Hoag Classic golf tournament returns to Newport Beach Country Club
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He has the distinction of being the longest-running defending champion of the Hoag Classic golf tournament — if only because the tournament was canceled last year.
The world has changed considerably since Ernie Els exited the 18th green two years ago at Newport Beach Country Club.
His win on March 8, 2020 came at the beginning stages of coronavirus pandemic shutdowns. From Newport Beach, Els traveled north to San Jose to visit his daughter.
When he flew back to his home in Florida a couple of days later, things had changed.
“Everything was shut down for a good five months,” Els said Wednesday during Legends Pro-Am festivities. “We live in Florida. Other places in the country, [were shut down] even longer. So there’s been a lot that’s gone on in the last two years and it’s so great now to finally be back at Newport Country Club and see the fans again coming out this week and playing a beautiful golf course. Good to be back in California.”
Indeed, it’s good to see the return of the Hoag Classic, which takes place Friday through Sunday. With the tournament having been canceled in 2021, Els still has the chance to become its first back-to-back champion.
He and the others in the 80-player field will be vying for a tournament-record $2 million total purse, as the PGA Tour Champions event returns to Newport Beach Country Club for the 26th year.
The tournament has raised more than $20 million over the years for Hoag and other area charities.
Local favorite Fred Couples, a two-time Hoag Classic winner in 2010 and 2014, is also in the field, along with 2008 champion Bernard Langer. They will try to cool down Miguel Angel Jimenez, who leads the Charles Schwab Cup standings after notching wins in two of the first three tournaments of the 2022 season.
Two-time tournament winner Jay Haas, who took home the title in 2007 and 2016, is also in the field, along with four other past tournament champions — Kirk Triplett (2019), Vijay Singh (2018), Duffy Waldorf (2015) and David Frost (2013).
Friday’s tee times range from 10:15 a.m. to 12:25 p.m. Els, Langer and Darren Clarke tee off from No. 1 at 12:05 p.m., followed by another standout trio in Couples, Jimenez and Jim Furyk. Triplett, Singh and Haas are the last group scheduled to tee off at 12:25 p.m.
Saturday is Military Appreciation Day at the tournament, with all active duty military and veterans receiving complimentary admission for themselves and one guest, as well as food and beverage vouchers. Sunday is Student Day, with all students ages 18 and under being admitted at no charge.
There are also the fan favorites like John Daly, whose colorful personality makes him easy to root for. A reporter asked him Wednesday about how he sees himself as a role model.
“If you do the opposite of John Daly, you’re going to do really well in life,” he quipped as he held court on a wide variety of topics.
Daly has an album coming out Friday called “Whiskey and Water,” which features a track with Willie Nelson. He revealed that he has been golfing on tour with a separated shoulder. He also has bladder cancer.
“Some days I feel like Superman, some days I feel like Jimmy Hoffa 6 feet under,” he said.
Still, the opportunity to golf in front of a full gallery is something that Daly and the other golfers won’t soon take for granted.
“For the longest time we played in front of no one,” Els said. “For the longest time, five, six, seven tournaments, we didn’t have any people around us ... We’re getting back to normalcy.”
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