GOLF:

The lost son has returned to Southern California and for John Cook it was a welcome homecoming.

Exiled to Florida for most of his professional career, at least that is how us snooty lifetime So Cal residents look at it, Cook bought a house in Newport Beach a couple of years ago and is acclimating again to life in the Golden State.

“It’s home,” Cook said. “I spent all my young years and young adult years basically in Southern California, either in the desert or Palos Verde or Rolling Hills or Orange County.”

Cook grew up playing at Miraleste High, which is now Peninsula High and was a standout golfer, earning a scholarship to Ohio State. Soon after turning professional, Cook moved to an exclusive suburb in Orlando, Fla.

He was joined by fellow Southern Californian, Mark O’Meara and several years later, Orange County’s most famous resident, Tiger Woods moved into the same neighborhood in Orange County, Fla.

The three played informal rounds at Isleworth and Woods was asking them questions about the game and the tour.

“He’s never been above trying to learn and get better at things,” Cook said. “I think Mark and I both seem to have helped him a little bit. He’s always asking things about short clubs and controlling distances, things like that.”

But while O’Meara and Cook were vainly trying to win money from Woods, they were also re-energizing their own careers.

“I think Mark said the same thing too, he re-energized us,” Cook said. “It’s easy to take a few steps back when you’re 45, 46 years old. If you don’t bring your game when you’re out there playing with him, he can really make you look bad. You don’t want to be embarrassed, so you keep working.”

It was then Cook’s turn to ask questions.

“I kept working hard and training and working and practicing and playing, picking his brain a little bit about things,” Cook said. “He loves to challenge people, whether you’re playing or working out or just practicing. He kind of kept us sharp in the years when we could have gone the other way.”

It has certainly helped Cook on the Champions Tour. He won his second event he played in as a rookie in 2007. This year in seven events, Cook has finished in the top 10 four times. He also finished tied for 13th at the Toshiba Classic, shooting rounds of 71, 67, 67 in his first time at Newport Beach Country Club.

When he isn’t playing on the Champions Tour, he is enjoying rounds with friends at Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach and El Niguel Country Club in Laguna Niguel.

“I like to compete with my friends,” Cook said. “We compete, we play a lot of golf. I give them way to many strokes, so I have to compete. It translates into being competitive on the Champions Tour as well.”

Woods has bought a house nearby and he and Cook will soon be back out on the course competing when they have the chance.

One of the other benefits is that Cook is closer to his children. His son, Jason, left Pepperdine early and is trying to make it in the same profession as his father.

“He’s learning to get the most out of his ability,” Cook said. “He’s gaining experience. He would be a senior in college. He’s not like Charlie Howell coming out of college, but he’s a very, very good player. A lot of skills, but he’s learning what it takes to compete. And there’s so much good golf being played on just the most obscure mini tours.”

Cook is happy he will be around to give whatever advice his son needs.

“It’s been a great move for us,” Cook said. “The kids are all out here. This is home, where I grew up, where my wife grew up. It’s all good.”

JOHN REGER’S golf column appears on Thursdays

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