Big Canyon looking for No. 10

Kayleigh Horn earned her way into the 16th annual Jones Cup golf tournament essentially by winning against Mother Nature.

Horn captured her second straight Big Canyon Country Club ladies title on May 14. She capped off the three-day tournament as the skies opened up for the last five holes.

“We knew it was going to rain,” she said. “It was forecast to be 100%, it was just when was it going to start. You play until you see lightning ... You don’t really want to be holding a giant, medal rod when the lightning comes down.”

Horn, who played golf for Vassar College in New York after graduating from Newport Harbor in 2005, figured that she had an advantage in the wet weather.

“We played through everything [at Vassar],” said Horn, who ended up carding a three-round total of 238 to win the title by two strokes. “I was used to the adjustments that you need to make in the rain. It’s a 100% different strategy. I had that in my back pocket.”

More typical Southern California weather is expected Tuesday, when the Jones Cup tees off at 11:30 a.m. at Big Canyon. No rain is expected, but Big Canyon wants its reign to continue.

The host club, which lost to Shady Canyon last year in a one-hole playoff, is going for its 10th title. History is also on Big Canyon’s side. It has never lost when it has hosted the event, claiming titles in 2002, 2007 and 2011.

Two club professionals from five local private golf clubs, along with men’s, ladies and senior champions, will all compete in an 18-hole, two-best-ball format. Shady Canyon, Newport Beach, Santa Ana and Mesa Verde are the other clubs involved.

The other Big Canyon team members are head professional and team captain Robert Pang, professional Chris Valeriano, men’s champion Taylor Wood and senior men’s champion Gary Singer.

Horn, who made her Jones Cup debut for Big Canyon last year, still has another wrinkle to add. She said she has switched her clubs from Henry-Griffitts, which she has been playing with since 2007, to Cleveland wedges and woods and Srixon irons and drivers. She said she’s been test-driving the new clubs this week.

“Technology changes and you’ve got to keep up,” she said. “It was time for a change, but I figured I could get them ahead of time for this [Jones Cup], show them off a little bit.”

In terms of the tournament itself, Big Canyon has plenty of hardware to show off.

“Like every year, I always feel like we have a strong team,” said Pang, who is making his ninth Jones Cup appearance. “We feel comfortable playing here next Tuesday. The course is in great shape.”

Horn and Wood each played well last year for Big Canyon, which narrowly missed winning its fourth straight Jones Cup after losing a one-hole playoff to host Shady Canyon. Big Canyon carded a 15-under-par 56, but Shady Canyon had five birdies in the final three holes to force the playoff, then two birdies on the first playoff hole of No. 18.

Wood had five birdies on his round last year for Big Canyon, nearly matching Pang with six. Horn had three.

Singer, the Big Canyon senior champion, is also plenty familiar with the tournament, as he helped Big Canyon win Jones Cup titles in 2011 and 2012. The newcomer is Valeriano.

“Chris and I play in partners events throughout the year,” Pang said. “He’ll be a great addition to the team.”