Golf:

Three local golfers have qualified for the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship.

The event starts Monday and ends Oct. 30.

Kyle Wilson, who is a starter at Costa Mesa Golf & Country Club, as well as Costa Mesans Brandon Thompson and George Schmidt will be competing. Jeff Farley of Huntington Beach is also in the event.

Wilson, Farley and Thompson are in the Open Division, while Schmidt is in the Senior Division.

Wilson qualified at the end of August for the event, which has a first-place prize of $150,000.

It might be an advantage for Wilson, as well as Farley and Thompson, who all qualified at the same place where the championship is going to be held, the Mesquite Sports and Event Complex in Mesquite, Nev.

“I think it gives me an edge,” Wilson said. “It’s cool to hit off the same grid where the championship is going to be and get a feel for it.”

UCI Teams Rolling Along

It is nice to see that both the UC Irvine men’s and women’s teams are playing as well as they did this season.

The men’s team, which is competing in the Del Walker Intercollegiate at Virginia Country Club in Long Beach today and Friday, recently finished eighth at the rain-shortened Alister MacKenzie Invitational.

Coach Paul Smolinski likes the mix of experienced and young players on this year’s team.

The team is led by senior John Chin, who was voted one of the top 50 players to watch in Golf World Magazine’s annual college preview issue.

The women’s team finished second at the Price’s “Give ‘Em Five” Intercollegiate at the New Mexico State Golf Course last week. They ended with a team score of 878 for the three days, seven shots back of the winner, Idaho.

UCI junior Hillary Packard shot back-to-back rounds of one-under-par 71 and finished third individually with a score of 215 (73-71-71). Sophomore Joy Trotter was fourth after carding a 54-hole total of 217 (69-74-74).

This is one of several highlights so far for the team early in the season. The women tied the school record for a tournament round recently, posting a 286 at the GolfWeek Conference Challenge last month.

The score matched last year’s team that carded the same score at the New Mexico State Invitational. The team finished sixth in the event that featured 18 teams.

Hardy receives honor

Derek Hardy, 76, a former Pelican Hill teaching professional, was recently awarded the 2009 PGA Horton Smith Award for outstanding and continuing contributions to professional education from the PGA of America.

Hardy, a PGA teaching professional at Talega Golf Club in San Clemente is a 51-year member of The PGA of America and is the third member of the Southern California PGA Section to be named recipient of the national PGA Horton Smith Award.

The award was established in 1965, and named for the late past PGA president and inaugural Masters champion.

“My years spent on the PGA education faculty were my turn to give back,” Hardy said. “When you do things for others, you get rewards, too. I have always been excited about helping others learn the game of golf and to see programs that you put together benefit others.”

Hardy will be recognized at The PGA of America Awards, Jan. 28, 2010, during the 57th PGA Merchandise Show at the Orange County Convention Center’s Linda W. Chapin Auditorium in Orlando, Fla.

Booth recovering

Doug Booth, the former teaching professional at Costa Mesa Golf & Country Club, is on the mend after having surgery to remove two brain tumors.

Booth, who is the brother of head professional, Brad, moved up to Northern California several years ago, but was a fixture in teaching in Orange County.

Glad to hear that he is recovering and getting stronger every day.

JOHN REGER’S golf column appears Thursdays. He may be reached by e-mail at nolimepublishing@aol.com.