Walt Disney World Golf Classic

Walt Disney World Golf Classic
Tournament information
Location Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Established 1971
Course(s) Walt Disney World Resort (Magnolia & Palm courses)
Par 72 (both courses)
Length 7,516 yards (Magnolia)
6,957 yards (Palm)
Tour(s) PGA Tour
Format Stroke play
Prize fund $4,700,000
Final year 2012
Tournament record score
Aggregate 262 John Huston (1992)
262 Duffy Waldorf (2000)
To par

–26 John Huston (1992)
–26 Duffy Waldorf (2000)

These records only apply to when the tournament has been played as a regular event, not a team event.
Final champion
United States Charlie Beljan

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 one of the players' favorites because of its proximity to Orlando, Florida; many players maintain homes in Florida, and whether or not they live in Florida, they can easily take their families to the theme parks while not playing.

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 2014 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

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

The Magnolia Course at Walt Disney World is known as more "tour"-style than its sister the Palm Course. The Palm course is known as the prettier of the two, however. In the 2006 telecast, one commentator is quoted as saying that the Palm course has the better greens of the two courses. 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

1982–2012 (individual tournament)
YearWinnerCountryScoreTo parMargin
of victory
Runner(s)-up
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic
2012 Charlie Beljan  United States 272 −16 2 strokes United States Matt Every
United States Robert Garrigus
2011 Luke Donald  England 271 −17 2 strokes United States Justin Leonard
Children's Miracle Network Classic
2010 Robert Garrigus  United States 267 −21 3 strokes United States Roland Thatcher
Children's Miracle Network Classic presented by Wal-Mart
2009 Stephen Ames (2)  Trinidad and Tobago
 Canada
270 −18 Playoff United States Justin Leonard
United States George McNeill
2008 Davis Love III  United States 263 −25 1 stroke United States Tommy Gainey
2007 Stephen Ames  Trinidad and Tobago
 Canada
271 −17 1 stroke South Africa Tim Clark
Funai Classic at the Walt Disney World Resort
2006 Joe Durant  United States 262 −25 4 strokes United States Frank Lickliter
United States Troy Matteson
2005 Lucas Glover  United States 265 −23 1 stroke United States Tom Pernice, Jr.
2004 Ryan Palmer  United States 266 −22 3 strokes United States Briny Baird
Fiji Vijay Singh
2003 Vijay Singh  Fiji 265 −23 4 strokes United States Stewart Cink
United States Scott Verplank
United States Tiger Woods
Disney Golf Classic
2002 Bob Burns  United States 263 −25 1 stroke United States Chris DiMarco
National Car Rental Golf Classic Disney
2001 José Cóceres  Argentina 265 −23 1 stroke United States Davis Love III
2000 Duffy Waldorf  United States 262 −26 1 stroke United States Steve Flesch
1999 Tiger Woods (2)  United States 271 −17 1 stroke South Africa Ernie Els
1998 John Huston (2)  United States 272 −16 1 stroke United States Davis Love III
Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic
1997 David Duval  United States 270 −18 Playoff United States Dan Forsman
1996 Tiger Woods  United States 267 −21 1 stroke United States Payne Stewart
1995 Brad Bryant  United States 198 −18 1 stroke United States Hal Sutton
United States Ted Tryba
1994 Rick Fehr  United States 269 −19 2 strokes United States Craig Stadler
United States Fuzzy Zoeller
1993 Jeff Maggert  United States 265 −23 3 strokes United States Greg Kraft
1992 John Huston  United States 262 −26 3 strokes United States Mark O'Meara
1991 Mark O'Meara  United States 267 −21 1 stroke United States David Peoples
1990 Tim Simpson (2)  United States 264 −24 1 stroke United States John Mahaffey
1989 Tim Simpson  United States 272 −16 1 stroke United States Donnie Hammond
1988 Bob Lohr  United States 263 −25 Playoff United States Chip Beck
1987 Larry Nelson (2)  United States 268 −20 1 stroke United States Morris Hatalsky
United States Mark O'Meara
1986 Raymond Floyd  United States 275 −13 Playoff United States Lon Hinkle
United States Mike Sullivan
1985 Lanny Wadkins  United States 267 −21 1 stroke United States Mike Donald
United States Scott Hoch
Walt Disney World Golf Classic
1984 Larry Nelson  United States 266 −22 1 stroke United States Hubert Green
1983 Payne Stewart  United States 269 −19 2 strokes England Nick Faldo
United States Mark McCumber
1982 Hal Sutton  United States 269 −19 Playoff United States Bill Britton
1974–81 (two-man team event)

Walt Disney World National Team Championship

1971–73 (individual tournament)
YearWinnerCountryScoreTo parMargin
of victory
Runner(s)-up
Walt Disney World Golf Classic
1973 Jack Nicklaus (3)  United States 275 −13 1 stroke United States Mason Rudolph
Walt Disney World Open Invitational
1972 Jack Nicklaus (2)  United States 267 −21 9 strokes United States Jim Dent
United States Bobby Mitchell
United States Larry Wood
1971 Jack Nicklaus  United States 273 −15 3 strokes United States Deane Beman

References

External links

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