Newport Beach, CA, January 14, 2010 -
Corey
Pavin, who carved out a lofty place as one of the most dynamic and popular
players in the history of Southern California golf, will give golf fans a
preview to one of his biggest years in professional golf as the guest speaker
for the annual Toshiba Classic Breakfast with a Champion presented
by The Allergan Foundation on Tuesday, March 2 at the Newport Beach Marriott
Hotel & Spa.
"The Allergan Foundation is extremely proud to
continue our support of the Hoag Hospital Foundation through our sponsorship of
the Champions Breakfast at the Toshiba Classic. This important community
event has become a source of pride within our organization, and we're pleased
to be able to present an event that has become a wonderful tradition in Orange
County, as well as a significant fund raiser for charity," said Jim
Hindman, president of The Allergan Foundation.
Seats for the 7 a.m. Breakfast with a Champion, which sells out quickly each
year and has previously featured guests such as Lee Trevino, Jay Haas, Craig
Stadler and Dave Stockton, are $120 per person. Individual seats and entire
tables can be obtained by calling the Toshiba Classic tournament office at
949-660-1001.
A Southern California native and the 1982 NCAA Player of the Year while
at UCLA, Pavin is a 15-time PGA TOUR winner. His marquee victory came at the 1995
U.S. Open, when Pavin hit one of the most memorable shots in golf history – a 4
wood to six feet on Shinnecock Hills Country Club’s demanding 18th
hole. That gave the “Gritty Little Bruin” – one of Pavin’s several nicknames
lending testament to his bulldog personality – the major championship that had
eluded him throughout his storied career.
Known for his sublime accuracy and that tenacious personality on the
golf course, Pavin was the PGA TOUR’s Arnold Palmer Award winner (leading
money-winner) in 1991. He is making his Champions Tour debut in 2010, but will
play select PGA TOUR events this season.
Aside
from making his Champions Tour debut, Pavin is looking forward to a big year.
He is set to succeed fellow Champions Tour rookie Paul Azinger as the captain
of the 2010 United States Ryder Cup team, having played for the U.S. in 1991,
1993 and 1995 (compiling an 8-5 record) and on the 1994 and 1996 U.S.
Presidents Cup teams. He won the Junior World Amateur title at age 17.
The Breakfast with a Champion also serves as the stage to another proud,
deeply-rooted Toshiba Classic tradition. The Toshiba Classic Scholarship Fund
will use the breakfast to present two $10,000 scholarships to two of Orange
County’s best and brightest students. Funded by proceeds from the Toshiba
Classic, the scholarship fund is a joint effort of the tournament sponsor,
Toshiba America Inc., and Hoag Hospital Foundation.
The Toshiba Classic scholarship panel initially interviewed 24 Orange
County high school seniors and will select 12 finalists. Two scholarship recipients
are chosen by the scholarship panel, based on multiple considerations such as
academic achievement, financial need and extracurricular activities. All 12
finalists receive Toshiba laptops. In the 11th year of the program, the Toshiba
Classic Scholarship Fund will have donated a total of $189,000 in scholarships
and 110 laptops to outstanding Orange County students.
Daily
tickets to the $1.7 million Toshiba Classic, March 1-7 at Newport Beach Country
Club, are $20 if purchased in advance and are $25 at the gate. Season clubhouse
badges providing admission to the grounds and clubhouse for practice rounds and
the tournament are $100. All tickets, including corporate ticket packages, can be
obtained by calling 949-660-1001 or visiting www.ToshibaClassic.com.
The Toshiba Classic
Hoag Hospital
Foundation produces the annual Toshiba Classic. During the last 12 years, the
Toshiba Classic has generated more than $12 million for charity, the most on
the Champions Tour. Televised domestically to over 81 million households on The
Golf Channel, and an additional 86 million households internationally, the
Toshiba Classic provides invaluable exposure for the communities of Orange
County. In addition, the tournament generates an estimated $25 million in
annual economic impact, benefiting the businesses of Newport Beach and Orange
County. For more information, please call 949/660-1001 or log onto
ToshibaClassic.com.
# # #