Jones Cup date set

As if the prestige of being one of the best golfers in the area weren’t enough, competitors at this year’s Jones Cup now have added motivation.

The annual tournament, which brings together the top players from the four area private golf courses, is set for Aug. 24 at Costa Mesa’s Mesa Verde Country Club.

Defending champion Big Canyon Country Club will attempt to win its fifth Jones Cup title in six years. Joining Big Canyon will be teams from Newport Beach Country Club, Santa Ana Country Club and host Mesa Verde.

The men’s, ladies and senior club champions, a full-time golf professional, and a Senior PGA member (50 years or older) from each course will make up each team. The tournament will be a two best-ball format.

What’s new for the 2006 Jones Cup is a new tournament within the tournament. Each of the 12 amateurs’ scores will be used in an 18-hole net match. The two lowest scorers will be invited to play in the National Mercedes Benz Dealer Championships, as representatives of Fletcher Jones Motorcars.

The low net winners will be eligible to play in a regional Nov. 2-5 at Barton Creek Resort and Spa in Austin, Texas. The top 10 teams from the regional advance to the national finals, which will be held Jan. 3-8, 2007 at the Kapalua Golf Resort, with the winner playing in the Mercedes Trophy World Final in Germany.

This year’s Jones Cup will be the first one without any significant format changes since 2003. Originally, a better-ball tourney with the men’s club champions and one of each club’s golf professionals, the Cup added the women’s and senior club champions in 2004 (after the end of the Tea Cup Classic) and Senior PGA members last year.