The Thunderbird Invitational was a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, played from 1952 to 1959 in Rancho Mirage, California.[2][3][4] Held in late January at Thunderbird Country Club, the tournament's purse was a modest $15,000; it was the direct predecessor of the Desert Classic, which began in 1960. Thunderbird hosted the Ryder Cup in 1955.[5][6]
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Rancho Mirage, California |
| Established | 1953 |
| Course(s) | Thunderbird Country Club |
| Par | 71 |
| Length | 6,680 yards (6,110 m)[1] |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | US$15,000 |
| Month played | January |
| Final year | 1959 |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 266 Arnold Palmer (1959) |
| To par | −20 Fred Haas (1954) |
| Final champion | |
 Arnold Palmer | |
| Location map | |
  Thunderbird CC Location in the United States  Thunderbird CC Location in California | |
Arnold Palmer, 29, was the event's final champion in 1959;[1][4] he won the next year at the first edition of the "Palm Springs Desert Classic," which had a $100,000 purse and a winner's share of 12,000, his largest tour check to date.[7]
Ken Venturi, 26, won the 1958 event and was awarded a $1,500 check and a $4,500 automobile.[8] He backed it up with another win the following week at Phoenix.[9]
Jimmy Demaret won the event three times; his first was a 54-hole midweek event in 1953,[10][11] and the last was an 18-hole playoff on Monday in 1957 for consecutive titles.[12][13]
The 1952 event was a 36 hole pro-am, played midweek. Dutch Harrison won the best-ball while Jim Ferrier and Cary Middlecoff had the best professional scores.[14][15]
Winners edit
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up | Winner's share ($) |
Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Arnold Palmer |
266 | −18 | 3 strokes | Jimmy Demaret Ken Venturi |
1,500 | [1][4] |
| 1958 | Ken Venturi |
269 | −15 | 4 strokes | Jimmy Demaret Gene Littler |
1,500 | [8] |
| 1957 | Jimmy Demaret (3) |
273 | −11 | Playoff | Mike Souchak Ken Venturi |
2,000 | [12][13] |
| 1956 | Jimmy Demaret (2) |
269 | −15 | 1 stroke | Cary Middlecoff |
2,000 | [16] |
| 1955 | Shelley Mayfield |
270 | −18 | Playoff | Fred Haas Mike Souchak |
2,000 | [17] |
| 1954 | Fred Haas |
268 | −20 | 2 strokes | Marty Furgol Chandler Harper Bo Wininger |
2,000 | [3] |
| 1953 | Jimmy Demaret |
201 | −15 | 2 strokes | Ben Hogan Lloyd Mangrum Jim Turnesa |
1,500 | [10][11] |
Playoffs edit
In 1953 it was over 54 holes, midweek. In 1955 Mayfield won with a birdie on second extra hole after 18-hole playoff. Mayfield and Souchak scored 69, Haas 70. In 1957 Demaret won after an 18-hole playoff, scoring 67, Souchak scored 75 and Venturi 76.
References edit
- ^ a b c "Palmer wins Thunderbird on 62 for 266". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. January 26, 1959. p. 3, part 4.
- ^ Spicer, Judd (December 28, 2010). "Before the Hope". Palm Springs Life. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
- ^ a b "Fred Haas wins". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). United Press. February 1, 1954. p. 2B.
- ^ a b c "Palmer victor in Thunderbird". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 26, 1959. p. 2B.
- ^ "Ryder Cup kept by U.S.; Briton tops Middlecoff". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. November 7, 1955. p. 10.
- ^ "U.S. retains Ryder Cup golf trophy by 8-4". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. November 7, 1955. p. 26.
- ^ "Palmer wins title". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. February 8, 1960. p. 3B.
- ^ a b "Ken Venturi 'Bird winner". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 27, 1958. p. 3B.
- ^ "Venturi, finishes strong, takes Phoenix golf crown". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. February 3, 1958. p. 2B.
- ^ a b "Demaret wins at Thunderbird". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). United Press. January 22, 1953. p. 2B.
- ^ a b "Prize goes to Demaret". Ellensburg Daily Record. (Washington). Associated Press. January 22, 1953. p. 8.
- ^ a b "Souchak holes 40-foot putt for Thunderbird triple tie". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 28, 1957. p. 10.
- ^ a b "Demaret wins golf playoff". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 29, 1957. p. 3B.
- ^ "Ferrier leading at Palm Springs". Ellensburg Daily Record. (Washington). Associated Press. January 22, 1952. p. 8.
- ^ "Harrison takes top money in California golf". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. January 23, 1952. p. 3, sec. 3.
- ^ "Thunderbird tourney won by Demaret". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 30, 1956. p. 3B.
- ^ "Mayfield wins golf playoff on extra hole". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. February 1, 1955. p. 2, sec. 3.