Senior PGA Event on Solid Footing in Newport Beach

The Toshiba Senior Classic, plagued by instability during its first three years, appears to be on solid ground for 1998.

Tournament managers announced Tuesday that the Senior PGA Tour event in March will be at Newport Beach Country Club for at least the next three years. Hoag Hospital Foundation has three-year contracts with the PGA Tour, Toshiba and the club, said Jeff Purser, tournament director.

The agreement with Toshiba’s Irvine-based computer systems division calls for a $1.1-million purse this year, $1.2 million in 1999 and $1.3 million in 2000.

The tournament’s future seemed shaky last spring and summer after International Bay Clubs, owner of the country club, said it wouldn’t host the tournament if it were managed by International Sports & Event Marketing. At issue was a disputed food and beverage bill from the 1997 tournament.

ISM announced it would look for another Orange County site, but never made headway. In August, Toshiba announced Hoag Hospital Foundation would take over as manager and be the charity beneficiary.

Also announced Tuesday was that Newport Beach-based agents Leigh Steinberg and Jeff Moorad will lend their support to the celebrity pro-am to be played the Monday of tournament week.

Tournament week is March 9-15. The three-day competition, won last year by Bob Murphy in a Senior Tour-record nine-hole playoff with Jay Sigel, begins March 13.