Toshiba Classic brings in the Funk

Jay Haas is the defending Toshiba Classic Champion and also the reigning Champions Tour Player of the Year, but even he didn’t like the sound of Fred Funk joining the field for the upcoming tournament.

“Damn,” Haas said in a conference call last week when he found out that Funk was coming to Newport Beach.

Funk still plays on the PGA Tour and last year became one of three players to win on the PGA and Champions Tours in the same year. He’s not the only prominent player vying to take Haas’ crown in the 2008 Toshiba Classic, March 3-9 at Newport Beach Country Club (the actual tournament is March 7-9).

Haas knows it will be a tough climb to try to become the first back-to-back winner at the $1.7-million Toshiba Classic.

The tournament also features Haas’ closest Champions Tour rival and reigning Charles Schwab Cup champion Loren Roberts.

Also coming, World Hall of Famers: Lee Trevino, Hale Irwin, Ben Crenshaw, Curtis Strange, Raymond Floyd, Bernhard Langer, Tom Kite, Larry Nelson, Hubert Green, John Jacobs and Isao Aoki.

Mark O’Meara, whose son plays golf at UC Irvine, will also be competing, as will John Cook and last year’s Toshiba Classic runner-up R.W. Eaks, who was named the 2007 Champions Tour Comeback Player of the Year.

Denis Watson, the 2007 Champions Tour Rookie of the Year, is also in the tournament.

Watson joined Haas and Roberts in the top four in the Charles Schwab Cup and Champions tour money list rankings in 2007.

Three players in the Toshiba Classic field won majors in 2007 — Roberts, Watson and Mark McNulty.

Overall, this year’s Toshiba Classic boasts the three winningest players in Champions Tour history (Irwin has 45 titles, Trevino 20 and Gil Morgan 25), the top 11 players on the Champions Tour’s all-time money list and the winners from 22 Champions Tour events in 2007.

“Given the credentials of our players, this year’s tournament should be filled with championship-caliber play and the byproduct of that is outstanding entertainment for Southern California’s golf fans,” said Jeff Purser, Toshiba Classic Tournament Director.

STEVE VIRGEN may be reached at (714) 966-4616 or by e-mail at steve.virgen@latimes.com.