Trio making Classic debut

Mark Calcavecchia, Ian Baker-Finch and Michael Allen will be making their Toshiba Classic debuts when the 17th annual tournament takes place in two weeks at Newport Beach Country Club.

Baker-Finch, the 1991 British Open champion and popular CBS and TNT analyst, will actually be making his Champions Tour debut, playing in his first tournament for golfers 50 and older.

Toshiba Classic week begins March 7, with events going through March 13. The tournament is March 11-13.

“I’m looking forward to playing and I’m nervous already,” Baker-Finch said in a release. He plans on playing a handful of events around his CBS schedule.

“It will be lots of fun being back with all my old friends from the old tour days. I have low expectations as it’s been a long time since I’ve been competitive, but I know I’ll have a fun time.”

Calcavecchia, a 13-time winner on the PGA Tour and the 1989 British Open champion, is in his first full year and second season on the Champions Tour.

Allen won the Senior PGA Championship in 2009 and became the 14th player in tour history to win in his Champions Tour debut.

The $1.7 million Toshiba Classic, the only Southern California event on the Champions Tour, awards a $255,000 winner’s check and is televised on Golf Channel on March 11 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., March 12 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. and March 13 from 4 to 6:30 p.m.

Ticket prices and other information can be found at www.toshibaclassic.com.

— From staff reports