Tournament chairman’s 18th hole

For weeks leading up to the Toshiba Classic golf tournament, there were whispers that this would be the last year for one very influential member of the show.

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And on Tuesday it was confirmed. Hank Adler, who has been the tournament chairman for 13 years, counting its early incarnations, announced that he is stepping down.

“It just seems like time,” Adler said of his departure. “It’s not about Hank Adler. It’s about Hoag Hospital.”

Indeed Adler likes to point out that he always had three rules for running the tournament.

First, make money for Hoag Hospital. Second, make money for Hoag Hospital (and have fun doing it). Third, ditto.

At the annual community breakfast, the praise for Adler was heaped on.

“Most of you are in this room because of your relationship with him,” said Jeff Purser, the tournament’s director. “There is no finer chairman on the PGA tour than Hank Adler.”

Robin Sears, vice president of sales for Allergan, had this to say about Adler: “He’s a kind soul who really makes a difference in everything he does.”

And Purser took it one step further.

“He is the heart and soul of this tournament,” Purser said. “Ten years ago, nobody believed in this thing. Not a lot of people would put their time and reputation on the line. He did. Toshiba is possible because of his faith, confidence and vision.”

Purser said the tournament organizers have not yet named Adler’s successor, but whoever it is, the person is going to need a fairly large golf cleat.

“Impossible to replace him,” Purser said.

Adler, a former executive with Deloitte and Touche and now a professor at Chapman University, still plans to attend the tournament each year. For him, the whole cause has been a noble one.

“It’s a Don Quixote type of thing,” he said. “I’ll miss it terribly.”