Tickets for the 2008 Buick Invitational Golf Tournament at the Torrey Pines Golf Course on the dramatic bluffs north of La Jolla are available now at local prep schools.
The discount ticket program, which generated nearly $600,000 last year for 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 extra-curricular programs, in addition to sports. Ticket purchasers can specify the sports team or other extra-curricular 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 27, including the full week of activities. The main PGA Tour action will run Jan. 24 through 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 those in 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, plus many more popular PGA players 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.
The La Jolla High School Foundation has tickets at 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 457-3040, ext. 202, where you can talk to Norma Smith. Smith can also be reached at 455-1391 after school hours.
Mission Bay High athletic director Dennis Pugh has SOS tickets and can be contacted at 273-1313, ext. 277.
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 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.buickinvitatioal.com.