Ernie Els Wins 2023 Hoag Classic
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., March 22, 2023 --- The 2023 Hoag Classic, Orange County’s only PGA TOUR Champions event, returned to Newport Beach Country Club on March 15 to 19, 2023 with Hoag as title sponsor and presenting partners Konica Minolta and City National Bank.
With an impressive PGA TOUR Champion lineup competing for the $2 million purse, Ernie Els birdied two of his last three holes to overcome a five-stroke deficit beginning the final round to claim his second Hoag Classic title (2020) and third career PGA TOUR Champions title.
This year marks the 27th tournament in Orange County since beginning in 1995. Hoag became the host, manager and beneficiary in 1998, and title sponsor in 2019. To date, the Hoag Classic has raised more than $22 million in total proceeds for Hoag’s programs and services, as well as other local charities – making it one of the most successful philanthropic events for the PGA TOUR Champions.
“This year’s Hoag Classic was once again an outstanding event,” said Robert T. Braithwaite, president, and CEO of Hoag. “Hoag is proud to be a partner and beneficiary of the annual tournament. Through the incredible generosity and support from the Hoag Classic, we’ve been able to significantly expand access to the world-class health and wellness services Hoag provides.”
With one of the strongest fields in the Hoag Classic’s long and storied history, the tournament featured World Golf Hall of Fame legends and other major championship winners including Retief Goosen, Darren Clarke, Fred Couples, David Duval, Davis Love III, John Daly, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Bernhard Langer, Colin Montgomerie, Vijay Singh, and Steve Stricker.
Throughout the tournament week, more than 65,000 attendees enjoyed world-class golf, along with exciting events and experiences for the whole family.
“We couldn’t put this incredible tournament on without the the thousands of volunteers and support from the community to make this event a reality,” said Jeff Purser, executive director of the Hoag Classic. “With Hoag as title sponsor, our presenting partners Konica Minolta and City National Bank, more than 200 other corporate partners, and our tremendous volunteers, we are proud to host an event that not only contributes to the health and vitality of our community, but creates compelling competition for our fans to enjoy.”
The Hoag Classic Championship Weekend teed off on Friday, March 17. The annual Military Appreciation Day, presented by CoreLogic, on Saturday, March 18 was an opportunity to honor all active duty, military reserve, National Guard, military retirees and veterans. During the final rounds on the 17th and 18th holes the 2023 military honorees were recognized and celebrated. Continuing with tradition, the tournament donated $75,000 to military causes including the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation. Each year, the Hoag Classic honors members of the armed services who have served our country, as well as served our communities. This year’s honorees included:
Colonel Charles J. Quilter, II, USMC
Lieutenant Colonel Walter Drake, USAAF
June L. Ashton, Sergeant USAAF
Frank Marchello, Sergeant USA
Brian Fleming, Jr., Sergeant USN
Joe Cartwright, Corporal USMC
R. Pierce, Specialist Four USA,
Hoag Classic Captain Jack Callahan Volunteer Veteran Award
Richard Paul Mungo, Lieutenant USN,
Hoag Hero Veteran Award
For the Final Round on Sunday, March 19, attendees ages 18 and under received complimentary admission for Student Day, presented by Kingston Technology. Kingston Technology awarded $70,000 in scholarships to the Hoag Employee Scholarship Program for non-nursing employees who are actively pursuing education to advance their careers at Hoag. The recipients included:
Jasmine Brown
Luis Cornejo
Mia Robinson
ABOUT THE HOAG CLASSIC
For one week each year, the international spotlight shines brightly on Orange County’s only official PGA TOUR Champions event. Hosted at Newport Beach Country Club, the Hoag Classic, with Hoag as the title sponsor and presenting partners Konica Minolta and City National Bank, showcases golf legends such as Fred Couples, John Daly and Ernie Els as well as Tour newcomers including Jim Furyk, KJ Choi, Mike Weir, Stuart Appleby, and Robert Allenby as they compete with more than 80 players for the title. As one of the largest philanthropic events in PGA TOUR Champions history, the Hoag Classic has raised more than $20 million in total proceeds for Hoag’s program and services, as well as other local charities. For more information visit HoagClassic.com.
ABOUT HOAG
Hoag is a nonprofit, regional health care delivery system in Orange County, California. Delivering world-class, comprehensive, personalized care, Hoag consists of 1,800 top physicians, 15 urgent care facilities, 10 health & wellness centers, and two award-winning hospitals. Hoag offers a comprehensive blend of health care services that includes six institutes providing specialized services in the following areas: cancer, digestive health, heart and vascular, neurosciences, women’s health, and orthopedics through Hoag’s affiliate, Hoag Orthopedic Institute, which consists of an orthopedic hospital and four ambulatory surgical centers. Hoag is the highest ranked hospital in Orange County by U.S. News & World Report and the only OC hospital ranked in the Top 10 in California, as well as a designated Magnet® hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). For more information, visit hoag.org.
ABOUT PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 34 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour, on Instagram @pgatourchampions and on TikTok (@pgatourchampions).
All events are televised in the United States, with most receiving complete coverage on GOLF Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Tournament programming is available via 20-plus TV linear partners in 170-plus countries and territories, with 25 channels carrying long-form and/or highlights coverage, and 170-plus hours of live coverage distributed in 130-plus countries and territories. Programming is also available via the OTT platform GOLFTV powered by PGA TOUR in every market outside of the United States (240-plus countries and territories), excluding China, Korea and Russia, with live coverage distributed in 130-plus countries and territories.
ABOUT NEWPORT BEACH COUNTRY CLUB
Newport Beach Country Club is an exclusive and iconic Country Club in famed Newport Beach, CA. Perched above the famed Pacific Coast Highway, NBCC has captured the spirit of the Southern California lifestyle for more than 65 years. Spanning nearly 56,000 square feet and boasting panoramic views of emerald fairways and sapphire seas, the Clubhouse makes an architectural statement on coastal California Craftsman design. With a course originally designed by world-renowned designer William “Billy” Bell, NBCC has been one of the most popular stops on the PGA Champions Tour for more than 20 years and is the home of the annual Hoag Classic.
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