Golf is back in season, and we’re excited to see what this year’s competition will bring! One of those competitions just wrapped up last week, and it’s called the Hoag Classic (named after its beneficiary). It’s now part of the PGA TOUR Champions, but that wasn’t always the case.

History

Hoag Health Network (formerly Hoag Hospital) took its inaugural steps into the world of professional golf in 1975. Future World Golf Hall-of-Fame member Bing Crosby wanted to hold a satellite event for golfers who missed the cut at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am Tournament. Enlisting the help of two Hoag Hospital 552 Club members, Marshall Duffield and Charley Hester, they initiated a charity tournament benefiting Hoag to be held at the Newport Beach Country Club. Crosby provided the first purse for the tournament, and thus the Crosby Southern Pro-Am was born.

The tournament was a success and continued to host pro golfers in the coming years. By 1987, it was renamed the Newport Classic Pro-Am, only to be renamed again in 1993 to the Taco Bell Newport Classic. In those years, total net proceeds raised for Hoag totaled over $2.3 million! Newport Beach Country Club remained the host of the event.

The PGA TOUR Champions (formerly the Senior PGA TOUR) looked to take over operations of the tournament in 1997, initiating another name change as Hoag hosted and managed the Toshiba Senior Classic. After 20 successful years and exceeding $20 million in charitable donations, Hoag Health Network stepped into the title sponsorship spotlight in 2019, renaming the event to the Hoag Classic.

This Year’s Tournament

The 2024 Hoag Classic was once again held at Newport Beach Country Club, hosting 78 competitors for the 54-hole tournament. Though the tournament has not changed locations, the event’s difficulty level was raised after the course underwent renovations in 2022, adding 18 new bunkers and four green extensions. The tournament winners split a $2 million purse, with the winner taking home $300,000.

Winner Winner

It was a tight race to the finish for the 2024 Hoag Classic! At the start of the third day, EyePromise ambassador Padraig Harrington had a 2-shot lead over second place. However, Harrington shot 2 double bogeys (one on the fourth hole and one on the sixteenth), taking him out of the lead. Harrington kept his cool, sinking 2 clutch birdies to win it all.

Congratulations Padraig!

This is Harrington’s 7th win in 37 starts on the PGA TOUR Champions, and we’re on pins and needles waiting for his next outing!