Newport Beach, Calif., March 17, 2005 - The PGA TOUR's Champions Tour and Toshiba today announced that Toshiba has extended its title sponsorship of the Toshiba Senior Classic for four years through 2009.

The Toshiba Senior Classic is one of the most successful charity fundraisers in all of golf. Since 2000, the Classic has raised a minimum of $1 million every year. During this period it has raised more net dollars for charity than any other event on the Champions Tour.

The first round of the 2005 Toshiba Senior Classic will be played Friday at the Newport Beach (Calif.) Country Club. Tom Purtzer is the defending champion of the 54-hole tournament. All three rounds will air live on The Golf Channel, with taped reairs each evening.

The Toshiba announcement brings to 27 the number of Champions Tour title sponsors that have already extended commitments to the Tour through 2006.

"Toshiba is thrilled to be able to continue as title sponsor to this event, which supports the communities in which our employees live," Toshiba America Inc. Chairman Hideo Ito said. "We're proud to be part of such a successful event, one that makes` such a difference in people's lives."

"The Toshiba Senior Classic is a shining light on the Champions Tour," said Rick George, President of the Champions Tour. "With charitable contributions of $1 million each of the last five years, the Classic establishes a high bar for all professional golf tournaments. The partnership of Toshiba and Hoag Hospital is unique and has done much to benefit communities in and around Orange County. On behalf of the Champions Tour and its players, we thank Toshiba for its strong commitment."

"We can't be more thrilled that Toshiba has decided to continue its relationship with this wonderful event," Tournament Co-Chair Hank Adler said. "Their commitment to Hoag Hospital and the many local charities has created many opportunities for thousands of families in Orange County."

"This event is the most significant fundraiser for Hoag Hospital and it wouldn't be possible without the support of Toshiba and the many other sponsors," said Dick Ortwein, chairman of the board of Hoag Hospital. "We are pleased that Toshiba will continue to lead the way with this continued commitment to Hoag Hospital and the entire community."

The Toshiba Senior Classic has been on the Champions Tour schedule since 1995. It was played at Mesa Verde Country in Costa Mesa the first year before moving to its current home at Newport Beach Country in 1996.

The Toshiba Senior Classic
Hoag Hospital Foundation produces the annual Toshiba Senior Classic, perennial host to one of the PGA Champions Tour's strongest fields. During the last seven years, the Toshiba Senior Classic has raised more than $6.7 million for charity, the most on the Champions Tour. And, in the PGA Champions Tour's 25-year history, only seven out of more than 600 tournaments have raised $1 million in net proceeds from an event in a single year. The Toshiba Senior Classic has reached the $1 million mark five consecutive years out of those seven. The Toshiba Senior Classic is televised to an international audience on The Golf Channel, enabling millions of viewers to see some of Orange County's greatest attractions. The Toshiba Senior Classic generates an estimated $20 million in annual economic impact for Orange County and the state of California. For more information, please call 949/660-1001 or log onto ToshibaSeniorClassic.com.

About the Champions Tour
The Champions Tour is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2005. Conceived in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour, it started with just four events and purses totaling $475,000. The Champions Tour has grown to 28 official events offering a minimum of $50.3 million in prize money in 2005 and its highest average purse ever of $1.8 million. The Champions Tour's primary purpose is to provide significant competitive and earnings opportunities for players age 50 and older; to protect the integrity of the game; and to help grow the reach of the game in the U.S. and around the world. In addition to providing competitive opportunities for its membership, Champions Tour events also generate significant sums of money for charity. Through 2004, the three Tours of the PGA TOUR and their tournaments had generated more than $900 million for charity since the first recorded donation was made in 1938, with more than $80 million raised in 2004. The TOUR's "Drive To A Billion" is expected to be reached in the first quarter of 2006. The commissioner of the PGA TOUR is Tim Finchem. Rick George is president of the Champions Tour. TOUR headquarters is in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Its Web site address is PGATOUR.COM.

Media Contact:
Brian Robin/Dana von Louda
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Anjanette Gan
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Jeff Purser
949/660-1001