Walt Disney World Golf Classic

Walt Disney World Golf Classic
Tournament information
LocationLake Buena Vista, Florida
Established1971
Course(s)Walt Disney World Resort
(Magnolia & Palm courses)
Par72
Length7,516 yards (6,873 m) (Magnolia)
6,957 yards (6,361 m) (Palm)
Tour(s)PGA Tour
FormatStroke play
Prize fundUS$4,700,000
Month playedNovember
Final year2012
Tournament record score
AggregateIndividual:
262 John Huston (1992)
262 Duffy Waldorf (2000)
Team:
246 Vance Heafner and Mike Holland (1981)
To parIndividual:
−26 as above
Team:
−42 as above
Final champion
United States Charlie Beljan
Location map
Walt Disney World Resort is located in the United States
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort
Location in the United States
Walt Disney World Resort is located in Florida
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort
Location in Florida

The Walt Disney World Golf Classic was an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour. The tournament was played on the Palm and Magnolia courses at the Walt Disney World Resort. It was played under several names, reflecting sponsorship changes.

The tournament was founded in 1971 as the Walt Disney World Open Invitational. From 1974 to 1981, the tournament was played as a two-man team event with a better-ball format. Title sponsors have included Oldsmobile, National Car Rental, Funai,[1] and Children's Miracle Network.[2]

From 2007 to 2012, it was the final event in the PGA Tour Fall Series, and also the final official event of the PGA Tour season. As such, it was a final chance for many players to earn or retain a PGA Tour card through winning or getting into the top 125 on the Tour's money list. The 2010 and 2012 winners, Robert Garrigus and Charlie Beljan respectively, were both outside the top 125 before their wins.

The tournament was removed from the PGA Tour schedule for the 2013–14 wrap-around season after Children's Miracle Network declined to renew their sponsorship and no others were found.[3]

The 2012 purse was $4,700,000, with $846,000 going to the winner.

Television

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The event was televised by ESPN and ABC Sports, until the demotion of the event to the Fall Series in 2007, when it was relegated to cable-only on the Golf Channel. While ESPN and ABC, which are owned by Disney, covered both courses as a form of publicity for both, the Golf Channel covered only the Magnolia course with highlight packages sent in from the Palm. However, this is the manner in which the network has always covered tournaments with multiple venues.

Courses

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The Magnolia Course at Walt Disney World is known as more "tour"-style than its sister the Palm Course.[citation needed] The Palm course is known as the prettier of the two, however.[citation needed] In the 2006 telecast, one commentator is quoted as saying that the Palm course has the better greens of the two courses.[citation needed] The Magnolia has grown to 7,516 yards to battle the usual low scores during the tournament's history.

The nearby Lake Buena Vista golf course has also been part of the tournament, along with the Palm and Magnolia.

Winners

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Year Winner(s)[a] Score To par Margin of
victory
Runner(s)-up Winner's
share ($)
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic
2012 United States Charlie Beljan 272 −16 2 strokes United States Matt Every
United States Robert Garrigus
846,000
2011 England Luke Donald 271 −17 2 strokes United States Justin Leonard 846,000
Children's Miracle Network Classic
2010 United States Robert Garrigus 267 −21 3 strokes United States Roland Thatcher 846,000
2009 Canada Stephen Ames (2) 270 −18 Playoff United States Justin Leonard
United States George McNeill
846,000
2008 United States Davis Love III 263 −25 1 stroke United States Tommy Gainey 828,000
2007 Canada Stephen Ames 271 −17 1 stroke South Africa Tim Clark 828,000
Funai Classic at the Walt Disney World Resort
2006 United States Joe Durant 263 −25 4 strokes United States Frank Lickliter
United States Troy Matteson
828,000
2005 United States Lucas Glover 265 −23 1 stroke United States Tom Pernice Jr. 792,000
2004 United States Ryan Palmer 266 −22 3 strokes United States Briny Baird
Fiji Vijay Singh
756,000
2003 Fiji Vijay Singh 265 −23 4 strokes United States Stewart Cink
United States Scott Verplank
United States Tiger Woods
720,000
Disney Golf Classic
2002 United States Bob Burns 263 −25 1 stroke United States Chris DiMarco 666,000
National Car Rental Golf Classic Disney
2001 Argentina José Cóceres 265 −23 1 stroke United States Davis Love III 612,000
2000 United States Duffy Waldorf 262 −26 1 stroke United States Steve Flesch 540,000
1999 United States Tiger Woods (2) 271 −17 1 stroke South Africa Ernie Els 450,000
1998 United States John Huston (2) 272 −16 1 stroke United States Davis Love III 360,000
Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic
1997 United States David Duval 270 −18 Playoff United States Dan Forsman 270,000
1996 United States Tiger Woods 267 −21 1 stroke United States Payne Stewart 216,000
1995 United States Brad Bryant 198[b] −18 1 stroke United States Hal Sutton
United States Ted Tryba
216,000
1994 United States Rick Fehr 269 −19 2 strokes United States Craig Stadler
United States Fuzzy Zoeller
198,000
1993 United States Jeff Maggert 265 −23 3 strokes United States Greg Kraft 198,000
1992 United States John Huston 262 −26 3 strokes United States Mark O'Meara 180,000
1991 United States Mark O'Meara 267 −21 1 stroke United States David Peoples 180,000
1990 United States Tim Simpson (2) 264 −24 1 stroke United States John Mahaffey 180,000
1989 United States Tim Simpson 272 −16 1 stroke United States Donnie Hammond 144,000
1988 United States Bob Lohr 263 −25 Playoff United States Chip Beck 126,000
1987 United States Larry Nelson (2) 268 −20 1 stroke United States Morris Hatalsky
United States Mark O'Meara
108,000
1986 United States Raymond Floyd 275 −13 Playoff United States Lon Hinkle
United States Mike Sullivan
90,000
1985 United States Lanny Wadkins 267 −21 1 stroke United States Mike Donald
United States Scott Hoch
72,000
Walt Disney World Golf Classic
1984 United States Larry Nelson 266 −22 1 stroke United States Hubert Green 72,000
1983 United States Payne Stewart 269 −19 2 strokes England Nick Faldo
United States Mark McCumber
72,000
1982 United States Hal Sutton 269 −19 Playoff United States Bill Britton 72,000
Walt Disney World National Team Championship
1981 United States Vance Heafner and
United States Mike Holland
246 −42 5 strokes United States Chip Beck and
United States Rex Caldwell
36,000
(each)
1980 United States Danny Edwards and
United States David Edwards
253 −35 2 strokes United States Gibby Gilbert and
United States Grier Jones
Canada Dan Halldorson and
United States Dana Quigley
United States Mike Harmon and
United States Barry Harwell
31,500
(each)
1979 United States George Burns and
United States Ben Crenshaw
255 −33 3 strokes United States Peter Jacobsen and
United States D. A. Weibring
United States Jeff Hewes and
United States Sammy Rachels
United States Scott Bess and
Canada Dan Halldorson
22,500
(each)
1978 United States Wayne Levi and
United States Bob Mann
254 −34 3 strokes United States Bobby Wadkins and
United States Lanny Wadkins
20,000
(each)
1977 United States Gibby Gilbert and
United States Grier Jones
253 −35 1 stroke United States Steve Melnyk and
United States Andy North
20,000
(each)
1976 United States Woody Blackburn and
United States Billy Kratzert
260 −28 Playoff United States Gay Brewer and
United States Bobby Nichols
20,000
(each)
1975 United States Jim Colbert and
United States Dean Refram
252 −36 3 strokes South Africa Bobby Cole and
United States John Schlee
Mexico Victor Regalado and
United States Charlie Sifford
20,000
(each)
1974 United States Hubert Green and
United States Mac McLendon
255 −33 1 stroke United States Sam Snead and
United States J. C. Snead
United States Ed Sneed and
United States Bert Yancey
25,000
(each)
Walt Disney World Golf Classic
1973 United States Jack Nicklaus (3) 275 −13 1 stroke United States Mason Rudolph 30,000
Walt Disney World Open Invitational
1972 United States Jack Nicklaus (2) 267 −21 9 strokes United States Jim Dent
United States Bobby Mitchell
United States Larry Wood
30,000
1971 United States Jack Nicklaus 273 −15 3 strokes United States Deane Beman 30,000

Notes

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  1. ^ Between 1974–1981, the Walt Disney World Golf Classic was a two-player team event.
  2. ^ Shortened to 54 holes due to rain.

References

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  1. ^ "Flat-screen Tvs Go To Nonprofits". Orlando Sentinel. March 11, 2006.
  2. ^ Tour's final stop renamed Children's Miracle Network Classic
  3. ^ Disney no longer part of PGA Tour
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