Rausch ignites Newport

Newport Beach Country Club senior champion Steve Rausch found out

early in the Jones Cup that a birdie meant a kiss from 10-time

women’s champion Debbie Albright. Rausch saw that this was good and

went on to make four birdies in the first 10 holes. His performance

led Newport Beach to a second-place finish at Santa Ana Country Club

with an 11-under-par 61, one stroke behind Big Canyon Country Club.

Rausch, playing in the Jones Cup for the first time after

capturing the Newport Beach Country Club’s senior title, birdied the

163-yard second hole by sinking a 15-foot putt, which earned him a

kiss from Albright.

“When she kissed me after the first birdie, it gave me a lot of

incentive to get more,” said Rausch.

Rausch went on to birdie the par-3 sixth hole, the par-4 seventh

hole and the 508-yard, par-5 10th hole.

On the seventh hole, Rausch nailed a 16-foot birdie putt and

assistant professional Bruce Hooper hit a 12-foot putt for birdie to

put Newport Beach in the lead at 3-under-par.

Newport Beach was 7-under from holes seven through 10. Rausch and

Hooper both made birdies on the 10th hole to keep the team in first

place at 8-under.

“I was hitting greens and making putts,” said Rausch.

Newport Beach cooled off after 10 holes. The team was just 3-under

the last eight holes.

“Steve was amazing and Bruce played reasonably well, but the rest

of us struggled,” said Newport Beach men’s champion Brian Lindley.

Lindley, a member at Mesa Verde 25 years ago, was solid, but luck

wasn’t on his side. On the par-3 14th hole, he used his 4-wood off

the tee. Lindley came within 6 feet of the hole. However, he missed

the birdie putt when his shot hit a ball marker and rolled wide.

Lindley also had two putts roll off the rim of the hole. But he

didn’t think bad luck doomed him. He felt he just wasn’t on his game.

“I hit a couple of putts good that didn’t go in, but that

happens,” said Lindley. “I just didn’t hit the ball well or putt well

-- I just didn’t play well.”

Hahn, the head professional at Newport Beach Country Club, said he

was out of sorts from the very first tee, but he still managed to

sink four birdies.

Hahn came up big on the 18th hole with a 20-yard chip shot that

came within three feet of an eagle. He nailed what could have been

the winning birdie putt, but Big Canyon Country Club, the last team

to tee off, rallied for the one-stroke victory.

“It could have been the winning putt,” said Hahn, whose team was

one stroke ahead of Big Canyon at the time of the birdie. “I was

thinking maybe it would be. That was almost a perfect chip, there was

just a little too much spin on it.”

Hahn was definitely feeling the pressure of playing in the Jones

Cup.

“I felt more pressure today than playing in the senior PGA in

Pennsylvania in May,” Hahn said. “I think because I have my family

and friends out and because I was playing for my club, not just for

myself.”

Rausch’s performance was the highlight of the day for Newport

Beach. Even he was surprised he sunk four birdies in the first 10

holes.

“It’s a miracle that I’m even in the tournament,” said Rausch, who

played in the Jones Cup for the first time. “I’m not that good.”

Rausch’s teammates disagree.

“Steve was great all day,” Hooper said. “He played within himself.

He really got things rolling by making a couple of quick birdies.”