The annual Hoag Classic Golf Tournament, part of the PGA TOUR Champions, returns to Newport Beach Country Club March 25 through 29. The event brings the legends of golf together with the community in support of Hoag and other local charities.
Played on the scenic coastal course at Newport Beach Country Club, the tournament features world class competition, fan friendly experiences, and meaningful opportunities to give back. It’s a week where championship golf meets community impact.
This is one of the most popular sporting events in Newport Beach, so obtain sponsorships and tickets in advance before they are sold out.
Ticket options, a full schedule of events, and ways to get involved are available at www.hoagclassic.com.
Details
The Hoag Classic is the only official PGA TOUR Champions event in Orange County. It draws tens of thousands of patrons, 250+ sponsors and 800 volunteers each year. It’s one of the most philanthropic events in PGA TOUR Champions history, raising over $20 million for Hoag and other local charities.
The tournament boasts 34 PGA TOUR Champions members in the World Golf Hall of Fame, many of whom are still actively competing. The tournament features players with over 400 world-wide professional victories and over 50 major championships.
It is the largest corporately attended event in Orange County with over 250 corporate sponsors who entertain customers and clients during the tournament.
Charity
Ther Hoag Classic is highly regarded for its profound history of giving. In 2000, it became the first event to raise $1 million for charity and set the standard that has since become the model for every TOUR event.
Proceeds from the Hoag Classic have benefitted many of Hoag’s institutes including the Hoag Family Cancer Institute, the Sue & Bill Gross Women’s Pavilion, Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart and Vascular Institute, and Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center. In addition to Hoag, tournament proceeds have also been contributed to more than 50 local charities.
Hoag Classic’s charitable initiatives include support of local military families and charities and support of Hoag Employees trying to continue their education.
Schedule of Events
Sunday, March 22: Pacific Life Celebrity Classic Benefiting Hoag
Gate Hours: 10 a.m. to end of play
Tee Times off Hole 1 & Hole 10 starting at 11 a.m.
NFL representatives and other celebrities make up the player field
Note: This is a separate event from the Hoag Classic
Wednesday, March 25: Aston Martin Newport Beach Legends Pro-Am
Gate Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tee Times: 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. shotgun starts
Thursday, March 26: Aston Martin Newport Beach Legends Pro-Am
Gate Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tee Times: 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. shotgun starts
Friday, March 27: Hoag Classic Round 1
Gate Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tee Times: 9:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Saturday, March 28: Hoag Classic Round 2
Gate Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tee Times: 9:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Salute to Service Day Celebrating Folds of Honor
Folds of Honor Opening Ceremony approx. 8:45 a.m.
Salute to Service Honoree recognition on 18th Green (Approx. 3 p.m.)
Celebrity Challenge: Tee-Off 2:30 p.m. on the 10th Tee
Sunday, March 29: Hoag Classic Round 3
Gate Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tee Times: 9:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Student Day, presented by Kingston Technology (students 18 and under admitted free with ticketed adult)
Chipotle First Tee “Chip”ping Clinic: 12 to 2 p.m. at Chipping Green near Clubhouse
Champions Trophy Presentation: 4 p.m. (18th Green)
Closing ceremony directly following play (18th Green)
Tournament History
According to information from the Hoag Classic website, Hoag Hospital began its journey in professional golf in 1975 with the Crosby Southern Pro-Am. Nearly 50 years later, Hoag has accomplished more than anyone could have imagined since that first event at Newport Beach Country Club.
In 1974, Bing Crosby, internationally renowned singer, actor and future World Golf Hall of Fame member, was looking for a place to hold a satellite event for golf professionals who missed the cut at this famous Pebble Beach Pro-Am Tournament.
Marshall Duffield, a friend of Crosby who was a Hoag Hospital 552 Club and Newport Beach (Irvine Coast) Country Club member, enlisted his friend Charley Hester, another 552 Club member, to negotiate a deal for a tournament benefiting Hoag. Crosby put up $10,000 in prize money for the first tournament, and in 1975 the first Crosby Southern Pro-Am was held in Newport Beach.
Over the next 22 years, many future stars of the PGA TOUR visited the tournament, which was renamed the Newport Classic Pro-Am in 1987, and the Taco Bell Newport Classic from 1993-1997. In that two decade plus span, the total net proceeds raised for Hoag totaled over $2.3 million.
In the spring of 1997, the Senior PGA TOUR (now PGA TOUR Champions) approached Hoag to take over operations of the local TOUR event, and in the fall Hoag began its new venture as host and manager of the Toshiba Senior Classic.
Although the Toshiba Senior Classic had existed in the community for three years under different management, Hoag was essentially starting a brand-new tournament with only five months to prepare. Hank Adler, who had chaired the Taco Bell Newport Classic, and Jake Rohrer, who had chaired several of the previous tournaments, took on new leadership roles as co-chairmen.
Hank was instrumental in transitioning Newport Classic sponsors to the Toshiba Senior Classic and soliciting new sponsors, while Jake focused on the crucial task of recruiting and organizing 1,000 volunteers. Newport Beach Country Club continued its important partnership as host club.
The tournament became an instant success, as the partnership of Hoag, Toshiba, Newport Beach Country Club, and the PGA TOUR proved to be a magical formula. The 1998 tournament quickly raised over $700,000 for charity, and two short years later Hoag produced the first PGA TOUR Champions tournament to ever raise $1 million for charity.
After two successful decades, including crossing the $20 million charitable threshold, Hoag assumed title sponsorship in 2019, and the event became the Hoag Classic.
