Pacific Life Celebrity Classic and Athletes First Celebrity Waiter Night Brings Out Star Athletes to Raise Funds for Hoag

• Athletes First Celebrity Waiter Night, presented by Pacific Life, and Pacific Life Celebrity Classic featured more than 70 current and former athletes kicking off Hoag Classic Week 2026
• Kyle Van Noy and Jake Haener won the Pacific Life Celebrity Classic at Newport Beach Country Club to raise money for Hoag

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., March 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kicking off the 2026 Hoag Classic tournament week, the Athletes First Celebrity Waiter Night, presented by Pacific Life, and the Pacific Life Celebrity Classic raised funds for Hoag, making a meaningful impact to expand care and services for Orange County.

The weekend of celebrity events brought together more than 70 current and former professional athletes and celebrities for philanthropy and friendly competition in Newport Beach.

On Saturday, March 21, the Athletes First Celebrity Waiter Night, presented by Pacific Life, transformed the VEA Newport Beach into a lively charitable evening as Athletes First clients traded their jerseys for aprons to become "waiters for the night." The event featured a star-studded lineup including Houston QB CJ Stroud, San Francisco LB Fred Warner, Baltimore RB Derrick Henry, Indianapolis QB Daniel Jones, NFL RedZone host Scott Hanson, and ESPN broadcaster Ryan Clark, among others, who volunteered their time to support Hoag Hospital Foundation's Boldly Hoag campaign, a fundraising effort to expand Hoag's Sun Family Campus in Irvine and enhance care for the growing Orange County community, while giving guests of the event an up-close and personal interaction with their favorite athletes.

The celebration continued Sunday, March 22 as more than 70 professional athletes and celebrities took to Newport Beach Country Club for the Pacific Life Celebrity Classic, the second annual celebrity golf tournament held ahead of the PGA TOUR Champions Hoag Classic. After a competitive day on the course, Ravens LB Kyle Van Noy and Kansas City QB Jake Haener captured the 2026 Pacific Life Celebrity Classic title, earning bragging rights among a field of high-profile athletes and celebrities. Participants this year included Philadelphia RB Saquon Barkley, Pro Bowl WR Odell Beckham Jr., Indianapolis QB Daniel Jones, Philadelphia DB Cooper DeJean, Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, Former All-Pro WR and broadcaster Steve Smith, Sr., Super Bowl LII MVP Nick Foles, and Baseball legend Jim Abbott, among others. 

"These events bring together the Athletes First family to create meaningful impact in our community," said Brian Murphy, CEO & President of Athletes First. "We're thrilled to continue supporting Hoag's mission to expand care in Orange County, and grateful to Pacific Life and everyone who made this year's events such a success."

"Events like these demonstrate the power of community and philanthropy," said Andrew Guarni, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Hoag. "Thanks to the support of Pacific Life, Athletes First and the incredible athletes and guests who participated, these events will help advance Hoag's mission to continue delivering world-class care to Orange County."

The celebrity events mark the official kickoff to Hoag Classic week, which will feature the PGA TOUR Champions tournament March 27-29, 2026, at Newport Beach Country Club, where golf legends will compete while raising funds for Hoag and other local charities.

For more information about the Hoag Classic, visit HoagClassic.com or follow @HoagClassic on social media.

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 programs and services, as well as other local educational and military charities. For more information visit www.HoagClassic.com.    

ABOUT ATHLETES FIRST
Athletes First is the premier sports representation and marketing agency, guiding the careers of elite athletes, coaches, executives, and broadcasters. Since 2001, Athletes First has built a reputation for integrity, innovation, and impact across contract negotiations, marketing strategy, endorsement sales, and brand partnerships. The agency also produces world-class live experiences through its events and properties teams and creates dynamic multiplatform content through its in-house media and production capabilities. For more information, visit athletesfirst.net or follow us on Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.

ABOUT PACIFIC LIFE
Pacific Life provides a variety of products and services designed to help individuals and businesses in the retail, institutional, workforce benefits, and reinsurance markets achieve financial security. Whether your goal is to protect loved ones or grow your assets for retirement, Pacific Life offers innovative life insurance and annuity solutions, as well as mutual funds, that provide value and financial security for current and future generations. Supporting our policyholders for nearly 160 years, Pacific Life is a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Newport Beach, California. For additional company information, including current financial strength ratings, visit our website at www.PacificLife.com.

ABOUT NEWPORT BEACH COUNTRY CLUB
Newport Beach Country Club is an exclusive and iconic Country Club in famed Newport Beach, CA.  Perched above the famed Pacific Coast Highway, NBCC has captured the spirit of the Southern California lifestyle for more than 65 years. Spanning nearly 56,000 square feet and boasting panoramic views of emerald fairways and sapphire seas, the Clubhouse makes an architectural statement on coastal California Craftsman design. With a course originally designed by world-renowned designer William "Billy" Bell, NBCC has been one of the most popular stops on the PGA TOUR Champions for more than 25 years and is the home of the annual Hoag Classic.

SOURCE Hoag Classic