The International (golf)

Not to be confused with The International (golf course), a golf course located in Bolton, Massachusetts.

The International

Tournament information
Location	Castle Rock, Colorado
Established	1986
Course(s)	Castle Pines Golf Club
Par	72
Length	7,619 yards (6,967 m) [1]
Tour(s)	PGA Tour
Format	Modified Stableford [2]
Prize fund	US$5,500,000
Month played	August
Final year	2006
Tournament record score
Score	48 points Phil Mickelson (1997) 48 points Ernie Els (2000)
Final champion
Dean Wilson
Location map
Castle Pines GC Location in the United States Show map of the United States Castle Pines GC Location in Colorado Show map of Colorado

The International (styled as The INTERNATIONAL) was a professional golf tournament in Colorado on the PGA Tour. It was played for 21 seasons, from 1986 through 2006, at the Castle Pines Golf Club at Castle Pines Village in Castle Rock, south of Denver.

It had the distinction of being one of two PGA Tour events not conducted at traditional stroke play, the only other exception is the match-play event, the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. The International was the only tournament to use the Modified Stableford scoring system, ^{[3] [2]} enacted because of the significant elevation of the venue, which averages 6,300 feet (1,920 m) above sea level.

Beginning in 2007, the International was scheduled to change dates to be played during the first full weekend of July (July 5–8, and July 4–7, 2008), midway between the U.S. Open and the British Open. Tournament officials hoped this new date would draw even more top-ranked players, such as Tiger Woods, as it would no longer be contested the week before (or after) the year's final major (PGA Championship). Even with the change in dates, both tournament founder Jack A. Vickers and the membership of the club were apparently not happy with the overall direction the PGA Tour was taking. ^{[4] [5]}

On February 8, 2007, the PGA Tour announced the permanent cancellation of the International. ^{[6] [7] [8] [3] [9]} It was replaced by the AT&T National, hosted by the Tiger Woods Foundation, and held in the Washington, D.C. area; near sea level and at standard stroke play.

The Modified Stableford scoring system returned to the PGA Tour in 2012 at the Reno–Tahoe Open, also at high elevation.

Format

The Modified Stableford system awards points on each hole, based on the score relative to par. It is designed to reward aggressive play, taking chances to go for birdies (or better), as the reward for a low score on a hole is typically greater than the punishment for a poor score. For example, over a two-hole span, a birdie (+2) and a bogey (−1) gain one point, where two pars gain nothing. The scoring operates as follows: ^{[2] [3]}

Strokes vs. par	Name	Points
3 under	Albatross (double eagle)	+8
2 under	Eagle	+5
1 under	Birdie	+2
Even	Par	0
1 over	Bogey	−1
2 over +	Double bogey or more	−3

Holes in one are treated as the score relative to par; an ace on a par-3 hole would be considered an eagle and scored as +5.

The International used several different formats throughout its history. Until 1993, final-round scores alone determined the winner; additionally, the event had multiple cuts in every year except 2005. ^[10]

• 1986: Field cut to 78 after first round; cut to 39 after second round based solely on second-round scores; cut to 12 after third round based solely on third-round scores; winner determined solely by final-round score
• 1987–1988: Field cut to 78 after first round; cut to 54 after second round based solely on second-round scores; cut to 18 after third round based solely on third-round scores; winner determined solely by final-round score
• 1989: Field cut to 72 after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; cut to 24 after third round based solely on third-round scores; winner determined solely by final-round score
• 1990–1992: Field cut to 72 after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; cut to 24 after third round based on three-round cumulative scores; winner determined solely by final-round score
• 1993–1997: Field cut to 72 after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; cut to 24 after third round based on three-round cumulative scores; winner determined by four-round cumulative score
• 1998–2004, 2006: Field cut to top 70 and ties after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; cut to top 35 and ties after third round based on three-round cumulative scores; winner determined by four-round cumulative score
• 2005: Due to rain, schedule changed; ^[11] no play Thursday; field cut to top 60 and ties after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; 36 holes played on Sunday, with winner determined by four-round cumulative score

Winners

Year	Winner	Score [lower-alpha 1]	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up	Winner's share ($)
The International
2006	Dean Wilson	34 points	Playoff	Tom Lehman	990,000
2005	Retief Goosen	32 points	1 point	Brandt Jobe	900,000
2004	Rod Pampling	31 points	2 points	Alex Čejka	900,000
2003	Davis Love III (2)	46 points	12 points	Retief Goosen Vijay Singh	900,000
2002	Rich Beem	44 points	1 point	Steve Lowery	810,000
2001	Tom Pernice Jr.	34 points	1 point	Chris Riley	720,000
2000	Ernie Els	48 points	4 points	Phil Mickelson	630,000
Sprint International
1999	David Toms	47 points	3 points	David Duval	468,000
1998	Vijay Singh	47 points	6 points	Phil Mickelson Willie Wood	360,000
1997	Phil Mickelson (2)	48 points	7 points	Stuart Appleby	306,000
1996	Clarence Rose	31 points	Playoff	Brad Faxon	288,000
1995	Lee Janzen	34 points	1 point	Ernie Els	270,000
1994	Steve Lowery	35 points	Playoff	Rick Fehr	252,000
The International
1993	Phil Mickelson	45 points	8 points	Mark Calcavecchia	234,000
1992	Brad Faxon	14 points	2 points	Lee Janzen	216,000
1991	José María Olazábal	10 points	3 points	Ian Baker-Finch Scott Gump Bob Lohr	198,000
1990	Davis Love III	14 points	3 points	Steve Pate Eduardo Romero Peter Senior	180,000
1989	Greg Norman	13 points	2 points	Clarence Rose	180,000
1988	Joey Sindelar	17 points	4 points	Steve Pate Dan Pohl	180,000
1987	John Cook	11 points	2 points	Ken Green	180,000
1986	Ken Green	12 points	3 points	Bernhard Langer	180,000

Notes

1. Between 1986–1992, the winning score (points) were for the final round only.

References

1. Fineran, John (August 8, 2006). "Differences make International unique". PGA Tour. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
2. "Modified Stableford points system". PGA Tour. August 7, 2006. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
3. "PGA Tour". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). August 14, 2006. p. D4.
4. Paige, Woody (January 17, 2007). "Vickers' tourney, pro tour at odds". The Denver Post. Retrieved January 17, 2007.
5. Hawkins, John (February 6, 2007). "Last Stop For the International". Golf Digest. Archived from the original on February 22, 2007. Retrieved February 7, 2007.
6. "Mile High Disappointment: International Event No More". Golf Channel. Associated Press. February 8, 2007. Retrieved February 9, 2007.
7. "PGA drops tourney". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). wire services. February 8, 2007. p. C2.
8. "Wilson tops Lehman at International". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. August 14, 2006. p. C2.
9. Schuchmann, Joel (August 13, 2006). "Notes: Wilson wins first International playoff in ten years". PGA Tour. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
10. "The International". GolfStats.com. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
11. "Beckman in charge at International". The Item . Sumter, South Carolina. Associated Press. August 7, 2005.

External links

• Official tournament website
• Coverage on the PGA Tour's official site

39°26′27″N104°53′55″W / 39.4407°N 104.8985°W / 39.4407; -104.8985