Hosts possess the most (titles)

The last time Big Canyon Country Club played host to the Jones Cup, it won the one-day golf tournament.

History will be on Big Canyon’s side when it tees off at home Tuesday at the 12th annual Jones Cup at 1 p.m. The familiar course, with its hard-to-read greens, can only help Big Canyon in its attempt to finish on top again.

First place is where Big Canyon has found itself more than half the time at the Jones Cup.

Of the four Newport-Mesa area private country clubs, Big Canyon has won the most Jones Cup titles at six. Getting No. 7 is up to the quintet of Robert Pang, Michael Castillo, Mike Carpenter, Olivia Slutzky and Gary Singer.

Only Pang and Carpenter played roles in Big Canyon claiming the Jones Cup in its backyard four years ago.

Carpenter delivered back then as a fill-in for the men’s champion, collecting three birdies. Carpenter stepped in for Will Tipton.

Tipton isn’t around this year, and neither are Dave Quisling and Martha Redfearn, who represented the club’s senior champion and women’s champion, respectively. Replacing Quisling is Singer and stepping in to fill Redfearn’s spot is Slutzky.

Pang and Castillo, a club professional, are the only returning golfers. Three new faces might bode well for the psyche of Big Canyon, which started fast last season at the Jones Cup, only to break down at the end.

Big Canyon saw a five-shot lead after the first six holes vanish. After 18 holes, Big Canyon finished second, two strokes behind host Mesa Verde. The result marked the second straight year Big Canyon finished behind Mesa Verde.

Mesa Verde has won the two-best-ball format at the Jones Cup the past two years. The way it has done it is remarkable, always ending strong on the back nine.

Before Mesa Verde’s run, Big Canyon won back-to-back crowns.

The run by Big Canyon started at home in 2007, when it edged Mesa Verde by one stroke.

Big Canyon will try to begin another one on its turf.

Mesa Verde is creeping from behind, with four Jones Cup titles, the second most. Mesa Verde has a chance at a three-peat, which only Big Canyon has accomplished at the Jones Cup, winning from 2001 to 2003.

The current two-year title drought is the longest for Big Canyon. The last two years, Big Canyon has been in contention, which wasn’t the case in Pang’s first year with the club.

Pang, the club’s head professional and team captain, joined Big Canyon in 2006. His first year at the Jones Cup, after Big Canyon had won four of the previous five titles, Big Canyon finished dead last.

Pang can take solace in the fact that the previous two times Big Canyon played host to the Jones Cup, it won each time.