Booth, Zakhar Begin LPGA Season With Nice Paydays

A couple of Coto de Caza residents fared well in the LPGA Tour season-opening tournament last weekend at Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, Fla.

Kellee Booth, in her second season on the tour, shot 68-71-74--213 and tied for 10th at the YourLife Vitamins LPGA Classic. She was tied for third after each of the first two rounds and earned $16,893.

Heather Zakhar shot 69-73-72--214 and finished tied for 17th. She earned $11,353 in her debut as a full-time tour member. Zakhar won three times on the Futures Tour last year and finished first on that tour’s money list, earning an exemption for the LPGA Tour.

Both players are entered in the Subaru Memorial of Naples this week in Florida.

PROS REACH OUT

Dennis Paulson, Esteban Toledo, Paul Goydos, Chris Tidland, Kevin Sutherland and David Sutherland are among the PGA Tour professionals who will play in the fourth annual Tustin Pro-Am tournament Feb. 26 at Tustin Ranch.

The format offers amateurs a chance to pair up with PGA professionals who will offer pointers and assistance along the way. Local pros in the field include Justin Boatman, Perry Parker, Patrick Burke and Alan Tapie.

The cost to enter is $225 per player, with proceeds benefiting the Assistance League of Tustin, which provides various services for schools.

Information: (714) 544-6203.

HIP GARB

Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver Inc., a stalwart in the surf apparel industry, will introduce a golf division at the PGA merchandise show in Orlando this month, chairman Robert B. McKnight announced Tuesday.

The Quicksilver golf division will be headed by John Ashworth, co-founder of the golf apparel company that bears his name. The line is targeted at male golfers between 25 and 40.

WATSON TO SPEAK

Tom Watson will be the keynote speaker during a community breakfast that takes place the week of the Toshiba Senior Classic.

Watson, making his first appearance at the Toshiba, will speak Feb. 27th at the Newport Beach Marriott. Tickets to the breakfast are $100. Information: (949) 515-4840.

FIND THE REMOTE

Those wishing to follow the Senior PGA Tour this year will have to switch channels. The tour has a new television contract with cable network CNBC, which will televise 33 events this year. All events will be shown from 3-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The Senior tour kicks off this week with the MasterCard Championship in Hawaii. The Toshiba Senior Classic is March 2-4 at Newport Beach Country Club.

JAGS CHAMPIONS

Andy Anderson of Huntington Beach and Jennifer Osborn of Huntington Beach won the Junior Amateur Golf Scholars Winter Junior Classic Monday at Rancho San Joaquin.

Anderson, 17, a senior at Huntington Beach High, shot 71-69--140 and won by nine shots over Casey Strohsal of San Clemente.

Osborn, 13, who is in eighth grade, shot 83-75 and won by 11 strokes over Julie Kim of Rancho Palos Verdes.

The next JAGS tournament is Feb. 11-12 at Brookside in Pasadena. Information: (714) 952-3316 or www.jagstour.com.

FORE MILLION

The number of golfers who have played Dad Miller in Anaheim is approaching 4 million and course officials expect to hit the magic number sometime between Jan. 20-31.

The lucky player at the 37-year-old city course will receive one free round of golf per month for a year and a gift pack.

WINDS OF CHANGE

Steve Puck, former head pro at Tustin Ranch, has taken a position as teaching professional at Tijeras Creek. James Spadoni, director of golf at Tustin Ranch, will assume the duties of head pro. . . . Roger Teel, former head pro at Dad Miler, has taken the same position at Green River in Corona. . . . Tijeras Creek General Manager Jennifer Alderson resigned. A replacement has not been named.