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

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

YearWinner(s)[lower-alpha 1]ScoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-upWinner's
share ($)
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic
2012United States Charlie Beljan272−162 strokesUnited States Matt Every
United States Robert Garrigus
846,000
2011England Luke Donald271−172 strokesUnited States Justin Leonard846,000
Children's Miracle Network Classic
2010United States Robert Garrigus267−213 strokesUnited States Roland Thatcher846,000
2009Canada Stephen Ames (2)270−18PlayoffUnited States Justin Leonard
United States George McNeill
846,000
2008United States Davis Love III263−251 strokeUnited States Tommy Gainey828,000
2007Canada Stephen Ames271−171 strokeSouth Africa Tim Clark828,000
Funai Classic at the Walt Disney World Resort
2006United States Joe Durant263−254 strokesUnited States Frank Lickliter
United States Troy Matteson
828,000
2005United States Lucas Glover265−231 strokeUnited States Tom Pernice Jr.792,000
2004United States Ryan Palmer266−223 strokesUnited States Briny Baird
Fiji Vijay Singh
756,000
2003Fiji Vijay Singh265−234 strokesUnited States Stewart Cink
United States Scott Verplank
United States Tiger Woods
720,000
Disney Golf Classic
2002United States Bob Burns263−251 strokeUnited States Chris DiMarco666,000
National Car Rental Golf Classic Disney
2001Argentina José Cóceres265−231 strokeUnited States Davis Love III612,000
2000United States Duffy Waldorf262−261 strokeUnited States Steve Flesch540,000
1999United States Tiger Woods (2)271−171 strokeSouth Africa Ernie Els450,000
1998United States John Huston (2)272−161 strokeUnited States Davis Love III360,000
Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic
1997United States David Duval270−18PlayoffUnited States Dan Forsman270,000
1996United States Tiger Woods267−211 strokeUnited States Payne Stewart216,000
1995United States Brad Bryant198[lower-alpha 2]−181 strokeUnited States Hal Sutton
United States Ted Tryba
216,000
1994United States Rick Fehr269−192 strokesUnited States Craig Stadler
United States Fuzzy Zoeller
198,000
1993United States Jeff Maggert265−233 strokesUnited States Greg Kraft198,000
1992United States John Huston262−263 strokesUnited States Mark O'Meara180,000
1991United States Mark O'Meara267−211 strokeUnited States David Peoples180,000
1990United States Tim Simpson (2)264−241 strokeUnited States John Mahaffey180,000
1989United States Tim Simpson272−161 strokeUnited States Donnie Hammond144,000
1988United States Bob Lohr263−25PlayoffUnited States Chip Beck126,000
1987United States Larry Nelson (2)268−201 strokeUnited States Morris Hatalsky
United States Mark O'Meara
108,000
1986United States Raymond Floyd275−13PlayoffUnited States Lon Hinkle
United States Mike Sullivan
90,000
1985United States Lanny Wadkins267−211 strokeUnited States Mike Donald
United States Scott Hoch
72,000
Walt Disney World Golf Classic
1984United States Larry Nelson266−221 strokeUnited States Hubert Green72,000
1983United States Payne Stewart269−192 strokesEngland Nick Faldo
United States Mark McCumber
72,000
1982United States Hal Sutton269−19PlayoffUnited States Bill Britton72,000
Walt Disney World National Team Championship
1981United States Vance Heafner and
United States Mike Holland
246−425 strokesUnited States Chip Beck and
United States Rex Caldwell
36,000
(each)
1980United States Danny Edwards and
United States David Edwards
253−352 strokesUnited 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)
1979United States George Burns and
United States Ben Crenshaw
255−333 strokesUnited 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)
1978United States Wayne Levi and
United States Bob Mann
254−343 strokesUnited States Bobby Wadkins and
United States Lanny Wadkins
20,000
(each)
1977United States Gibby Gilbert and
United States Grier Jones
253−351 strokeUnited States Steve Melnyk and
United States Andy North
20,000
(each)
1976United States Woody Blackburn and
United States Billy Kratzert
260−28PlayoffUnited States Gay Brewer and
United States Bobby Nichols
20,000
(each)
1975United States Jim Colbert and
United States Dean Refram
252−363 strokesSouth Africa Bobby Cole and
United States John Schlee
Mexico Victor Regalado and
United States Charlie Sifford
20,000
(each)
1974United States Hubert Green and
United States Mac McLendon
255−331 strokeUnited 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
1973United States Jack Nicklaus (3)275−131 strokeUnited States Mason Rudolph30,000
Walt Disney World Open Invitational
1972United States Jack Nicklaus (2)267−219 strokesUnited States Jim Dent
United States Bobby Mitchell
United States Larry Wood
30,000
1971United States Jack Nicklaus273−153 strokesUnited States Deane Beman30,000

Notes

  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

  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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