Sargent to Receive PGA’s Professional of Year Award

Tom Sargent, Orange County’s most honored club professional, will collect another award this month.

Sargent, head pro at Mesa Verde Country Club in Costa Mesa, has been named golf professional of the year by the PGA of America. He will receive that organization’s highest honor Oct. 23 in the PGA’s annual meeting in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Sargent, three times the Southern California PGA teacher of the year and once the professional of the year, has taught some of the Southland’s best juniors. Among his former students are LPGA Tour pro Laurie Brower, European Tour player Bob May, Canadian and Asian tour player Chris Tidland and Kellee Booth, the former U.S. Junior Girls’ champion and Santa Margarita standout who plays at Arizona State.

Before accepting his award, Sargent, 50, will play in the PGA Senior Club Professional Championship next week at Ibis Golf and Country Club in West Palm Beach. He qualified by finishing fourth at the SCPGA event last month.

Sargent, head pro at Yorba Linda Country Club for 17 years before moving to Mesa Verde in 1995, plans to try to qualify for some PGA Senior Tour event, including the Toshiba Senior Classic next March at Newport Beach Country Club.

“I’ll probably give that a whirl,” Sargent said, “just for the fun of it.”