Tickets for the 2008 Buick Invitational Golf Tournament at the Torrey Pines Golf Course on the bluffs north of La Jolla are available now at local prep schools in time to make a great holiday gift.
The discount ticket program, which generated nearly $600,000 last year for local high school and middle school sports, features a policy of returning 100 percent of the proceeds back to the school that sold the tickets.
The Support Our Sports (SOS) fund-raiser program returns again this year with the expanded scope of supporting many extracurricular programs, in addition to sports. Ticket purchasers can specify the sports team or other extracurricular program to receive the funds ” from baseball to volleyball, or the band, cheerleaders or surf club.
For the bargain price of $15 each, the SOS tickets are good any day of the tournament. Regular admission will be $20 on weekdays and $25 on the weekend of the event.
The Buick Invitational tournament will be held Jan. 21 through Jan. 27, including the full week of activities. The main PGA Tour action will run Jan. 24 through Jan. 27. The event is hosted by the San Diego Century Club.
Most of the greatest names in golf will be in the tournament.
Last year Tiger Woods took home $936,000 from the San Diego PGA Tour stop and will be returning to defend his title.
Woods is a Southern California native with a lot of experience at Torrey Pines. The 2007 win was his fifth here since turning pro in 1996, including 2003, 2005, 2006 and 1999.
The field is also expected to include San Diego native and former champion Phil Mickelson, 2007 runner-up Charles Howell III, Mark Calcavecchia, 2002 winner Jose Maria Olazabval and Vijay Singh. Many more popular PGA players will be among the 155 pros and one lucky amateur.
Most pros are anxious for the chance to learn the Torrey Pines course, which will host the 2008 U.S. Open in June.
Mission Bay High athletic director Dennis Pugh has SOS tickets and can be contacted at (858) 273-1313, ext. 277.
The La Jolla High Foundation has tickets at (858) 551-1250. Talk to Sandy Paul for SOS ticket information and directions between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The University City High Boosters has tickets at (858) 457-3040, ext. 202, where you can talk to Norma Smith. Smith can also be reached at (858) 455-1391 after school hours.
Point Loma High athletic director Mike Hastings has tickets at (619) 223-3121, ext. 1142.
Each school has acknowledged that the SOS tickets are an easy way for them to pull in some much-needed funds, pumped directly into important after-school programs for their students.
Tournament information such as schedule and shuttle bus locations is available at www.buickinvitational.com.