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GOLF RESOURCE GUIDE:
Toshiba Classic
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 From left: Champions Tour stars Ben Crenshaw, Lee Trevino, Mark O'Meara and Eduardo Romero, the 2009 Toshiba Classic champion. Charles Dickens wasn’t writing about the Champions Tour when he penned “A Tale of Two Cities.” But his famous opening applies: Are these the best of times or worst of times for the senior circuit in the Southland? On the negative side is the Champions Tour event that called Los Angeles home since 1990. Last year, title sponsor AT&T informed Valencia Country Club that it was withdrawing from the Champions Classic, which had gone by six other names since its debut. The tournament was pulled from the schedule shortly after the announcement. Meanwhile, it’s all systems go at the Toshiba Classic at Newport Beach Country Club. Though the popular event failed to hit the $1 million mark in charitable donations for the second consecutive year in 2009, its $925,000 was remarkable considering the economic climate. “Obviously professional golf, like all professional sports, was down last year,” said Jeff Purser, the Toshiba Classic’s tournament director. “All you have to do is take a look at the PGA and LPGA tours losing sponsors and events and you can see the impact. But I’d say the Champions Tour is in great shape.” Purser admits the Champions Tour has lost some traction over the past 10 years due to the loss of ESPN as the circuit’s primary television site and the Tiger Woods-fueled allure of the PGA Tour. But the steady influx of new players each year, in addition to grassroots support, has helped most tournaments weather the economic storm. “Every existing event is thriving in its individual marketplace,” Purser said. “There isn’t an existing event on the Champions Tour that isn’t healthy. They are all in good markets, have great title sponsors and benefit from great community support.” So why did the Champions Tour fold its tent in Los Angeles, and is a return to the region a possibility? Valencia Country Club general manager Jim Fitzsimmons said players loved the Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed course and that local interest in the tournament was growing each year. But since AT&T operated the event from Chicago, Fitzsimmons said the event didn’t have a strong business infrastructure. “With Newport Beach the tour’s lone Southern California stop, I think that when the next economic upturn happens, there’s a good chance they’ll come back to Los Angeles,” he said. “We loved having them, a lot of our members became good friends with the guys on the tour and, if there is an opportunity to bring it back down the road, we’d love for it to work out.” Purser said Newport Beach Country Club will continue to strive to build on the success of the 54-hole Toshiba Classic. “We are very healthy,” he said. “We’re in a great market and we take a lot of pride in our event.” Purser expects return appearances from notable golfers such as Bernhard Langer, Nick Price, Mark O’Meara and Fuzzy Zoeller, and he has received verbal commitments from senior newcomers Fred Couples and Corey Pavin. “In my opinion, that’s as good a roster as any tour has,” Purser said. “And when you consider that it’s not as expensive to attend a Champions event as a PGA Tour event, I think you can see why this is such a thriving regional product.” A Closer Look at Toshiba Classic Where: Newport Beach Country Club. When: March 1-7. Practice rounds: March 1-2; pro-am, March 3-4. Tournament rounds: March 5-7. Tickets: $20 in advance for any day, $25 at the gate. Corporate ticket packages also are available. Television: Golf Channel. Purse: $1.7 million. Tournament record: 17-under par, 196 (Hale Irwin, 2002). Last year: Argentina’s Eduardo Romero made three consecutive birdies to start the back nine on Sunday en route to beating Joey Sindelar and Mark O’Meara by a stroke. Notable: With his victory in 2009, Romero became the fourth international player to win the Toshiba Classic, joining Rodger Davis of Australia, Jose Marie Canizares of Spain and Bernhard Langer of Germany. Did you know: Eight members of the World Golf Hall of Fame participated in last year’s event: Hubert Green, Tom Kite, Hale Irwin, Larry Nelson, Gary Player, Nick Price, Lee Trevino and Tom Watson. New this year: Increased bleacher seating around the 18th green, including beverage service; more interactive fan features, such as swing analysis; and a stay-and-play package that includes hotel accommodations, Sunday VIP tickets and a Monday round of golf. More information: (949) 660-1001 or toshibaclassic.com. |
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