The Hoag Classic has announced that Jack Nicklaus, golf’s greatest champion, will be the guest of honor and keynote speaker at the 2025 Hoag Classic Hall of Fame Community Breakfast presented by Hoag Orthopedic Institute.
The annual special breakfast event will be held in advance of the tournament on Tuesday, March 18, at Balboa Bay Club. Tables for the Hoag Classic Hall of Fame Community Breakfast are on sale now in limited quantity.
Visit www.hoagclassic.com/tickets for details.
Former Hoag Classic Hall of Fame Inductee Hank Adler will moderate the breakfast’s special conversation with Nicklaus, including highlights from the legend’s competitive professional career that spanned five decades with 120 tournament victories worldwide, including a record 18 major-championship titles.
“We’re deeply honored to welcome Jack Nicklaus to the Hoag Classic Hall of Fame Community Breakfast,” said Scott Easton, Executive Director of the Hoag Classic. “No name is more synonymous with greatness in the sport of golf than the name Jack Nicklaus, and no single person has changed the face of the sport more than Jack Nicklaus – the champion, the course designer, the businessman, the philanthropist, and the good-will ambassador. His unmatched achievements, legendary career, and lasting influence on the game of golf make this event a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our community to hear from one of the greatest champions and sportsmen of all time.”
Nicklaus’ competitive professional career includes six Masters titles, five PGA Championship wins, four U.S. Open victories, and three British Open titles. He won the career Grand Slam on both the regular and senior tours and was named “Golfer of the 20th Century” by every major media outlet.
Nicklaus’ legacy transcends his championship resumé, due to his global design work, and the commitment from Jack and wife Barbara to philanthropy, specifically efforts focused on pediatric care through the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. Using his platform to benefit others has earned Nicklaus the designation as the first sportsperson—and just the fourth individual in history—to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Gold Medal, and the Lincoln Medal.
Dick Pickup Inducted Into Hoag Charity Sports Hall of Fame
At this year’s breakfast, Hoag Charity Sports will also be inducting the late Richard “Dick” Pickup into the Hall of Fame to honor him for his generous commitment to the tournament.
“Dick Pickup was a visionary philanthropist whose acts of generosity have left a transformational impact at Hoag and throughout the Orange County community,” said Easton. “We are proud to honor his legacy and induct Dick Pickup into the Hoag Charity Sports Hall of Fame.”
The Hoag Classic will take place the week of March 17–23 at the Newport Beach Country Club. The 2025 tournament will mark the 29th year of Orange County’s only PGA TOUR Champions event and will once again feature Hoag as the title sponsor, along with City National Bank and McCarthy Building Companies as the tournament’s presenting partners.
The Hoag Classic will be one of the premier Regular Season events on the PGA TOUR Champions in 2025, featuring a $2,000,000 purse and leading to the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, a season-ending, three-tournament series used to determine the TOUR’s season-long champion.
The 2025 PGA TOUR Champions schedule features 28 events and will conclude with the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix, AZ. The 2025 Season will have players competing for more than $69 million in total prize money, the highest in PGA TOUR Champions’ 45-season history.
All three rounds of the Hoag Classic will be broadcast on Golf Channel.
More exciting events and experiences happening throughout the 2025 Hoag Classic tournament week will be announced soon. For current tournament information, including ticket sales, Pro-Am, hospitality and volunteer opportunities please visit www.HoagClassic.com.
ABOUT THE HOAG CLASSIC
For one week each year, the international spotlight shines brightly on Orange County’s only official PGA TOUR Champions event. Hosted at Newport Beach Country Club, the Hoag Classic showcases golf legends such as Fred Couples, Retief Goosen, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker as they compete with more than 70 other PGA TOUR legends for the title. As one of the largest philanthropic events in PGA TOUR Champions history, the Hoag Classic has raised over $25 million in total proceeds for Hoag’s program and services, as well as other local educational and military charities. For more information visit www.HoagClassic.com.
