Par for the Course: Charities Win Again at L.A. Open

About 800 business professionals volunteered last week at the Nissan Los Angeles Open golf tournament, a 68-year-old event that last year raised $400,000 for more than 40 charitable and community service projects.

Organized by the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce, the tournament at the Riviera Country Club is the oldest civic-sponsored Professional Golfers Assn. Tour event and the Junior Chamber’s major annual fund-raiser. The Junior Chamber uses the proceeds for its community service projects, which include hosting an annual foster family picnic and helping coordinate the L.A. Watts Summer Games.

Nissan Motor Corp. U.S.A. became the title sponsor in 1989.

Volunteering at the tournament provided Junior Chamber members with not only a chance to rub elbows with golf professionals and Hollywood celebrities, but also to help disadvantaged youths, said spokeswoman Susan Forte .