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Sahara Invitational

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Sahara Invitational
Tournament information
LocationLas Vegas, Nevada
Established1958
Course(s)Sahara Nevada Country Club
Par71
Length6,800 yards (6,200 m)[1]
Tour(s)PGA Tour
FormatStroke play
Prize fundUS$135,000
Month playedSeptember/October
Final year1976
Tournament record score
Aggregate269 Billy Casper (1965)
To par−15 as above
Final champion
United States George Archer
Location map
Sahara Nevada CC is located in the United States
Sahara Nevada CC
Sahara Nevada CC
Location in the United States
Sahara Nevada CC is located in Nevada
Sahara Nevada CC
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.

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

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Winners

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Year Tour[a] Winner Score To par Margin of
victory
Runner(s)-up Winner's
share ($)
Sahara Invitational
1976 PGAT United States George Archer 271 −13 2 strokes United States Dave Hill
United States Don January
27,000
1975 PGAT United States Dave Hill 270 −14 Playoff United States Rik Massengale 27,000
1974 PGAT United States Al Geiberger 273 −11 3 strokes United States Wally Armstrong
United States Jerry Heard
United States Dave Hill
United States Mike Hill
27,000
1973 PGAT United States John Mahaffey 271 −13 3 strokes United States Dave Eichelberger 27,000
1972 PGAT United States Lanny Wadkins 273 −11 1 stroke United States Arnold Palmer 27,000
1971 PGAT United States Lee Trevino 280 −8 1 stroke United States George Archer 27,000
1970 PGAT United States Babe Hiskey 276 −12 1 stroke United States Miller Barber
United States Terry Dill
United States Bob Goalby
20,000
1969 PGAT United States Jack Nicklaus (4) 272 −12 4 strokes United States Frank Beard 20,000
1968 PGAT United States Chi-Chi Rodríguez 274 −10 Playoff United States Dale Douglass 20,000
1967 PGAT United States Jack Nicklaus (3) 270 −14 1 stroke United States Steve Spray 20,000
1966 PGAT United States Jack Nicklaus (2) 282 −2 3 strokes United States Miller Barber
United States Arnold Palmer
20,000
1965 PGAT United States Billy Casper 269 −15 3 strokes United States Billy Martindale 20,000
1964 PGAT United States R. H. Sikes 275 −9 3 strokes United States Jack McGowan
United States Jack Nicklaus
United States Phil Rodgers
12,000
1963 PGAT United States Jack Nicklaus 276 −8 1 stroke United States Gay Brewer
United States Al Geiberger
13,000
1962 PGAT United States Tony Lema 270 −14 3 strokes United States Don January 2,800
Sahara Pro-Am
1961 United States Phil Rodgers
1960 United States Bob Duden
1959 United States Doug Sanders
1958 United States Bill Johnston

Notes

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  1. ^ PGAT − PGA Tour.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Sahara victory surprises Archer". The Day. New London, Connecticut). Associated Press. October 4, 1976. p. 29.
  2. ^ a b "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
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