Toshiba

Newport Beach Country Club holds a special place in Esteban Toledo's heart. He's hoping the course will become even more meaningful this weekend. One thing's for sure, NBCC will be a place for therapy for Toledo. Toledo, a former honorary member at NBCC, revealed Wednesday his older brother, Mario, died of "health problems" last week. Mario had been planning to be in Newport Beach to watch his younger brother, Toledo said. Instead, Toledo will travel to Mexicali for the funeral.

Kelsey Liu said she didn't realize that she and Erik Cerros were about to be surprised on Feb. 26. They were among 12 seniors vying for two $10,000 scholarships issued by the Toshiba Classic. Liu of University High said she was told that she would need to stay after a meeting, along with Cerros of Estancia because their photo headshots supposedly needed to be re-shot. "I was just thinking: I guess I'm not photogenic," Liu said with a giggle. Turns out Liu and Cerros were told they were the winners of the scholarships.

Steve Finley, Matt Leinart, Garrett Anderson and Champions Tour players John Cook, Esteban Toledo, Curtis Strange and Fuzzy Zoeller will participate in a special Toshiba Classic charity event Tuesday morning at Newport Beach Country Club. Matt "Money" Smith will emcee the inaugural Skills Challenge, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Four athletes/celebrities and four Champions Tour players will pair together in a targeted skills challenge to raise money for Hoag Hospital. The winning team will receive a check donation in their name to Hoag Hospital's Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center, which is the Toshiba Classic's beneficiary for the third consecutive year.

MONDAY 8 a.m. – Gates Open 11 a.m. – Monday Pro-Am Shotgun Start TUESDAY 7 a.m. – Breakfast with a Champion presented by The Allergan Foundation (at Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa). The special guest will be Steve Elkington. 6:30 p.m. – Classic Pro-Am Pairings Party (by invitation only) (at Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa) WEDNESDAY 6 a.m. – Gates Open 7:30 a.m. – Morning Shotgun for Classic Pro-Am 1 p.m. – Afternoon Shotgun for Classic Pro-Am THURSDAY 6 a.m. – Gates Open 7:30 a.m. –Morning Shotgun for Classic Pro-Am 1 p.m. – Afternoon Shotgun for Classic Pro-Am 6:30 p.m. – Classic Pro-Am Awards Party (by invitation only)

Newport Beach Country Club, Par 71, 6,591 yards Hole 1, Par 4 - 339 yards - This dogleg-left opening hole is the easiest par-four on the course. The key is to take the right club off the tee, aim inside the fairway bunker on the right and leave about 100 yards to the hole. You don't want to be too close to the green, especially if the pin is up front. Hole 2, Par 4 - 390 yards - The fairway slopes right to left, so you want to keep the drive to the right-center of the fairway.

Loren Roberts went to Newport Beach Country Club on Nov. 5 for a special day in his honor. But he also wanted to make it a meaningful day for a select group at the golf course. Roberts was being inducted into the Toshiba Classic Hall of Fame. He also conducted an exclusive putting clinic for friends and sponsors of the annual tournament. Those people were learning from one of the best with the putter. Roberts, a.k.a. the Boss of the Moss, is known for his expertise and deftness in the short game.

Past Toshiba Classic champions, and the top 30 players on the Champions Tour, amassing hundreds of wins combined, will tee it up at the 19th annual tournament, set to tee off March 11-17 at Newport Beach Country Club, the Toshiba Classic announced Tuesday. Among those committed include 2008 Toshiba Classic winner Bernhard Langer, Tom Lehman, Fred Funk, Mark Calcavecchia, 2007 Toshiba Classic winner Jay Haas, 2010 Toshiba Classic winner Fred Couples, part-time Corona del Mar resident John Cook, Corey Pavin and Toshiba Classic defending champion Loren Roberts.

Australian Steve Elkington, a 10-time PGA Tour winner, will be the featured speaker at the annual Toshiba Classic Breakfast with a Champion presented by The Allergan Foundation at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa on March 12. Elkington, known as "Elk," spent 50 weeks on the Official World Golf Rankings top 10 between 1995 and 1998. One of his 10 PGA Tour wins came at the 1995 PGA Championship, when he won in a playoff over Colin Montgomerie at Riviera Country Club in L.A. He finished in a tie for second at the 2005 PGA Championship behind Phil Mickelson at Baltusrol in New Jersey.

Loren Roberts, an eight-time PGA Tour champion and a 13-time Champions Tour winner, was inducted into the Toshiba Classic Hall of Fame at Newport Beach Country Club on Monday. Roberts, who won the 18th annual Toshiba Classic by two strokes, joined the past tournament champions. "It's an honor," Roberts said. "It just great to be among all those great names. " Monday proved to be a busy day for Roberts, who met with the media in the morning. He also posed for photos next to his name on the wall that has the Hall of Fame honorees near the putting green.