Ernie Els, Four-Time Major Champion, Headlines Newcomers to the Hoag Classic
The “Big Easy” joins Retief Goosen, Angel Cabrera, and Tim Herron along with an impressive list of PGA TOUR Champions returning to Newport Beach Country Club on March 4-8, 2020
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., January 10, 2020 — Hoag Classic officials announced today that four-time major champion and recent Presidents Cup International team captain Ernie Els is among the early commits to this year’s PGA TOUR Champions tournament, which will return to Newport Beach Country Club on March 4th to 8th, 2020.
Els, one of the game’s most successful golfers for almost three decades, is known for his effortless power and free-flowing swing. “The Big Easy” has achieved 72 career victories, four of those being major championships: the U.S. Open in 1994 at Oakmont and in 1997 at Congressional, and The Open Championship in 2002 at Muirfield and in 2012 at Royal Lytham & St Annes. He is one of six golfers to twice win both the U.S. Open and The Open Championship.
“We are excited to announce the commitment of Ernie Els for this year’s Hoag Classic,” said Jeff Purser, executive director of the Hoag Classic. “Attracting a field of professional players that rival any major championship in golf, we are proud to host an event that not only contributes to the health and vitality our community, but creates a compelling competition for our fans to enjoy.”
Celebrating its 25th year, the Hoag Classic, with Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian as title sponsor and presenting partners Konica Minolta and City National Bank, is one of the finest stop on the PGA TOUR Champions drawing world-renowned golf legends to compete for the $1.8 million purse.
Els will join other newcomers Retief Goosen, Angel Cabrera and Tim Herron who are expected among 80 players to compete in the 2020 tournament.
Goosen is a two-time U.S. Open champion – 2001 and 2004 – and has more than 20 combined wins of the PGA Tour and European Tour. He was in the top ten of the world rankings for more than 250 weeks between 2001 and 2007. In 2019, Goosen was elected into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Cabrera won the U.S. Open in 2007 and the Masters in 2009. He is the only player from Argentina to be Top Ten in the official World Golf Ranking.
Herron has won four PGA Tour events – he Honda Classic in 1996, the LaCantera Texas Open in 1997, the Bay Hill Invitational in 1999 and the Bank of America Colonial in 2006.
In years past, the Hoag Classic has featured players with more than 500 worldwide professional victories, including 50 major championships. The event has also featured more than 40 PGA TOUR Championship members in the World Golf Hall of Fame, many of who are still competing. A current list of players is available at hoagclassic.com/player-field.
A schedule of events for the Hoag Classic can be found at HoagClassic.com. Good-Any-One-Day tickets for the Hoag Classic are available online before the event for $25. Tickets purchased at the Main Gate on the day of the event are $30. Tickets can also be purchased in advance at participating Roger Dunn Golf Stores. Children age 11 and under receive complimentary admission.
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 Bernhard Langer 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 on tickets and the Championship Weekend featuring Corporate Day, presented by City National Bank, Military Appreciation Day, presented by CoreLogic, and Youth Day, presented by Kingston Technology, visit HoagClassic.com.
ABOUT PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 33 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. In 2020, the PGA TOUR Champions schedule includes 27 tournaments across the United States, Morocco, Japan, England and Canada, with purses totaling nearly $59 million. The Charles Schwab Cup, which includes the Regular Season and the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, is used to determine the season-long champion. 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. Internationally, telecasts air in excess of 170 countries and territories, reaching more than 340 million potential households, and distributed in 15+ markets via GOLFTV. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour and on Instagram @pgatourchampions.
ABOUT NEWPORT BEACH COUNTRY CLUB
For more than 60 years, Newport Beach Country Club (NBCC) has captured the spirit of one of Southern California’s most sought-after destinations through exceptional golf, a warm atmosphere and a spectacular location that boasts panoramic views of emerald fairways and sapphire seas. Perched above the famed Pacific Coast Highway and spanning nearly 56,000 square feet, the new Clubhouse makes an iconic architectural statement on coastal California’s Craftsman design. Originally created by world-renowned designer William “Billy” Bell, NBCC is a popular stop on the PGA Champions Tour for more than 20 years, and is home of the annual Hoag Classic.