Sahara Invitational

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Sahara Invitational
Tournament information
Location Las Vegas, Nevada
Established1958
Course(s)Sahara Nevada Country Club
Par71
Length6,800 yards (6,200 m) [1]
Tour(s) PGA Tour
Format Stroke play
Prize fund US$135,000
Month playedSeptember/October
Final year1976
Tournament record score
Aggregate269 Billy Casper (1965)
To par−15 as above
Final champion
Flag of the United States.svg George Archer
Location map
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Icona golf.svg
Sahara Nevada CC
Location in the United States
Relief map of U.S., Nevada.png
Icona golf.svg
Sahara Nevada CC
Location in Nevada

The Sahara Invitational was a PGA Tour event in Nevada from 1958 through 1976, played in Las Vegas and sponsored by the Sahara Hotel. In the first four years, it was the Sahara Pro-Am and an unofficial tour event. Paradise Valley Country Club hosted in 1970 and 1971, and Sahara Nevada Country Club from 1972 1976.

Contents

Jack Nicklaus won Sahara four times in a seven-year span in the 1960s, and three future major champions (Tony Lema, [2] Lanny Wadkins, and John Mahaffey) made Sahara their first tour victory.

A month after the 1976 event, [1] it was announced in early November that the Sahara Invitational was being discontinued. Edward M. Nigro, vice president and general manager of Hotel Sahara, cited rising costs, scheduling conflicts, and a decline in the national promotion benefit as the reasons for the tournament's cancellation. [3]

The Las Vegas Founders returned the PGA Tour to Las Vegas in 1983 with the Panasonic Las Vegas Pro Celebrity Classic; since 2007, it has been organized by the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Tournament highlights

Winners

YearTour [lower-alpha 1] WinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-upWinner's
share ($)
Sahara Invitational
1976 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg George Archer 271−132 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Dave Hill
Flag of the United States.svg Don January
27,000
1975 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg Dave Hill 270−14Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Rik Massengale 27,000
1974 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg Al Geiberger 273−113 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Wally Armstrong
Flag of the United States.svg Jerry Heard
Flag of the United States.svg Dave Hill
Flag of the United States.svg Mike Hill
27,000
1973 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg John Mahaffey 271−133 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Dave Eichelberger 27,000
1972 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg Lanny Wadkins 273−111 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Arnold Palmer 27,000
1971 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg Lee Trevino 280−81 stroke Flag of the United States.svg George Archer 27,000
1970 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg Babe Hiskey 276−121 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Miller Barber
Flag of the United States.svg Terry Dill
Flag of the United States.svg Bob Goalby
20,000
1969 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg Jack Nicklaus (4)272−124 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Frank Beard 20,000
1968 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg Chi-Chi Rodríguez 274−10Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Dale Douglass 20,000
1967 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg Jack Nicklaus (3)270−141 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Steve Spray 20,000
1966 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg Jack Nicklaus (2)282−23 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Miller Barber
Flag of the United States.svg Arnold Palmer
20,000
1965 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg Billy Casper 269−153 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Billy Martindale 20,000
1964 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg R. H. Sikes 275−93 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Jack McGowan
Flag of the United States.svg Jack Nicklaus
Flag of the United States.svg Phil Rodgers
12,000
1963 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg Jack Nicklaus 276−81 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Gay Brewer
Flag of the United States.svg Al Geiberger
13,000
1962 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg Tony Lema 270−143 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Don January 2,800
Sahara Pro-Am
1961 Flag of the United States.svg Phil Rodgers Flag placeholder.svg
1960 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Duden Flag placeholder.svg
1959 Flag of the United States.svg Doug Sanders Flag placeholder.svg
1958 Flag of the United States.svg Bill Johnston Flag placeholder.svg

Notes

  1. PGAT − PGA Tour.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Sahara victory surprises Archer". The Day. New London, Connecticut). Associated Press. October 4, 1976. p. 29.
  2. 1 2 "Lema victor at Las Vegas with a 270". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. October 1, 1962. p. 12.
  3. "Sahara golf no more". Lakeland Ledger. (Florida). Associated Press. November 5, 1976. p. 1B.
  4. Dick Sikes breaks in with Sahara golf win
  5. Jack Nicklaus wins Sahara golf tourney
  6. Chi Chi wins Sahara
  7. Nicklaus wins Sahara event
  8. Trevino wins Sahara Open
  9. Geiberger ends drought with Sahara Open victory