Sahara Invitational

Sahara Nevada CC

Location in the United States

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Sahara Nevada CC

Location in Nevada

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The Sahara Invitational was a PGA Tour event in Nevada from 1958 through 1976, played Las Vegas and sponsored by the Sahara Hotel. In the first four years, it was the Sahara Pro-Am and an unofficial tour event. Paradise Valley Country Club hosted in 1970 and 1971, and Sahara Nevada Country Club from 1972–1976.

Jack Nicklaus won Sahara four times in a seven-year span in the 1960s, and three future major champions (Tony Lema,^[2] Lanny Wadkins, and John Mahaffey) made Sahara their first tour victory.

A month after the 1976 event,^[1] it was announced in early November that the Sahara Invitational was being discontinued. Edward M. Nigro, vice president and general manager of Hotel Sahara, cited rising costs, scheduling conflicts, and a decline in the national promotion benefit as the reasons for the tournament's cancellation.^[3]

The Las Vegas Founders returned the PGA Tour to Las Vegas in 1983 with the Panasonic Las Vegas Pro Celebrity Classic; since 2007, it has been organized by the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Tournament highlights

• 1962: Tony Lema wins the inaugural Sahara Invitational, three shots ahead of Don January.^[2]
• 1964: R. H. Sikes shoots a first round 62 on his way to a two shot triumph over defending champion Jack Nicklaus, Phil Rodgers, and Jack McGowan.^[4]
• 1967: Jack Nicklaus becomes the only Sahara champion to successfully defend his title. He wins by one shot over Steve Spray.^[5]
• 1968: Chi-Chi Rodríguez shoots a final round 64 to come from six shots back and force a sudden death playoff. He then birdies the first playoff hole to defeat Dale Douglass.^[6]
• 1969: Nicklaus shoots a final round 65 for his 29th PGA Tour title and fourth Sahara victory. He finishes four shots ahead of Frank Beard.^[7]
• 1971: Lee Trevino wins his sixth PGA Tour event of the year, one shot ahead of George Archer.^[8]
• 1974: Al Geiberger wins for the first time on tour since his PGA Championship triumph in 1966; he finishes three shots ahead of Jerry Heard, Wally Armstrong, Mike Hill, and Dave Hill.^[9]
• 1976: Runner-up five years earlier, Archer wins the last Sahara, two strokes ahead of defending champion Dave Hill and third round leader Don January.^[1]

Winners

Year	Tour[a]	Winner	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up	Winner's share ($)
Sahara Invitational
1976	PGAT	George Archer	271	−13	2 strokes	Dave Hill Don January	27,000
1975	PGAT	Dave Hill	270	−14	Playoff	Rik Massengale	27,000
1974	PGAT	Al Geiberger	273	−11	3 strokes	Wally Armstrong Jerry Heard Dave Hill Mike Hill	27,000
1973	PGAT	John Mahaffey	271	−13	3 strokes	Dave Eichelberger	27,000
1972	PGAT	Lanny Wadkins	273	−11	1 stroke	Arnold Palmer	27,000
1971	PGAT	Lee Trevino	280	−8	1 stroke	George Archer	27,000
1970	PGAT	Babe Hiskey	276	−12	1 stroke	Miller Barber Terry Dill Bob Goalby	20,000
1969	PGAT	Jack Nicklaus (4)	272	−12	4 strokes	Frank Beard	20,000
1968	PGAT	Chi-Chi Rodríguez	274	−10	Playoff	Dale Douglass	20,000
1967	PGAT	Jack Nicklaus (3)	270	−14	1 stroke	Steve Spray	20,000
1966	PGAT	Jack Nicklaus (2)	282	−2	3 strokes	Miller Barber Arnold Palmer	20,000
1965	PGAT	Billy Casper	269	−15	3 strokes	Billy Martindale	20,000
1964	PGAT	R. H. Sikes	275	−9	3 strokes	Jack McGowan Jack Nicklaus Phil Rodgers	12,000
1963	PGAT	Jack Nicklaus	276	−8	1 stroke	Gay Brewer Al Geiberger	13,000
1962	PGAT	Tony Lema	270	−14	3 strokes	Don January	2,800
Sahara Pro-Am
1961		Phil Rodgers
1960		Bob Duden
1959		Doug Sanders
1958		Bill Johnston

Notes

References

External links

• 1970-1976 Results and stats on The Sahara Invitational