Return to memorable course

For Big Canyon Country Club, the streak started at Santa Ana Country

Club.

Big Canyon’s string of three straight Jones Cup titles -- under

the former better-ball of partners format -- began in 2001 where this

year’s Jones Cup, the newest version, will tee off at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

The last time the Newport-Mesa community convened for the golfing

showcase at Santa Ana Country Club, Big Canyon Director of Golf Bob

Lovejoy sank a birdie putt on the third playoff hole, the par-5 18th,

to thwart the host team’s bid at Jones Cup glory. Lovejoy and amateur

partner Ron Maggard combined to shoot 4-under 68 that day, as did

Santa Ana’s Director of Golf Mike Reehl and amateur Gregg Hemphill.

Lovejoy returns to the site this year, with even more help against

teams from Mesa Verde Country Club, Santa Ana Country Club and

defending Jones Cup champion Newport Beach Country Club.

Each team will feature five players this year, one more than last

year, when the revamped Jones Cup debuted at Newport Beach Country

Club. An additional member of each club’s golf staff was added to the

lineup of men’s, women’s and senior champions, and head pro or

director of golf.

Big Canyon’s lineup includes: Danny Lane, who partnered with

Lovejoy to win the 2002 Jones Cup on their home course, senior

champion Danny Bibb, winner of a Newport-Mesa record 11 men’s club

championships, women’s champion Martha Redfern and head pro Clint

Whitehill. Redfern, Bibb and Whitehill will make their Jones Cup

debuts.

Lane replaced men’s champion Mike Carpenter, who will compete in

the Southern California Golf Association Mid-Amateur championship,

Monday and Tuesday at North Ranch Country Club in Westlake Village.

Lane manages Costa Mesa Golf & Country Club with father Ron and

brother Scott Henderson as part of Mesa Verde Partners ownership

group. Lane spent four years in the Montreal Expos minor league

system after starring in football and baseball at Laguna Beach High.

Redfern claimed her first Big Canyon ladies championship with a

six-shot victory in April and earned a spot in next month’s United

States Women’s Mid-Amateur championship after she advanced from a

sectional qualifying round Thursday on her home course. Redfern tied

for 10th with an 82. The tournament will be held Sept. 10-15 at

Shadow Hawk Golf Club in Richmond, Texas.

Bibb claimed his first Big Canyon senior title in conjunction with

the club’s men’s championship in September, shooting 4-over 220 for

three rounds. Bibb notched six of his 11 men’s titles at Big Canyon

from 1977-84 -- he won five times at Irvine Coast Country Club (now

Newport Beach) in that span. He won titles at both clubs in 1977, ’79

and ’82.

Bibb, along with Mike Reehl, Santa Ana Country Club’s Director of

Golf, were teammates on Corona del Mar High’s 1967 CIF Southern

Section boys golf championship squad. Bibb was named the team’s most

valuable player that year.

Big Canyon, with Lovejoy, Will Tipton, Sally Holstein and Steve

Collins, tied for second with Santa Ana in last year’s Jones Cup

after shooting 2-under 69. Newport Beach won with a 5-under 66 in the

tournament where two best scores are counted on each hole.

The format remains the same this year, with two best scores

counting per hole for each team.