Golf: Daley flexing muscles on national scene

Richard Dunn

The golden years for Pete Daley of Mesa Verde Country Club have

apparently come sooner than expected.

Daley, who lives in Newport Beach, is enjoying a golf renaissance at

the tender age of 60.

Following his third consecutive men’s club championship at Mesa Verde

in late August, Daley has continued an active tournament schedule, which

included a strong performance in the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship

recently in Charlotte, N.C.

Daley, riding a three-year hot streak, didn’t start playing golf until

he was 41.

“I had been playing tennis up until then,” said Daley, who reached the

Round of 16 in the match-play national championship for seniors at the

6,622-yard, par-71 Charlotte Country Club, where rain delays forced

players to make up matches.

Daley, who played 43 holes one day, advanced to the championship’s

match play after shooting 73-75--148 in stroke-play qualifying. Daley was

seeded fifth in the 64-player match-play field.

Last year, Daley also advanced to the Round of 16 in the U.S. Senior

Amateur at Portland (Ore.) Golf Club.

Daley, who won the inaugural Jones Cup last summer with Mesa Verde

head pro Tom Sargent, won the 2000 club title at Mesa Verde with a

78-72-78--228. He was followed by David Sun (231) and Randall Thorne

(232).

Daley has never taken a golf lesson in his life.

Clyde Sarver is Mesa Verde’s all-time men’s champion with five titles

(1962-63, ‘71, ’73 and ‘77).

The third annual Myron McNamara Memorial Golf Tournament will be

played Nov. 13 at Los Serranos Golf and Country Club in Chino Hills.

McNamara, who coached the UC Irvine men’s tennis team to six NCAA

Division II championships, was a dedicated coach to many in the

Newport-Mesa community for several years.

McNamara also built and managed top tennis clubs, such as the Irvine

Coast Racquet Club (now the Balboa Bay Club Racquet Club), Riviera Tennis

Club in Pacific Palisades and La Costa in San Diego County.

The upcoming event benefits the Myron McNamara Endowment Fund for

UCI’s tennis program. Details: (949) 824-8366.

Big Canyon Country Club is hosting a Southern California PGA

Educational Seminar Nov. 8 on merchandising.

Annika Sorenstam, Lori Kane, Meg Mallon and Beth Daniel have committed

to the Hyundai Matches Dec. 15-17 at Pelican Hill Golf Club.

Sorenstam and Kane will play as a team, while Mallon and Daniel will

be partners in the match-play, made-for-TV event that features all three

major tours.

The LPGA Tour teams of Grace Park-Kelli Kuehne and defending champions

Juli Inkster-Dottie Pepper committed earlier. Tickets: (949) 759-5175.

Former Big Canyon head pro Kelly Manos won $2,190 in a recent Southern

California PGA Pro-Assistant Championship, playing with assistants Steve

Alt and Jeff Rutherford.

Spooky Golf, sponsored by Cal’s Caddyshack in Costa Mesa, will return

Friday in its unique, Halloween-based format, which entails golfing in

total darkness, with the exception of the glow-in-the-dark balls and

lit-up flags.

Spooky brew, food and prizes for best costume are included in the

event at the Back Bay Golf Course at the Hyatt Newporter. The event is

catered by the locally famous Newport Rib Co. Details: (949) 646-7714.

Richard Dunn’s golf column appears every Thursday.