Dad Miller

Gary Luce of Garden Grove, a retired teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District, got a phone call recently -- from golfer Phil Mickelson. "I recognized his voice right off, from watching on TV," said Luce, 60. "It made my day, my year, maybe half my life." Mickelson told Luce his online entry into a contest sponsored by Ford had been selected and that the former horticulture and physical education teacher would play three other amateurs in an 18-hole showdown Nov. 20.

There is no honor in high school golf that Woods hasn't won, but, even for him, last week was exceptional. Woods won his fourth consecutive Orange League individual title, finishing 11-under-par 204 in three rounds. Tuesday, he shot 68 at Dad Miller; Wednesday, he shot 68 at Los Coyotes Country Club, and Thursday, he shot 68 at Alta Vista Country Club. "I don't remember anybody under par for all three days," Western Coach Don Crosby said.

The Tiger Woods Foundation has chosen Anaheim as the site for a $25-million educational center for underprivileged youths, a victory for local officials working to boost recreation facilities in park-starved northern Orange County. The Tiger Woods Learning Center would provide academic tutoring in reading, writing and computer skills for children ages 8 to 17, as well as classes in golf on a practice course. The foundation hopes to eventually build several centers around the country.

Western's Tiger Woods set a school record by shooting five-under-par 30 at Dad Miller Golf Course and led the Pioneers to a 181-234 victory over Savanna in an Orange League match Thursday. Woods, a senior who has signed with Stanford, opened his nine-hole round by driving the green on the 326-yard first hole. He two putted for birdie, the first of his five. Bryon Bell, David Dawson, Joe Hallada each shot one-over 36 for the Pioneers (8-3, 4-1), who broke the school record by a stroke.

Flanked by local kids who may be among the benefactors of his first youth education center, Tiger Woods shook his head in amazement Wednesday as he stared out at the land where his vision will unfold. "It just blows my mind that this high school punk kid has a chance to give back where it all started," Woods said. "I play golf for selfish reasons. This is something I can do for other people." The Tiger Woods Learning Center is based at the H.G.

The second nine of the Players Course at Mile Square will open Feb. 23, a week ahead of schedule, Mile Square General Manager Scott Chaffin said. Players may begin making tee times Friday for the new layout, which will cost $35 Monday-Thursday, $45 Friday and $55 Saturday, Sunday and holidays. "We were tempted to open this week, but then we got all that rain," Chaffin said. "But it's ready to be opened. It's ready to go." The front nine of The Players Course opened Nov.

Robin Beauregard won two events to help sixth-ranked Marina beat No. 2 Fountain Valley in Sunset League girls' swimming Tuesday at Marina High. Beauregard won the 200-yard individual medley (2 minutes 20.90 seconds) and the 100 backstroke (1:06.19). She also was the leadoff swimmer on the winning 200 medley relay. Also swimming well for Marina was Kristi Riedzel, who won the 100 butterfly (1:01.46). Vinessa Tjoa and Grace Wang were double-event winners for Fountain Valley.

The Community Services Commission this week approved an increase in fees at the city golf course, which is managed by American Golf Corp. The City Council will consider the rate increase Feb. 18, said commission secretary Betty Schwarzkopf. Under the proposal, an 18-hole game on the weekend would cost $21, up from $18. A full game during the week would cost $16 instead of $14. And there would be a $1 reservation fee for 18-hole games on weekends and holidays. The last rate increase was in 1991.

The Senior PGA Tour has made millionaires out of dozens of aging professional golfers since its inception in 1980, but the players also like to share the wealth. In 1997, for instance, the senior tour raised more than $9 million for charity, a significant portion of the $44 million donated by the three branches of the PGA Tour. Profits from each event are supposed to go to charity; the average donation on the senior tour in 1997 was more than $20,000.