Towersey wins for 20th time

BRYCE ALDERTON

The wins just keep on coming for Marianne Towersey.

The Newport Beach resident continued her stronghold on golf titles

in the Newport-Mesa community by winning the Santa Ana Country Club

women’s club championship for the 20th time.

Towersey, who has won the annual Tea Cup Classic five times in

seven years, shot a 1-under-par 71 in the final round Feb. 20 to go

with an 83 and two 77s during the first three rounds.

Nicole Ronald faced Towersey in the championship flight.

The 83 came on a day when the winds gusted around 40 mph, Santa

Ana CC Director of Golf Mike Reehl said.

“I’m thrilled,” said Towersey, who is eligible to compete in the

Tea Cup Classic, July 29 at Big Canyon Country Club.

The Tea Cup pits the women’s champions from all four private clubs

in Newport-Mesa [Santa Ana, Newport Beach, Mesa Verde and Big Canyon]

against one another in an 18-hole stroke-play event.

JoAnn Brekhus claimed Santa Ana’s senior women’s championship --

contested the same four days as the women’s tournament. Joanne

Mullins finished second.

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Towersey, Reehl and Boyd Martin combined to shoot a 2-under-par 34

as a team, but a trio from San Gabriel was two strokes better and

advanced to the second round of the 12th annual Fox Sports TV team

challenge. The event was held for nine holes at Desert Willow Golf

Resort in Palm Desert Feb. 11.

The Santa Ana squad trailed by one stroke heading into the ninth

hole, but a San Gabriel player sank a putt from off the green to earn

a birdie while the best SACC could do was par.

The best score of the three golfers was used for the first eight

holes while the two lowest marks per team on the ninth hole counted

toward the trio’s aggregate score.

Temperatures hovered around 70 degrees with sunny skies, making

for ideal conditions, Reehl added.

“It was a blast,” he said.

Matches are scheduled to air May through December on Fox Sports

Net 2.

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The Jones Cup, the annual better-ball of partners format that

pairs the men’s champion (or runner-up if the winner can’t play) from

each of the four private clubs with a member of that club’s golf

staff, will be held August 11 at Newport Beach Country Club.

Dave Irwin and Will Tipton are the reigning club champions from

Mesa Verde and Big Canyon, respectively.

Santa Ana and Newport Beach traditionally hold their men’s club

championships in June.

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Teams will use, let’s just say, a unique format during the third

annual Estancia Mesa Verde tournament March 8 at Mesa Verde Country

Club.

Four players will comprise each of the 15 teams scheduled to

appear. Two of the four best scores will be used on holes 1-6 while

the three best marks will count on Nos. 7-12.

All four scores will be counted on Nos. 13-18.

Estancia High Coach Art Perry wants to stress the team concept, a

switch from previous years when the tournament featured individual

champions.

Peninsula, Beverly Hills, Woodbridge, Foothill and Chaminade are

among the teams scheduled to compete.

Coaches can give players advice during the round, which should

only add to the strategy.

“It is a tough course with the playing format. The last six holes

will be key,” Perry said. “Emotions will ride high.”

Play begins at noon with a shotgun start.