St. Jude Classic
Tournament information | |
---|---|
Location | Memphis, Tennessee |
Established | 1958,[1] 63 years ago |
Course(s) | TPC Southwind (1989–present)[2] |
Par | 70 |
Length | 7,244 yards (6,624 m)[3] |
Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
Format | Stroke play |
Prize fund | $6.6 million |
Month played | June |
Final year | 2018 |
Tournament record score | |
Aggregate | 258 John Cook (1996) |
To par | −26 John Cook (1996) |
Final champion | |
Dustin Johnson |
The FedEx St. Jude Classic was a professional golf tournament held in Memphis, Tennessee as a regular event on the PGA Tour. The tournament was held annually from 1958 through 2018, and was played in June at TPC Southwind (since 1989).
In 2019, FedEx took over sponsorship of the WGC Invitational and relocated the tournament to Memphis in late July. The relocated WGC event continues the charitable relationship with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The new name for the relocated event is the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational[4][5]
With the change in the format of the WGC reduced to two tournaments in the 2021-22 season, Memphis will return to a standard PGA Tour-sanctioned stop, but this time as the first round of the PGA Tour Playoffs. The event will be named the FedEx St. Jude Championship, and restricted to the 125 players highest in FedEx Cup championship points. There will two cuts, one for the low 60 and end-of-tournament cut where only the top 70 players advance to the BMW Championship.
History[]
The tournament debuted 63 years ago in May 1958 as the Memphis Open and was played annually at Colonial Country Club in Memphis through 1971, then at the club's new home in Cordova through 1988. The late Vernon Bell, a Memphis restaurateur, co-founded the tournament and served as the tournament's general chairman for 22 years.[6] He is also the father of the late Chris Bell.[7]
St. Jude[]
In 1969, entertainer Danny Thomas (1912–1991) 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 left office in January, made a hole-in-one during the tournament's celebrity pro-am while playing with Thomas and Ben Crenshaw.[8][9] Two days later, Al Geiberger shot a PGA Tour record 59 (−13) in the second round with eleven birdies and an eagle.[10][11] He needed a rally on Sunday to win by three strokes at 273 (–15).[12]
Federal Express[]
In 1986, Memphis-based courier Federal Express became the title sponsor. For the first three years of their sponsorship, FedEx increased the purse one dollar for each package they shipped on the Friday of the tournament.[13][14][15] 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.
The Stanford Financial Group took over as the tournament's title sponsor in 2007, and it was renamed Stanford St. Jude Championship. In 2009, the tournament changed its name to St. Jude Classic,[16] following accusations that the Stanford Financial Group was a Ponzi scheme. FedEx returned as title sponsor in 2011.[17]
TPC Southwind[]
The event's final edition at Colonial Country Club in Cordova was 33 years ago in 1988. It moved to its present location at TPC Southwind in Memphis in 1989.
The purse in 2018 was $6.6 million, with a winner's share of $1.188 million.
Course[]
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yards | 434 | 401 | 554 | 196 | 485 | 445 | 482 | 178 | 457 | 3,632 | 465 | 162 | 406 | 472 | 239 | 395 | 530 | 490 | 453 | 3,612 | 7,244 |
Par | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 35 | 70 |
Source:[3]
Winners[]
Year | Player | Country | Score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up | Purse ($) | Winner's share ($) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FedEx St. Jude Classic | ||||||||
2018 | Dustin Johnson (2) | United States | 261 | −19 | 6 strokes | Andrew Putnam | 6,600,000 | 1,188,000 |
2017 | Daniel Berger (2) | United States | 270 | −10 | 1 stroke | Kim Meen-whee Charl Schwartzel |
6,400,000 | 1,152,000 |
2016 | Daniel Berger | United States | 267 | −13 | 3 strokes | Brooks Koepka Phil Mickelson Steve Stricker |
6,200,000 | 1,116,000 |
2015 | Fabián Gómez | Argentina | 267 | −13 | 4 strokes | Greg Owen | 6,000,000 | 1,080,000 |
2014 | Ben Crane | United States | 270 | –10 | 1 stroke | Troy Merritt | 5,800,000 | 1,044,000 |
2013 | Harris English | United States | 268 | −12 | 2 strokes | Phil Mickelson Scott Stallings |
5,700,000 | 1,026,000 |
2012 | Dustin Johnson | United States | 271 | −9 | 1 stroke | John Merrick | 5,600,000 | 1,008,000 |
2011 | Harrison Frazar | United States | 267 | −13 | Playoff | Robert Karlsson | 5,600,000 | 1,008,000 |
St. Jude Classic presented by Smith & Nephew | ||||||||
2010 | Lee Westwood | England | 270 | −10 | Playoff | Robert Garrigus Robert Karlsson |
5,600,000 | 1,008,000 |
St. Jude Classic presented by FedEx | ||||||||
2009 | Brian Gay | United States | 262 | −18 | 5 strokes | Bryce Molder David Toms |
5,600,000 | 1,008,000 |
Stanford St. Jude Championship | ||||||||
2008 | Justin Leonard (2) | United States | 276 | −4 | Playoff | Robert Allenby Trevor Immelman |
6,000,000 | 1,080,000 |
2007 | Woody Austin | United States | 267 | −13 | 5 strokes | Brian Davis | 6,000,000 | 1,080,000 |
FedEx St. Jude Classic | ||||||||
2006 | Jeff Maggert | United States | 271 | −9 | 3 strokes | Tom Pernice Jr. | 5,200,000 | 936,000 |
2005 | Justin Leonard | United States | 266 | −14 | 1 stroke | David Toms | 4,900,000 | 882,000 |
2004 | David Toms (2) | United States | 268 | −16 | 6 strokes | Bob Estes | 4,700,000 | 846,000 |
2003 | David Toms | United States | 264 | −20 | 3 strokes | Nick Price | 4,500,000 | 810,000 |
2002 | Len Mattiace | United States | 266 | −18 | 1 stroke | Tim Petrovic | 3,800,000 | 684,000 |
2001 | Bob Estes | United States | 267 | −17 | 1 stroke | Bernhard Langer | 3,500,000 | 630,000 |
2000 | Notah Begay III | United States | 271 | −13 | 1 stroke | Chris DiMarco Bob May |
3,000,000 | 540,000 |
1999 | Ted Tryba | United States | 265 | −19 | 2 strokes | Tim Herron Tom Lehman |
2,500,000 | 450,000 |
1998 | Nick Price (2) | Zimbabwe | 268 | −16 | Playoff | Jeff Sluman | 1,800,000 | 324,000 |
1997 | Greg Norman | Australia | 268 | −16 | 1 stroke | Dudley Hart | 1,500,000 | 270,000 |
1996 | John Cook | United States | 258 | −26 | 7 strokes | John Adams | 1,350,000 | 243,000 |
1995 | Jim Gallagher Jr. | United States | 267 | −17 | 1 stroke | Jay Delsing Ken Green |
1,250,000 | 225,000 |
Federal Express St. Jude Classic | ||||||||
1994 | Dicky Pride | United States | 267 | −17 | Playoff | Gene Sauers Hal Sutton |
1,250,000 | 225,000 |
1993 | Nick Price | Zimbabwe | 266 | −18 | 3 strokes | Rick Fehr Jeff Maggert |
1,100,000 | 198,000 |
1992 | Jay Haas | United States | 263 | −21 | 3 strokes | Dan Forsman Robert Gamez |
1,100,000 | 198,000 |
1991 | Fred Couples | United States | 269 | −15 | 3 strokes | Rick Fehr | 1,000,000 | 180,000 |
1990 | Tom Kite | United States | 269 | −15 | Playoff | John Cook | 1,000,000 | 180,000 |
1989 | John Mahaffey | United States | 272 | −12 | 3 strokes | Bob Gilder Hubert Green Bernhard Langer Bob Tway |
1,000,000 | 180,000 |
1988 | Jodie Mudd | United States | 273 | −15 | 1 stroke | Peter Jacobsen Nick Price |
953,842[15] | 171,692 |
1987 | Curtis Strange | United States | 275 | −13 | 1 stroke | Russ Cochran Mike Donald Tom Kite Denis Watson |
724,043[14] | 130,328 |
1986 | Mike Hulbert | United States | 280 | −8 | 1 stroke | Joey Sindelar | 605,912[13] | 109,064 |
St. Jude Memphis Classic | ||||||||
1985 | Hal Sutton | United States | 279 | −9 | Playoff | David Ogrin | 500,000 | 90,000 |
Danny Thomas Memphis Classic | ||||||||
1984 | Bob Eastwood | United States | 280 | −8 | 2 strokes | Ralph Landrum Mark O'Meara Tim Simpson |
500,000 | 90,000 |
1983 | Larry Mize | United States | 274 | −14 | 1 stroke | Chip Beck Sammy Rachels Fuzzy Zoeller |
400,000 | 72,000 |
1982 | Raymond Floyd | United States | 271 | −17 | 6 strokes | Mike Holland | 400,000 | 72,000 |
1981 | Jerry Pate | United States | 274 | −14 | 2 strokes | Tom Kite Bruce Lietzke |
300,000 | 54,000 |
1980 | Lee Trevino (3) | United States | 272 | −16 | 1 stroke | Tom Purtzer | 300,000 | 54,000 |
1979 | Gil Morgan | United States | 278 | −10 | Playoff | Larry Nelson | 300,000 | 54,000 |
1978 | Andy Bean | United States | 277 | −11 | Playoff | Lee Trevino | 250,000 | 50,000 |
1977 | Al Geiberger | United States | 273 | −15 | 3 strokes | Jerry McGee Gary Player |
200,000 | 40,000 |
1976 | Gibby Gilbert | United States | 273 | −15 | 4 strokes | Forrest Fezler John Lister Gil Morgan |
200,000 | 40,000 |
1975 | Gene Littler | United States | 270 | −18 | 5 strokes | John Mahaffey | 175,000 | 35,000 |
1974 | Gary Player | South Africa | 273 | −15 | 2 strokes | Lou Graham Hubert Green |
175,000 | 35,000 |
1973 | Dave Hill (4) | United States | 283 | −5 | 1 stroke | Allen Miller Lee Trevino |
175,000 | 35,000 |
1972 | Lee Trevino (2) | United States | 281 | −7 | 4 strokes | John Mahaffey | 175,000 | 35,000 |
1971 | Lee Trevino | United States | 268 | −12 | 4 strokes | Lee Elder Jerry Heard Hale Irwin |
175,000 | 35,000 |
1970 | Dave Hill (3) | United States | 267 | −13 | 1 stroke | Frank Beard Homero Blancas Bob Charles |
150,000 | 30,000 |
Memphis Open Invitational | ||||||||
1969 | Dave Hill (2) | United States | 265 | −15 | 2 strokes | Lee Elder | 150,000 | 30,000 |
1968 | Bob Lunn | United States | 268 | −12 | 1 stroke | Monty Kaser | 100,000 | 20,000 |
1967 | Dave Hill | United States | 272 | −8 | 2 strokes | Johnny Pott | 100,000 | 20,000 |
1966 | Bert Yancey | United States | 265 | −15 | 5 strokes | Gene Littler | 100,000 | 20,000 |
1965 | Jack Nicklaus | United States | 271 | −9 | Playoff | Johnny Pott | 60,000 | 9,000 |
1964 | Mike Souchak | United States | 270 | −10 | 1 stroke | Billy Casper Tommy Jacobs |
50,000 | 7,500 |
1963 | Tony Lema | United States | 270 | −10 | Playoff | Tommy Aaron | 50,000 | 9,000 |
1962 | Lionel Hebert | United States | 267 | −13 | Playoff | Gene Littler Gary Player |
40,000 | 6,400 |
1961 | Cary Middlecoff | United States | 266 | −14 | 5 strokes | Gardner Dickinson Mike Souchak |
30,000 | 4,300 |
1960 | Tommy Bolt | United States | 273 | −7 | Playoff | Ben Hogan Gene Littler |
30,000 | 4,300 |
Memphis Open | ||||||||
1959 | Don Whitt | United States | 272 | −8 | Playoff | Al Balding Gary Player |
25,000 | 3,500 |
1958 | Billy Maxwell | United States | 267 | −13 | 1 stroke | Cary Middlecoff | 20,000 | 2,800 |
Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Main sources[18][19]
Multiple winners[]
Seven men have won the St. Jude Classic more than once through 2018.
- 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), Daniel Berger (2016, 2017), Dustin Johnson (2012, 2018)
Tournament highlights[]
- 1958: Billy Maxwell wins the first Memphis Open. He beats Cary Middlecoff by one shot.[20]
- 1961: Local favorite Cary Middlecoff beats Gardner Dickinson and Mike Souchak by five shots.[21]
- 1965: Jack Nicklaus, who played in Memphis very infrequently, beats Johnny Pott on the first hole of a sudden death playoff.[22]
- 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.[23]
- 1967: Dave Hill goes wire-to-wire for his first Memphis win. He defeats Johnny Pott by two shots.[24]
- 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.[25]
- 1971: Lee Trevino wins in Memphis for the first time. He defeats Jerry Heard, Hale Irwin, Lee Elder and by four shots.[26]
- 1973: Dave Hill earns his 4th and final Memphis win. He beats Allen Miller and Lee Trevino by one shot.[27]
- 1977: Al Geiberger shoots a second round 59 (the first 59 in a PGA Tour event), then holds on to win the tournament by three shots over Gary Player and Jerry McGee.[28]
- 1980: Lee Trevino triumphs in Memphis for the third and final time. He beats Tom Purtzer by one shot.[29]
- 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.[30]
- 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.[31]
- 1987: Mike McGee becomes one of just eight PGA Tour players with an 18-putt round. Despite the feat, McGee missed the cut.[32]
- 1992: Jay Haas shoots 64–64 over the last 36 holes to win by three shots over Dan Forsman and Robert Gamez.[33]
- 1994: PGA Tour rookie Dicky Pride beats Gene Sauers and Hal Sutton in a playoff with a birdie on the first hole.
- 1996: John Cook shoots a PGA Tour record 189 for 54 holes on his way to a seven shot win over John Adams.[34]
- 1997: Greg Norman birdies the final three holes to beat Dudley Hart by one shot.[35]
- 2000: Notah Begay III beats Bob May and Chris DiMarco by one shot.[36] 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.[37]
- 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.[38]
- 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.[39]
- 2011: After 13 years and 355 starts, Harrison Frazar won his first PGA Tour event after beating Robert Karlsson in a playoff. Frazar was playing on a medical extension after hip surgery and was actually considering retirement before his win. Karlsson lost in a playoff for the second consecutive season.
- 2017: Daniel Berger becomes the first golfer since David Toms to win back-to-back.
References[]
- ^ A brief history
- ^ "Inside the course:TPC Southwind". PGA Tour. June 4, 2012. Archived from the original on June 7, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Course: TPC Southwind". PGA Tour. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
- ^ "FedEx announced as sponsor of World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational". stjudeclassic.com. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
- ^ "PGA Tour to move WGC Bridgestone event from Akron to Memphis". Golf.Com. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
- ^ "Vernon Bell profile". Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
- ^ Mehr, Bob (December 28, 2008). "Chris Bell's passion for music still rings true". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, Tennessee.
- ^ "Sports briefing: Ford finds ace in the hole". Chicago Tribune. June 9, 1977. p. 1, section 10.
- ^ "Sure shot". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. (AP wirephoto). June 9, 1977. p. 4.
- ^ "'Incredible' 59 for Geiberger". Chicago Tribune. wire services. June 11, 1977. p. 1, section 2.
- ^ "Geiberger fires PGA mark 59, 11 birds, eagle". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 11, 1977. p. 11.
- ^ "Geiberger needs rally to win". Chicago Tribune. wire services. June 13, 1977. p. 5, section 6.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Length bothers Zoeller". Rome News-Tribune. Rome, Georgia. Associated Press. August 28, 1986. p. 5-B. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Strange, Dillard share St. Jude lead". The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. August 2, 1987. p. F-3. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Mudd Leading by Stroke in Bid for First Tour Victory". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. August 7, 1988. p. 8. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
- ^ "Memphis' 2009 Tour stop renamed St. Jude Classic". PGA Tour. March 19, 2009. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
- ^ Ross, Helen (December 2, 2010). "2011 schedule includes key change during the Playoffs". PGA Tour. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
- ^ FedEx St. Jude Classic – Winners Archived 2010-05-29 at the Wayback Machine – at www.stjudeclassic.com
- ^ FedEx St. Jude Classic – Winners – at www.pgatour.com
- ^ 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
- ^ [1]
- ^ 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
External links[]
- Official website
- History of Vernon Bell co-founding the event
- Coverage on PGA Tour's official site
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- TPC Southwind
Coordinates: 35°03′22″N 89°46′41″W / 35.056°N 89.778°W
- Former PGA Tour events
- Golf in Tennessee
- Sports in Memphis, Tennessee
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Recurring sporting events established in 1958
- Recurring sporting events disestablished in 2018
- 1958 establishments in Tennessee
- 2018 disestablishments in Tennessee