American Golf Classic
Encyclopedia
The American Golf Classic was a tournament on the PGA Tour from 1961 to 1976. It was the third event to be played at the storied Firestone Country Club
in Akron, Ohio
after the Rubber City Open Invitational
(1954–1959) and the 1960 PGA Championship
.
Firestone Country Club
The Firestone Country Club is a private golf club located in Akron, Ohio, United States.The Club comprises three courses—those of the North, South, and West—each of which hosted a televised golf event, respectively the American Golf Classic, the CBS Golf Classic and the World Series of Golf, in...
in Akron, Ohio
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
after the Rubber City Open Invitational
Rubber City Open Invitational
The Rubber City Open Invitational, first played as the Rubber City Open in 1954, was the first PGA Tour event to be held at the storied Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio...
(1954–1959) and the 1960 PGA Championship
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
.
Winners
- 1976 David GrahamDavid Graham (golfer)Anthony David Graham is a former professional golfer from Australia.Born in Windsor, Australia, Graham turned professional in 1962 at age 16 and spent much of his career in the United States, playing on the PGA Tour. Turning age 50 in 1996, he joined the Senior PGA Tour, later known as the...
- 1975 No tournament - hosted PGA ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipThe PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
- 1974 Jim ColbertJim ColbertJames Joseph Colbert is an American professional golfer.Colbert was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He attended Kansas State University, where he finished second in the NCAA golf championships in 1964, before graduating and turning professional in 1965.Colbert won eight times on the PGA Tour,...
- 1973 Bruce CramptonBruce CramptonBruce Crampton is an Australian professional golfer.Crampton was born in Sydney, New South Wales, and attended Kogarah High School from 1948-1950. He turned professional in 1953....
- 1972 Bert YanceyBert YanceyAlbert Winsborough Yancey was an American professional golfer, who played on the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour....
- 1971 Jerry HeardJerry HeardJerry M. Heard is an American professional golfer who won several PGA Tour events in the 1970s.Heard was born in Visalia, California. He became a professional golfer in 1968 and joined the PGA Tour in 1969. His first professional win came in the American Golf Classic at the Firestone Country Club...
- 1970 Frank Beard
- 1969 Raymond FloydRaymond FloydRaymond Loran "Ray" Floyd is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour....
- 1968 Jack NicklausJack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
- 1967 Arnold PalmerArnold PalmerArnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
- 1966 No tournament - hosted PGA ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipThe PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
- 1965 Al GeibergerAl GeibergerAllen Lee Geiberger, Sr. is an American professional golfer who has won numerous golf tournaments.Geiberger was born in Red Bluff, California...
- 1964 Ken VenturiKen VenturiKenneth Venturi is an American former professional golfer and golf broadcaster.-Early years and amateur career:Venturi was born in San Francisco, California. He learned golf from an early age, and developed his game at Harding Park Golf Course and other public courses in the area...
- 1963 Johnny Pott
- 1962 Arnold PalmerArnold PalmerArnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
- 1961 Jay Hebert
Tournament highlights
- 1961: Jay Hebert wins the inaugural version of the tournament by defeating Gary PlayerGary PlayerGary Player DMS; OIG is a South African professional golfer. With his nine major championship victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Player has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six...
on the second hole of a sudden death playoff. To get in the playoff, Hebert had to make a 20-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole. - 1962: Johnny Pott leads the second AGC wire to wire. He wins by four shots over Arnold PalmerArnold PalmerArnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
. - 1964: Ken VenturiKen VenturiKenneth Venturi is an American former professional golfer and golf broadcaster.-Early years and amateur career:Venturi was born in San Francisco, California. He learned golf from an early age, and developed his game at Harding Park Golf Course and other public courses in the area...
makes the AGC his third triumph for 1964. He finishes five shots ahead of Mason RudolphMason RudolphEdgar Mason Rudolph was an American golfer who won five times on the PGA Tour.-Early years and amateur career:...
. - 1965: Al GeibergerAl GeibergerAllen Lee Geiberger, Sr. is an American professional golfer who has won numerous golf tournaments.Geiberger was born in Red Bluff, California...
wins for the 3rd time ever on the PGA Tour. He finishes four shots ahead of Arnold Palmer. One year later, Geiberger would also win the PGA Championship at the Firestone Country Club. - 1967: Arnold Palmer becomes the first and only multiple winner of the AGC. He finishes three shots ahead of Doug SandersDoug SandersGeorge Douglas Sanders is a former American professional golfer who won twenty PGA Tour events during his career.-Early years:Sanders was born in Cedartown, Georgia. He grew up in a poor family, and picked cotton as a teenager...
. - 1968: Jack NicklausJack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
wins in a sudden death playoff over Lee ElderLee ElderRobert Lee Elder is an American golfer. He is best remembered for becoming the first African-American to play in the Masters Tournament in 1975.-Background and family:...
and Frank Beard. Elder, a tour rookie at the time, matched Nicklaus shot for shot for four extra holes before losing on the fifth. The finish of the 1968 American Golf Classic is generally considered one of the most exciting in televised golf history. - 1969: Raymond FloydRaymond FloydRaymond Loran "Ray" Floyd is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour....
shoots a final round 65 to win by four shots over Bobby NicholsBobby NicholsRobert Herman Nichols is an American professional golfer, best known for winning the 1964 PGA Championship.Nichols was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He attended St. Xavier High School in Louisville and later played golf at Texas A&M University were his team won the Southwest Conference Championship...
. - 1973: Bruce CramptonBruce CramptonBruce Crampton is an Australian professional golfer.Crampton was born in Sydney, New South Wales, and attended Kogarah High School from 1948-1950. He turned professional in 1953....
wins by three shots over Lanny WadkinsLanny WadkinsJerry Lanston "Lanny" Wadkins, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 86 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1988....
, Gay BrewerGay BrewerGay Robert Brewer, Jr. was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and won the 1967 Masters Tournament....
, and Bob MurphyBob Murphy (golfer)Robert Joseph Murphy, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was formerly a member of the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour. Murphy has won 21 tournaments as a professional.-Early years:...
. It is Crampton's 4th win of the year and at the time vaults him to #1 on the money list for the year. - 1974: Jim ColbertJim ColbertJames Joseph Colbert is an American professional golfer.Colbert was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He attended Kansas State University, where he finished second in the NCAA golf championships in 1964, before graduating and turning professional in 1965.Colbert won eight times on the PGA Tour,...
wins the AGC in a four-way playoff. He defeats Raymond Floyd, Gay Brewer, and Forrest FezlerForrest FezlerForrest Oliver Fezler is an American golf course design consultant and former PGA Tour professional golfer.-Early years:...
. - 1976: David GrahamDavid Graham (golfer)Anthony David Graham is a former professional golfer from Australia.Born in Windsor, Australia, Graham turned professional in 1962 at age 16 and spent much of his career in the United States, playing on the PGA Tour. Turning age 50 in 1996, he joined the Senior PGA Tour, later known as the...
wins the last edition of the tournament. He finishes four shots ahead of Lou Graham.