FedEx St. Jude Classic
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Memphis, Tennessee |
| Established | 1958 (1945) |
| Course(s) | TPC at Southwind |
| Par | 70 |
| Length | 7,244 yards |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | $5,600,000 |
| Month played | June |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 258 John Cook (1996) |
| To par | -26 John Cook (1996) |
| Current champion | |
| Harrison Frazar | |
The FedEx St. Jude Classic is a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It has been played annually in Memphis, Tennessee since 1958. It is currently played at TPC at Southwind.
In 2011, the total purse was $5,600,000, with $1,008,000 going to the winner.
An earlier version of the event was played at Chickasaw Country Club in 1945 and 1946. The current tournament was founded in 1958 as the Memphis Open and was played annually at Colonial Country Club first in Memphis, then in Cordova, Tennessee until 1989.
In 1969, actor Danny Thomas agreed to lend his name to the tournament in exchange for his St. Jude Children's Research Hospital becoming the tournament's charity. Accordingly, the tournament changed its name the next year to the Danny Thomas Memphis Classic. In 1977, President Gerald Ford, who had just left office, hit a hole-in-one at the tournament's Celebrity Pro-Am. The same year, Al Geiberger shot a PGA Tour record 59 (13-under-par) round.
In 1986, Federal Express became the title sponsor. For the first three years of their sponsorship, they increased the purse $1 for each package they shipped on the Friday of the tournament.[1][2][3] The purses went from $500,000 to $605,912 in 1986, from $600,000 to $724,043 in 1987, and from $750,000 to $953,842 in 1988.
In 1989, the event moved from Colonial Country Club to its present location at the TPC at Southwind in Memphis. In 2007, The Stanford Financial Group took over as the tournament's title sponsor, and it was renamed Stanford St. Jude Championship. In 2009, the tournament changed its name to St. Jude Classic[4] following accusations that the Stanford Financial Group was a Ponzi scheme. FedEx returned as title sponsor in 2011.[5]
The winner of the tournament each year is given a blue and white seersucker jacket.
Contents |
[edit] Winners
| Year | Player | Country | Score | To par | Purse ($) | 1st Prize ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FedEx St. Jude Classic | ||||||
| 2011 | Harrison Frazar | 267PO | −13 | 5,600,000 | 1,008,000 | |
| St. Jude Classic presented by Smith & Nephew | ||||||
| 2010 | Lee Westwood | 270PO | -10 | 5,600,000 | 1,008,000 | |
| St. Jude Classic presented by FedEx | ||||||
| 2009 | Brian Gay | 262 | -18 | 5,600,000 | 1,008,000 | |
| Stanford St. Jude Championship | ||||||
| 2008 | Justin Leonard | 276PO | -4 | 6,000,000 | 1,080,000 | |
| 2007 | Woody Austin | 267 | -13 | 6,000,000 | 1,080,000 | |
| FedEx St. Jude Classic | ||||||
| 2006 | Jeff Maggert | 271 | -9 | 5,200,000 | 936,000 | |
| 2005 | Justin Leonard | 266 | -14 | 4,900,000 | 882,000 | |
| 2004 | David Toms | 268 | -16 | 4,700,000 | 846,000 | |
| 2003 | David Toms | 264 | -20 | 4,500,000 | 810,000 | |
| 2002 | Len Mattiace | 266 | -18 | 3,800,000 | 684,000 | |
| 2001 | Bob Estes | 267 | -17 | 3,500,000 | 630,000 | |
| 2000 | Notah Begay III | 271 | -13 | 3,000,000 | 540,000 | |
| 1999 | Ted Tryba | 265 | -19 | 2,500,000 | 450,000 | |
| 1998 | Nick Price | 268PO | -16 | 1,800,000 | 324,000 | |
| 1997 | Greg Norman | 268 | -16 | 1,500,000 | 270,000 | |
| 1996 | John Cook | 258 | -26 | 1,350,000 | 243,000 | |
| 1995 | Jim Gallagher, Jr. | 267 | -17 | 1,250,000 | 225,000 | |
| Federal Express St. Jude Classic | ||||||
| 1994 | Dicky Pride | 267PO | -17 | 1,250,000 | 225,000 | |
| 1993 | Nick Price | 266 | -18 | 1,100,000 | 198,000 | |
| 1992 | Jay Haas | 263 | -21 | 1,100,000 | 198,000 | |
| 1991 | Fred Couples | 269 | -15 | 1,000,000 | 180,000 | |
| 1990 | Tom Kite | 269PO | -15 | 1,000,000 | 180,000 | |
| 1989 | John Mahaffey | 272 | -12 | 1,000,000 | 180,000 | |
| 1988 | Jodie Mudd | 273 | -15 | 953,842[3] | 171,692 | |
| 1987 | Curtis Strange | 275 | -13 | 724,043[2] | 130,328 | |
| 1986 | Mike Hulbert | 280 | -8 | 605,912[1] | 109,064 | |
| St. Jude Memphis Classic | ||||||
| 1985 | Hal Sutton | 279PO | -9 | 500,000 | 90,000 | |
| Danny Thomas Memphis Classic | ||||||
| 1984 | Bob Eastwood | 280 | -8 | 500,000 | 90,000 | |
| 1983 | Larry Mize | 274 | -14 | 400,000 | 72,000 | |
| 1982 | Raymond Floyd | 271 | -17 | 400,000 | 72,000 | |
| 1981 | Jerry Pate | 274 | -14 | 300,000 | 54,000 | |
| 1980 | Lee Trevino | 272 | -16 | 300,000 | 54,000 | |
| 1979 | Gil Morgan | 278PO | -10 | 300,000 | 54,000 | |
| 1978 | Andy Bean | 277PO | -11 | 250,000 | 50,000 | |
| 1977 | Al Geiberger | 273 | -15 | 200,000 | 40,000 | |
| 1976 | Gibby Gilbert | 273 | -15 | 200,000 | 40,000 | |
| 1975 | Gene Littler | 270 | -18 | 175,000 | 35,000 | |
| 1974 | Gary Player | 273 | -15 | 175,000 | 35,000 | |
| 1973 | Dave Hill | 283 | -5 | 175,000 | 35,000 | |
| 1972 | Lee Trevino | 281 | -7 | 175,000 | 35,000 | |
| 1971 | Lee Trevino | 268 | -12 | 175,000 | 35,000 | |
| 1970 | Dave Hill | 267 | -13 | 150,000 | 30,000 | |
| Memphis Open Invitational | ||||||
| 1969 | Dave Hill | 265 | -15 | 150,000 | 30,000 | |
| 1968 | Bob Lunn | 268 | -12 | 100,000 | 20,000 | |
| 1967 | Dave Hill | 272 | -8 | 100,000 | 20,000 | |
| 1966 | Bert Yancey | 265 | -15 | 100,000 | 20,000 | |
| 1965 | Jack Nicklaus | 271PO | -9 | 60,000 | 9,000 | |
| 1964 | Mike Souchak | 270 | -10 | 50,000 | 7,500 | |
| 1963 | Tony Lema | 270PO | -10 | 50,000 | 9,000 | |
| 1962 | Lionel Hebert | 267PO | -13 | 40,000 | 6,400 | |
| 1961 | Cary Middlecoff | 266 | -14 | 30,000 | 4,300 | |
| 1960 | Tommy Bolt | 273PO | -7 | 30,000 | 4,300 | |
| Memphis Open | ||||||
| 1959 | Don Whitt | 272PO | -8 | 25,000 | 3,500 | |
| 1958 | Billy Maxwell | 267 | -13 | 20,000 | 2,800 | |
| Memphis Invitational | ||||||
| 1947–57 | No tournament | |||||
| 1946[6][7] | Buck White | 277 | -11 | 10,000 | 2,000 | |
| 1945[8] | Fred Haas (amateur) | 270 | -18 | 13,333 | 2,667 | |
PO Indicates a win in a playoff
Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Main sources[9][10][11]
[edit] Multiple winners
Five men have won the St. Jude Classic more than once through 2010.
- 4 wins
- Dave Hill: 1967, 1969, 1970, 1973
- 3 wins
- Lee Trevino: 1971, 1972, 1980
- 2 wins
- Nick Price: 1993, 1998
- David Toms: 2003, 2004
- Justin Leonard: 2005, 2008
[edit] Tournament highlights
- 1958: Billy Maxwell wins the first Memphis Open. He beats Cary Middlecoff by one shot.[12]
- 1961: Local favorite Cary Middlecoff beats Gardner Dickinson and Mike Souchak by four shots.[13]
- 1965: Jack Nicklaus, who played in Memphis very infrequently, beats Johnny Pott on the first hole of a sudden death playoff.[14]
- 1966: Bert Yancey wins by five shots over Gene Littler but only after nearly missing his Sunday tee time. A last moment phone call from his caddy kept Yancey from being disqualified.[15]
- 1967: Dave Hill goes wire-to-wire for his first Memphis win. He defeats Johnny Pott by two shots.[16]
- 1970: Dave Hill becomes the first Memphis winner to successfully defend his title. He defeats Homero Blancas, Frank Beard, and Bob Charles by one shot.[17]
- 1971: Lee Trevino wins in Memphis for the first time. He defeats Jerry Heard, Hale Irwin, Lee Elder and Randy Wolff by four shots.[18]
- 1973: Dave Hill earns his 4th and final Memphis win. He beats Allen Miller and Lee Trevino by two shots.[19]
- 1977: Al Geiberger shoots a second round 59, then holds on to win the tournament by two shots over Gary Player and Jerry McGee.[20]
- 1980: Lee Trevino triumphs in Memphis for the third and final time. He beats Tom Purtzer by one shot.[21]
- 1981: After making a birdie on the 72nd hole to win by two shots over Tom Kite and Bruce Lietzke, Jerry Pate leaps into the lake adjoining the 18th green.[22]
- 1986: Mike Hulbert birdies the 72nd hole for his first ever PGA Tour win. He wins by one shot over his roommate for the week, Joey Sindelar.[23]
- 1992: Jay Haas shoots 64–64 over the last 36 holes to win by three shots over Dan Forsman and Robert Gamez.[24]
- 1996: John Cook shoots a PGA Tour record 189 for 54 holes on his way to a six shot win over John Adams.[25]
- 1997: Greg Norman birdies the final three holes to beat Dudley Hart by one shot.[26]
- 2000: Notah Begay III beats Bob May and Chris DiMarco by one shot.[27] It is his first win after being convicted of drunken driving in March of the same year and having to spend seven days in jail.
- 2003: David Toms shoots a final round 64 to get his first of back-to-back Memphis titles. He beats Nick Price by three shots.[28]
- 2005: Justin Leonard ties the record for the highest final round score by a Memphis winner, a 73, on his way to a one-shot victory over David Toms.[29]
- 2010: Lee Westwood defeats Robert Karlsson and Robert Garrigus in a sudden-death playoff after Garrigus comes to the 72nd hole with a three-shot lead before finishing with a triple bogey.[30]
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Length bothers Zoeller". Rome News-Tribune. Associated Press (Rome, Georgia): p. 5-B. August 28, 1986. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LG8wAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MDYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6560,5522490&dq=st+jude+classic+purse&hl=en. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
- ^ a b "Strange, Dillard share St. Jude lead". The Modesto Bee (Modesto, California): p. F-3. August 2, 1987. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=szkuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xtUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5490,603101&dq=st+jude+classic+purse&hl=en. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
- ^ a b "Mudd Leading by Stroke in Bid for First Tour Victory". Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California): p. 8. August 7, 1988. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/59852865.html?dids=59852865:59852865&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+07%2C+1988&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=Golf+Roundup+Mudd+Leading+by+Stroke+in+Bid+for+First+Tour+Victory&pqatl=google. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
- ^ Memphis' 2009 Tour stop renamed St. Jude Classic
- ^ "2011 schedule includes key change during the Playoffs" (Press release). PGA Tour. December 2, 2010. http://www.pgatour.com/2010/r/12/02/2011-schedule-analysis/index.html. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
- ^ "Buck White Wins Memphis Open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania): p. 20. September 23, 1946. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kSojAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-mkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5198,2435827&dq=buck-white+memphis&hl=en. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
- ^ "Pros Tee Off In Memphis Open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania): p. 31. September 19, 1946. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2DgbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=00wEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5010,636135&dq=memphis-open+golf&hl=en. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
- ^ "Pro Golfers Say Victory by Haas Can Help Sport". The Evening Independent. Associated Press (St. Petersburg, Florida): p. 13. August 20, 1945. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=m8wLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=H1UDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3327,6496084&dq=memphis+golf+haas&hl=en. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
- ^ St. Jude Classic – Winners – at www.stjudeclassic.com
- ^ St. Jude Classic – Winners – at www.pgatour.com
- ^ St. Jude Classic – Winners – at golfobserver.com (since 1970)
- ^ Memphis Tourney Won by Maxwell win
- ^ Middlecoff Finds Form
- ^ Nicklaus Wins 'Jackpot' in Memphis
- ^ Yancey Captures Memphis Open Golf
- ^ Dave Hill Wins Memphis Open
- ^ Dave Hill Memphis Winner
- ^ Lee Trevino coasts to Memphis victory
- ^ Dave Hill wins Memphis Classic
- ^ Happy ending for Geiberger
- ^ Trevino outlasts storms for triumph in Memphis
- ^ Pate takes million-dollar dive
- ^ Hulbert scores one-shot Memphis win
- ^ Haas finally ends tourney drought
- ^ Cook breezes at St. Jude
- ^ Norman nabs first tour win of season
- ^ Begay Is Steady At the End
- ^ Toms pulls away from crowded leaderboard at St. Jude
- ^ Leonard hangs on to win St. Jude Classic
- ^ Lee Westwood wins St Jude Classic in Memphis
