Big Canyon seeks title No. 7

When it comes to the Jones Cup, the two-time defending champion Big Canyon Country Club might as well be called Big Game Country Club.

Big Canyon has claimed the Jones Cup trophy six out of the nine times the tournament has been in existence. Title No. 7 will be the team’s goal when it tees off Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Santa Ana Country Club.

This year, Big Canyon will have a familiar face missing from its team, as former captain Bob Lovejoy has retired as the club pro at Big Canyon. Instead Lovejoy will be the Jones Cup starter.

Even without Lovejoy, Big Canyon still has a tradition to maintain.

“It’s always great to be in that competitive setting,” Big Canyon’s Captain Robert Pang said of the Jones Cup. “We enjoy being around each other ... but we’re competitive and we like to win. I think we’d like to go out there and represent the club the best way we can.”

The Jones Cup is a one-round, best-ball format tournament between four Newport-Mesa Country Clubs — Mesa Verde, Santa Ana and Newport Beach Country Club being the other three participants.

Joining Pang, the head professional of Big Canyon, will be first assistant professional Michael Castillo, women’s club champion Martha Redfearn, men’s club champion Will Tipton and senior club champion Robert Ihrke.

“We’ve always had good golfers here at Big Canyon,” Pang said. “We’ve been really fortunate to just have a good team and we gel really well [and] we have a lot of fun when we’re out there.”

Pang said Castillo is an accomplished PGA pro who moved from Hawaii two months ago and will be playing in his first Jones Cup.

Tipton and Redfearn, on the other hand, have played in multiple Jones Cups due to their success at Big Canyon’s club championships.

“Will’s our three-time club champion,” Pang said. “He’s our three-in-a-row club champion. He’s just a great player ... From 2006 to 2009, [Redfearn] won the club championship.”

Great athletic genes are passed in Redfearn’s family as her son, Chad Redfearn, made it to the finals of the District 55 Little League Tournament playing for the Newport Beach 11- to 12-year-old All-Star team.

Robert Ihrke also earned his spot on the team by defeating one of the better senior golfers at the club.

However, course knowledge may be a factor for Big Canyon since Santa Ana is known for being tricky due to its demanding driving conditions and Augusta National-esque greens.

“I haven’t played it that many times, but I do enjoy it when we go over there,” Pang said. “[Castillo and I] haven’t seen Santa Ana that much but I know Will has, Mr. Ihrke and Martha has also so we’ll be all right there.”