Sahara Invitational

Last updated
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 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.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Nicklaus</span> American professional golfer (born 1940)

Jack William Nicklaus, nicknamed "the Golden Bear", is a retired American professional golfer and golf course designer. He is widely considered to be either the greatest or one of the greatest golfers of all time. He won 117 professional tournaments in his career. Over a quarter-century, he won a record 18 major championships, three more than second-placed Tiger Woods. Nicklaus focused on the major championships—the Masters Tournament, U.S. Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship—and played a selective schedule of regular PGA Tour events. He competed in 164 major tournaments, more than any other player, and finished with 73 PGA Tour victories, third behind Sam Snead (82) and Woods (82).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Trevino</span> American professional golfer

Lee Buck Trevino is an American retired professional golfer who is regarded as one of the greatest players in golf history. He was inducted to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1981. Trevino won six major championships and 29 PGA Tour events over the course of his career. He is one of only four players to twice win the U.S. Open, The Open Championship and the PGA Championship. The Masters Tournament was the only major that eluded him. He is an icon for Mexican Americans, and is often referred to as "the Merry Mex" and "Supermex," both affectionate nicknames given to him by other golfers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Memorial Tournament</span> Golf tournament held in Columbus, Ohio, United States

The Memorial Tournament is a PGA Tour golf tournament founded in 1976 by Jack Nicklaus. It is played on a Nicklaus-designed course at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, a suburb north of Columbus. The golf course passes through a large neighborhood called Muirfield Village, which includes a 1999 bronze sculpture of Nicklaus mentoring a young golfer located in the wide median of Muirfield Drive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Players Championship</span> Annual golf tournament

The Players Championship is an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour. Originally known as the Tournament Players Championship, it began in 1974. The Players Championship at one point offered the highest purse of any tournament in golf. The field usually includes the top 50 players in the world rankings, but, unlike the major championships, it is owned by the PGA Tour and not an official event on other tours.

The Sentry is the calendar-year opening tournament of golf's PGA Tour season, played in Hawaii on the island of Maui. The tournament was founded in 1953; for most of its history the field was restricted to golfers who won a tournament on the tour during the previous calendar year, but players who qualified for the preceding Tour Championship are now invited as well. From 1986 through 2013, it was the opening event of each tour season; the PGA Tour switched to its wrap-around season in the fall of 2013. In 2022, Cameron Smith shot the lowest 72 hole to-par score in the history of the PGA Tour (−34) to win the tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelob Championship</span> Golf tournament formerly on the PGA Tour

The Michelob Championship at Kingsmill was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1968 to 2002. It was played in Virginia at the River Course of Kingsmill Golf Club outside of Williamsburg, from 1981 to 2002. From 1977 through 1995, it was known as the Anheuser-Busch Golf Classic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlanta Classic</span> Golf tournament on the PGA Tour

The Atlanta Classic was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour, a regular stop in suburban Atlanta for over four decades. It was founded in 1967, although previous events dating to 1934 are included in the PGA Tour's past winners list. AT&T was the last title sponsor of the tournament.

The Doral Open was a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in the southeastern United States. It was played annually for 45 seasons, from 1962 to 2006, on the "Blue Monster" course at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Doral, Florida, a suburb west of Miami.

The 1963 Masters Tournament was the 27th Masters Tournament, held April 4–7 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. 84 players entered the tournament and 50 made the cut at eight-over-par (152).

The 1964 Masters Tournament was the 28th Masters Tournament, held April 9–12 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. A field of 96 players entered the tournament and 48 made the 36-hole cut at 148 (+4).

The 1965 Masters Tournament was the 29th Masters Tournament, held April 8–11 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.

The 1969 Masters Tournament was the 33rd Masters Tournament, held April 10–13 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.

The 1970 Masters Tournament was the 34th Masters Tournament, held April 9–13 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. A field of 83 players started the tournament and 48 made the 36-hole cut at 150 (+6).

The 1971 Masters Tournament was the 35th Masters Tournament, held April 8–11 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. Charles Coody won his only major championship, two strokes ahead of runners-up Johnny Miller and Jack Nicklaus.

The Greater Jacksonville Open was a PGA Tour event that was played from 1945 until 1976.

The American Golf Classic was a tournament on the PGA Tour from 1961 to 1976 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. It was the third event at the storied South course, after the Rubber City Open Invitational (1954–1959) and the PGA Championship in 1960.

The 1975 Masters Tournament was the 39th Masters Tournament, held April 10–13 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.

The 1980 Masters Tournament was the 44th Masters Tournament, held April 10–13 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.

Colonial Country Club is a private golf club in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, in the Cordova neighborhood. For many years, it was host to an annual PGA Tour event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Jude Classic</span> Golf tournament held in Memphis, U.S.

The FedEx St. Jude Classic was a professional golf tournament held in Memphis, Tennessee, as a regular event on the PGA Tour. The tournament was held annually from 1958 through 2018, and was played in June at TPC Southwind.

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