By Don Eldridge

Sun-Star Sports Editor

Scott Tharp, who guided the Merced High School boys golf team to Sac-Joaquin Section prominence in the mid-1980s, died of an apparent heart attack on Wednesday afternoon at Merced Hills Golf Course. The 59-year-old teacher was playing a round of golf with his son-in-law, Mark Mayo, and grandson, Richard Mayo, at approximately 3 p.m. when he collapsed while walking to the eighth green.

"He had just hit a beautiful approach," Mark Mayo said. "It was one of those that hit the green and spun back six feet from the hole. As we headed toward the green, he was walking and he collapsed."

According to Ron Ewing, the head golf pro at Merced Hills, attempts to resuscitate Tharp at the scene were unsuccessful.

"Someone called 911 and for about 15-20 minutes we worked on him," said Ewing, who was leaving the course when he noticed something was wrong on the course. "Then two sets of paramedics showed up and worked on him for another 15-20 minutes. We never got a pulse on him. We knew it wasn't a good thing."

According to Jeff Tharp, Scott's son, his father had a history of heart problems and underwent quintuple bypass surgery in November of 1996.

"He had some (problems) but he had been able to control it through medication," he said. "He had been doing really well. In fact, he had been feeling a lot healthier, things were looking good. With his history, I wasn't surprised when I heard, but I was shocked, because he had been doing better."

The elder Tharp coached the boys golf team at Merced from 1978 to 1987, winning section titles from 1985-87. The Bears finished second in the CIF Northern California Tournament in 1986. He was also Merced's football coach from 1981-1985 and assisted with baseball and basketball.

Tharp was pronounced dead at Mercy Merced Hospital on Wednesday shortly after arrival from the golf course, which was confirmed by an official at the Merced County Coroner's office. He leaves behind his wife, Karen, and six children, Lisa, Jeff, Jennifer, Christy, Jeremy and Dustin.

"He always had this huge physique," said Mark Mayo, who said his father-in-law was called Papa Bear by many. "He was a big man, but so gentle. He always listened."

Jeff Tharp remembers his father as a man who had a passion for the game he taught to so many young people

"It's odd," he said. "I remember him talking about (wanting) to go out after hitting a perfect golf shot. It was said a while ago and it was said in jest, but that came right back to me when I heard what happened."

After a three-year retirement from teaching, Scott Tharp resumed full-time during the 2000-01 school year. Despite not being connected with the current generation of students as a coach, Vince Clemons, the athletic director at Merced High, said Tharp will be sorely missed.

"Scott is one individual who had a lot of honesty, a lot of integrity," Clemons said. "Those are two assets you look for in coaches and in human beings. He will be missed. People think, 59, that's old, but that's real, real young. To leave at such a young age, it's a tragedy."

Merced High principal Tom Scheidt agreed.

" Scott is a tremendous loss for us, he was well-liked and I would even use the word, loved by staff and students," he said. "I was really excited when he came back because I know what he (brought) to the classroom. He was the kind of person who cared about the kids outside the classroom as well as inside the classroom. He brought the best out of his kids, the best out of the staff."

Because his father's health had been improving, Jeff Tharp said Scott considered a return to coaching.

"My dad had gotten excited about the possibility of coaching again," Jeff said. "Because he was feeling so good, he was eyeing both (golf and football)."

But according to Jeff Tharp, the loss to the sporting community will be minor compared to the loss the community and his father's students will feel.

"Just because of the impact he's had over the year with his students, they've always found a strong hand, but a loving hand," Jeff said. "Everybody would complain about how hard the class was, but they were always drawn to him.

"But first and most, he was a Christian. Everything else he did was guided by that. He was a very devoted husband and a dad. Even though he was busy all the time with coaching, he was always close (with his children)."

A memorial service will be held on Monday, Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. at the Bear Creek Community Church in Merced (1717 E. Olive Avenue). Food will be served following the service.

Sun-Star staff writer Shawn Jansen contributed to this story.