Event History

Toshiba Classic organizers are hoping for a Sweet Sixteen when the tournament takes place March 5 to 7 at Newport Beach Country.

If the tournament is anything like the first 15 years, everyone should be happy.

Argentina’s Eduardo Romero capped it with his 11-under-par 202 victory last year, when he had 17 birdies in his three rounds. Romero, known as “El Gato (the cat),” will try to become the first repeat winner of the Toshiba Classic. That would add to the tournament’s rich history.

1995

The first Toshiba Classic took place at Mesa Verde Country Club, where George Archer became the champion. He won by one stroke, ahead of Dave Stockton and Tom Fargo.

1996

Jim Colbert became Toshiba’s only wire-to-wire winner after his two-stroke win, as the tournament was played at Newport Beach Country Club for the first time. Colbert goes on to be the Champions Tour Player of the Year.

1997

Bob Murphy wins the Toshiba crown after an epic battle with Jay Sigel. They competed in a nine-hole playoff, which at the time was a Champion Tour record. Murphy won with an 80-foot putt on NBCC’s famed 17th hole.

1998

Hale Irwin shot a 62, which at the time was the course record, in his final round. It was his first of two Toshiba victories and helped him become Player of the Year.

1999

Another playoff took place. Gary McCord, making his debut on the tour, outlasted John Jacobs on the fifth playoff hole with a birdie to claim the championship. It was McCord’s his first victory in 383 starts.

2000

Allen Doyle won after the only rain-shortened Toshiba. The final round was canceled after rain. Arnold Palmer played in the tournament.

2001

Jose Maria Canizares beat Gil Morgan in a nine-hole playoff. This time, Canizares sank a 24-foot birdie to win it on No. 17.

2002

Hale Irwin won his second Toshiba title and broke his own tournament scoring record by four shots, finishing at 17-under. He also became the record-holder for margin of victory with his five-shot win.

2003

Australian Rodger Davis won for the first time on United States’ soil. He nearly broke Irwin’s record and finished at 16 under.

2004

Tom Purtzer broke Irwin’s course record after he fired an 11-under 60 in the first round. He finished at 15-under for the title. Jack Nicklaus made his Toshiba debut, causing large galleries at the tournament.

2005

It was the Year of the Beer Man. Mark Johnson, who had been a beer-truck driver for 18 years, won after an eagle on the 18th.

2006

Brad Bryant birdied five of his final eight holes to hold off Bobby Wadkins, John Harris and Mark Johnson for the win. It was Bryant’s first on the Champions Tour.

2007

Jay Haas broke Irwin’s five-year-old tournament record, finishing 19-under-par 194 (65-64-65), two better than Irwin’s mark. It was Haas’ seventh victory on the Champions Tour in only his 40th career start. He had only one bogey in the 54 holes.

2008

Bernhard Langer held off Haas in a seven-hole playoff. The two players each had two birdies in the first six playoff holes, before Langer tapped in for the winning birdie on No. 18.