Club Championship

- Quiet but steady Alan Drobka of Big Canyon Country Club will try to become the club's all-time leader in men's club championships when Big Canyon hosts its annual event Sept. 10-12. Drobka, who has six Big Canyon titles and is tied with Danny Bibb for the club lead, will also attempt to capture his seventh championship in the 1990s. Bibb, who once held the Big Canyon course record before a guy named Tiger Woods shattered the mark in 1996 in the Pacific 10 Conference championship, is the Newport-Mesa community's all-time champion with 11 men's club titles (including five at Newport Beach Country Club, where he was a member in the 1970s and early 80s)

Richard Dunn The final amateur spot in the Jones Cup is up for grabs beginning today in the men's club championship at Newport Beach Country Club. With defending champion Vinnie Brascia out of the picture, the race for the club title appears to be wide open. The three-round club championship concludes Sunday and the winner will also receive an invitation from head professional Paul Hahn to team with him in Jones Cup III on July 26 at Big Canyon Country Club.

Next time they won't overlook the skinny kid. Ryan O'Connor, who spreads out 145 pounds on his 6-foot frame, might not pose an intimidating presence at first glance, but put a golf club in his hands and everything changes. O'Connor, who will enter his junior year at Woodbridge High next month, schooled the field when he became the youngest golfer — at age 16 — to win the Tustin Ranch Golf Club's 2011 Club Championship in late-July. O'Connor shot a two-round total of 156, rallying from a two-stroke deficit with a 76 in the final round to win by three strokes.

Richard Dunn SANTA ANA HEIGHTS - Marianne Towersey of Santa Ana Country Club captured her record 18th women's club championship Friday and earned an automatic entry into the sixth annual Tea Cup Classic this summer (TBA) on her home course. Towersey, who has won 18 of the last 21 women's club championships at Santa Ana Country Club, became the all-time leader in the Newport-Mesa community for club titles (men or women), breaking a tie at 17 with Dee Dee White of Newport Beach Country Club.

Richard Dunn Gregg Hemphill of Santa Ana Country Club captured his second straight men's club championship, defeating Chris Veitch in the match-play finals, 3 and 2, last Saturday. Hemphill, who played in the Jones Cup last year with Santa Ana Country Club Director of Golf Mike Reehl, gained entry into Jones Cup III at Big Canyon Country Club July 26 with his club championship. Hemphill beat Duane Hastings in the semifinals at the 18th hole, 2 up, while Veitch, a four-time champion, advanced to the finals after defeating Rick Herrera, 5 and 4. Of the four clubs in the Daily Pilot circulation that vie for spots in the Jones Cup, three have been determined by club champions: Danny Lane (Big Canyon)

Richard Dunn NEWPORT BEACH - Debbie Albright of Newport Beach Country Club captured her seventh consecutive women's club championship Friday, while breaking club championship records for margin of victory (36 strokes) and scoring (72-75-74-76--297). "The party was over after 27 holes," Newport Beach head professional Paul Hahn said. "It might be the first time anybody's shot four rounds in the 70s. It's the first time she's done it. That was kind of her big goal, to shoot four rounds in the 70s, and I think she handled it pretty well."

Bryce Alderton Mike Carpenter shot a 3-over-par 291 in four rounds to win his first Big Canyon Country Club men's club championship Sept. 12. Carpenter edged two-time defending club champion Will Tipton by four strokes while Don DuBois came in third on the par-72 layout. Carpenter and DuBois entered the final round tied at 218. The win is Carpenter's first in Big Canyon's men's club championship stroke-play format. Big Canyon also has a match-play men's club championship.

Bryce Alderton The calendar said Father's Day was Sunday, but for Newport Beach resident and former Corona del Mar High golf star Jeff Wright, the annual observance came a week earlier, on a golf course he knows well. Wright, 39, who lost his 86-year-old father Jack in October after a bout with throat cancer, battled through an emotional roller coaster to claim his first men's club championship at Newport Beach Country Club June 13 on a course where he won the junior title seven times since taking up the sport at age 13. With rounds of 71-78-71-70 for a 6-over-par 290 for the four-day championship, Wright defeated Brad Casdorph by seven strokes.

Richard Dunn Once you win a club championship, that's it. You collect your trophy, buy a few rounds and go home. See ya next year. But, since the Tea Cup Classic was launched in 1997, club champions in the Daily Pilot circulation have earned a ticket into the locally famous event for women. "Once you win a club championship," said first-time Big Canyon Country Club champion Olivia Slutzky, "there's really no drama after winning it. So, now, it's great to look forward to this.

Richard Dunn COSTA MESA - The cliche "coming into his own" originated from the sporting world, which was trying to describe people like Mike Carpenter. Carpenter didn't get serious about golf until two years ago, but seems prepared now, at age 28, to rock portions of its world. As if making his grand entrance into the game, Carpenter won the 29th annual Costa Mesa City Championships, holding off UC Irvine product Jeff Coburn of Soule Park (Ojai) to win by two strokes, shooting a final-round 1-under-par 71 Sunday on the Los Lagos course at Costa Mesa Golf & Country Club.

There are at least two well-known unprecedented feats associated with the Jones Cup. No player has ever sank a hole-in-one to win a car from Fletcher Jones Motorcars. Also, Sana Ana Country Club has yet to win a Jones Cup title. The 25 golfers in the 13th annual event have two chances to win a car on the fourth and 17th holes. Santa Ana's chances to win its first title appear to have dwindled on one hand, yet improve in another view. The Jones Cup, which pits local country clubs vying for bragging rights and a trophy, has added another team, as Shady Canyon of Irvine joins Big Canyon, Mesa Verde, Sana Ana and host Newport Beach Country Club Wednesday, with first tee set for 12:30 p.m. "I think it's great to add another local club to the mix," said Geoff Cochrane, the head professional at Santa Ana and the team captain.

Travis Russell was on familiar territory, at least this side of the Pacific Ocean, as he followed Estancia High's Jake Knapp during the U.S. Open local qualifying round at Newport Beach Country Club last week. Russell, who twice earned all-league recognition at Newport Harbor, spent his freshman and sophomore college years at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. But he is in the middle of getting paperwork finalized for his transfer to UC Irvine. Russell said he won't lose a year of eligibility, making him able to join Coach Paul Smolinski and the Anteaters as soon as possible.

Next time they won't overlook the skinny kid. Ryan O'Connor, who spreads out 145 pounds on his 6-foot frame, might not pose an intimidating presence at first glance, but put a golf club in his hands and everything changes. O'Connor, who will enter his junior year at Woodbridge High next month, schooled the field when he became the youngest golfer — at age 16 — to win the Tustin Ranch Golf Club's 2011 Club Championship in late-July. O'Connor shot a two-round total of 156, rallying from a two-stroke deficit with a 76 in the final round to win by three strokes.

On June 17 and 18, I am chairing the Balboa Yacht Club's Club Championships, which will be sailed in Governor's Cup 21s. The original concept of this event was to have a club champion, but the event has grown into so much more. This event brings in every age group to compete or to be a spectator. The first event is the "Masters Championships. " All skippers must be members in good standing of Balboa Yacht Club. All crew, including the skipper, must be at least 55. This means that you do not need to be a member, you just have to be 55. With this change, I am hoping that cross-town teammates will join each other.

BREAKERS GOLDEN AT WINTER CLASSIC               The Newport Mesa Breakers, girls' under-10 advance play program team representing Newport Mesa AYSO Region 97, captured the gold medal at the Irvine Winter Classic played Jan. 10-11 at UC Irvine. The Breakers opened pool play on Saturday with a lopsided 6-0 win over Crescenta Valley Soccer Club. They followed that win with an equally one-sided 5-1 victory over Chelsea Soccer Club. On Sunday, the Breakers faced a tough squad from Fram Soccer Club and fell behind for the first time in the tournament 2-1. However Kiana Ghamari and Yaritza Garcia each scored in the second half propelling the Breakers into the championship with a 3-2 victory.

Of all the teams in this year's Jones Cup, Santa Ana Country Club likely boasts the most familiarity among its participants. Three players: head professional Geoff Cochrane, women's champion Marianne Towersey and 2004 men's champion Bill Welch competed in the re-formatted Jones Cup last year at Newport Beach Country Club, when the team finished at 2-under-par 69, tying Big Canyon Country Club for second place. The format for this year's event evolved even more with the addition of a fifth participant for each team: a second golf staff member.

June 18 is the closing date for entries into the 10th annual California Women's State Championship, scheduled at the Eisenhower Course at the Pacific Palms Resort in the City of Industry July 18-20. The tournament is open to female golfers of any age who are California residents and have a United States Golf Association handicap index not exceeding 10.4. Tournament format is 54 holes of stroke play. The three top finishers will represent California in the biennial USGA Women's State team championship scheduled Sept.

Bryan Rolfe shot a 7-over-par 149 and edged Jan Brussel by two strokes to claim the overall gross division title in the Mesa Verde Country Club senior club championship that concluded Sunday. Rolfe qualified for this summer's Jones Cup with the victory, his first in the 36-hole, stroke-play championship. Dick Torson won the overall net division title (66-69 -- 135) on the par-71 layout. Full flight results are as follows: FRESHMEN (50-59) Gross 1st -- Jan Brussel 74-77 -- 151 2nd -- Tom McGreevy 75-78 -- 153 3rd -- Don Reino 74-81 -- 155 4th -- Dale Willetts 82-75 -- 157 Net 1st -- Rick Lloyd 73-70 -- 143 2nd -- Bob Rasch 69-74 -- 143 3rd -- Joseph Chien 70-73 -- 143 4th -- Mike Lupton 68-76 -- 144 SOPHOMORES (60-69)

Bryce Alderton Mike Carpenter shot a 3-over-par 291 in four rounds to win his first Big Canyon Country Club men's club championship Sept. 12. Carpenter edged two-time defending club champion Will Tipton by four strokes while Don DuBois came in third on the par-72 layout. Carpenter and DuBois entered the final round tied at 218. The win is Carpenter's first in Big Canyon's men's club championship stroke-play format. Big Canyon also has a match-play men's club championship.

Bryce Alderton Dave Irwin just wanted to eat lunch with his wife and children, reflect and celebrate his victory after a pressure-packed final round of the Mesa Verde Country Club men's club championship last August. What he got instead was pressure of a different sort: Coming from his kidneys. A half-hour after parring the par-3 18th hole to earn a three-stroke victory over prior champion Steve Rhorer for his first Mesa Verde men's club title, Irwin felt a sharp pain in his back as he, wife, Janet, and sons Jesse and Gabe readied to eat lunch.