley were hot on Irwin’s heels during the final

round of the club championship.

Irwin held a six-shot lead after the first two days, but by the

ninth hole of the final round, his cushion had dwindled to a

two-stroke advantage over both Rhorer and Daley.

“My game was coming apart. I had to see if I could get into the

barn without making a big number,” said Irwin, who bogeyed the par-4

10th hole before regaining his composure.

Irwin took a one-shot lead to the 18th tee, which requires golfers

to hit their tee shots over a lake. He ended with a par to finish at

78 after a 1-over 36 on the back nine and join Rhorer and Daley as

the only three golfers to win both the senior and men’s club

championship titles in the same year.

“I played steady and hit the ball straight over three days, but it

is always a challenge with the putter,” said Irwin, who shot 4-under

137 to win the senior title going away.

Irwin started playing golf when he attended Long Beach Jordan and

Long Beach City College before dedicating more time to the game 20

years ago. He has been a member at Mesa Verde for eight years.

He will join the Mesa Verde team of head professional Tom Sargent,

women’s club champion Akemi Khaiat and Rhorer, this year’s senior

champion, in the refurbished Jones Cup, scheduled for 1 p.m. Aug. 18

at Newport Beach Country Club.

Foursomes from each of the four private clubs in Newport-Mesa (Big

Canyon Country Club, Newport Beach Country Club, Santa Ana Country

Club and Mesa Verde) will compete in an 18-hole championship, with

each team counting two best balls per hole.

Irwin said the formula should produce low scores.

“You’ll know what your partners are doing,” Irwin said. “But, it’s

not so focused on one or two people. It will take a little bit of

pressure off people.”

Irwin has proven his ability to withstand pressure of all sorts.