GOLF / SHAV GLICK : U.S. Juniors Go to France for Second Summit

International team competition is nothing new to golf. There are the Walker Cup, Ryder Cup and Eisenhower Trophy world team matches for men, the Curtis Cup and Espirito Santo Trophy world team matches for women.

Now the juniors are going international.

The Southern California vs. France junior matches, which began almost by accident two years ago at the Alhambra Municipal and Industry Hills courses, will be held for the second time, next month in France. Twelve Southland juniors, ages 12 to 17, and two PGA professionals, Jerry Herrera of Azusa Greens and Dave Smith of the Navy course in Cypress, will leave on June 28 for Paris, where the youngsters will play on four courses against a team of French juniors.

The idea came about during the Guadalajara Pro-Am in Mexico in early 1988. Herrera was in the tournament--he won it--and one of his partners was Alaine Sarfatti, president of Le Club de la Tour, an organization with offices in Paris and Los Angeles. Sarfatti mentioned that his club was sponsoring a trip by 12 French juniors to Southern California as a reward for their play, and asked Herrera if he knew of some available courses.

“I was an assistant at Alhambra Municipal at the time,” Herrera explained, “and we had a Christmas tournament scheduled for our own junior program. I suggested that he bring the French players and play in it. Then I contacted (pro) Jim Porter at Industry Hills and got starting times there. With the help of Porter and Dave Allaire of Lakeside and the Southern California Junior Golf Assn., we put together a team of our best players and challenged the French kids.

“It took on big-time trappings when Pat Rielly, president of the PGA, put in an appearance, and the matches were filmed by a TV crew from France.

“The French kids had such a great time that when they got back to Paris, the French golf federation invited us to come over there this year. I’ve written letters to other national federations with the suggestion that they join us in the future and maybe have an annual event that moves from country to country, like the world team matches.”

The 12 Southern California golfers were selected for their play in the Junior Golf Assn. Three of them--Tiger Woods of Cypress, Young Nam of Los Angeles and Eddy Lee of Corona--were members of the 1988 team.

Woods, 14, has won four Junior World age-group championships, and shot a 70-69--139 on the Balboa and Encino courses to win his age division in the L.A. City Junior Championships in April.

Nam, who attends Marshall High, is the City prep champion and winner of the 1988 Asian junior tournament in Manila. Lee, from Corona High School, is the Southern Section prep champion.

Other boys on the team are Chris Tidland, 17, of Placentia, the Los Angeles City junior champion; Richard Son, 17, of Fullerton; Scott Richardson, 17, of Laguna Niguel; Ben Garner, 14, of El Toro, and Ted Oh, 13, of Torrance.

The four girls are Heidi Voorhees, 17, of North Hollywood, runner-up in the L.A. City junior tournament; Leanne Wong, 15, of Los Angeles, a two-time Junior World champion who also won the Korean junior title last December; Allison Wilson, 13, of North Hollywood, and Sandie Song, 12, of Cerritos.

They will play on July 3 at Le Touquet Golf Club, July 4 at Morfontaine Golf Club and July 5-6 at St.-Nom-La-Breteche Golf Club, site of the Lancome Trophy matches. They will also watch the final round of the French Open on July 1 at the Chantilly course.

Herrera, 36, a former Monrovia High, Pasadena City College and UC Santa Barbara golfer who became head pro at Azusa Greens in February of 1989, has been the catalyst for the matches. His French counterpart, Fred Beauchemp, once gained international attention when he crossed the Atlantic Ocean on a sailboard.

“I can’t imagine what a trip like this must mean to a teen-ager,” Herrera said. “I was 12 before I knew what golf really was. An uncle took me to Rancho when I was 12 and I saw Arnold Palmer, and right then I decided I wanted to be a professional golfer. This opportunity to help establish a union between our junior golfers and France has been a unique experience for me. It’s like a dream come true--20 years later.”

Golf Notes

Casey Boyns, a caddie at Pebble Beach, will defend his championship in the 79th annual California Amateur tournament June 25-29 on the Cypress Point, Monterey Peninsula and Pebble Beach courses. A field of 102 will play 36 holes of stroke play June 25-26 and then begin match play June 27. The 36-hole final will be June 29. Handicap flights will play at Poppy Hills and Del Monte with all match play. Boyns, 34, defeated Dave Stockton Jr. of Mentone, 3 and 1, in last year’s final.

The Long Beach Women’s Championship, June 27-29 at Recreation Park and El Dorado, will kick off a monthlong festival of golf in Long Beach. After the women, there will be a junior championship July 3, a men’s tournament July 7-9 and the $110,000 Long Beach Open July 26-29. Favored in the 54-hole women’s tournament is Shirley Johnston, who is champion at all three Long Beach municipal courses. Claudine Rubin, last year’s winner, is not entered because she is playing in European tournaments.

The Los Angeles City Recreation and Parks Dept. is offering free lessons for juniors June 26-28 at the Rancho, Sepulveda Dam and Hansen Dam courses. Griffith Park will offer a 10-week junior program for $40, which includes lessons, free playing privileges once a week, prizes and movies. . . . Players West, the California-based tour for women professionals, will play a 54-hole tournament at Azusa Greens June 26-28, following a pro-am on June 25. . . . Craig Steinberg, 1988 SoCal Amateur champion, and Don Baker each shot a 13-under-par 269 to tie for the Braemar CC championship. Both had record 65s on the East course. Steinberg won with a birdie on the first extra hole.

Southern California PGA members have a busy week coming up. Monday, they will play in the Toyota pro-am at Seacliff CC in Huntington Beach to raise money for the PGA junior golf program. Tuesday, they will be in Bakersfield for the Southern California Open pro-am at Rio Bravo, followed by a 54-hole championship. Mike Blewett of Westlake Village is defending champion. He edged Brad Gallagher of Canyon Country and Brian Carson of Temecula by a stroke last year at Rio Bravo. . . . Qualifying for the U. S. Senior Open is Monday at Old Ranch CC. The tournament will be held June 28-July 2 at Ridgewood, N. J. . . . The Orange County Hall of Fame will join with Irrelevant Week to conduct a charity tournament June 25 at Newport Beach CC. Participants include Ram quarterback Jim Everett and former running back Dick Bass, plus Irrelevant player of the year as the NFL’s last draft choice, Demetrius Davis of Nevada Reno. Former jockey Alex Maese is chairman.

Riviera CC members are holding a memorial tournament for the late Dr. Oneil Hadnott to raise scholarship funds for black college-bound students who might otherwise be unable to attend medical school. The tournament will be July 11 with a $250 entry fee. Hadnott was a Riviera club champion who died March 15. . . . The Golden State Tour will be at Mile Square GC in Fountain Valley Monday and Woodland Hills CC on June 25. Seniors will also play on June 29 at California CC. . . . The Len Kennett Players Championship is scheduled for June 30-July 1 at Lakewood CC. . . . Ron Logue and Nick Provenzano of Los Serranos shot a net 204 for 36 holes to win the Los Serranos Invitational.