Bob Hope Chrysler Classic
Encyclopedia
The Bob Hope Classic is a professional golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....

 tournament played each January in California's Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley is a large valley landform in Southern California. The valley extends for approximately 45 miles in Riverside County southeast from the San Bernardino Mountains to the saltwater Salton Sea, the largest lake in California...

. Part of the PGA Tour's
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...

 early season West Coast Swing, this tournament is well known for its celebrity pro-am, as well as having five daily 18-hole rounds of competition vs. the Tour standard of four rounds. Currently, "the Hope" is the third event on the Tour's annual schedule, and is also part of the Tour's FedEx Cup
FedEx Cup
The FedEx Cup is a championship trophy for the PGA Tour. Its introduction marked the first time that men's professional golf had a playoff system. Announced in November 2005, it was first awarded in 2007 after a NASCAR-like points race. Bill Haas is the current champion...

 competition.

History

Founded as the Palm Springs Golf Classic in 1960, the tournament evolved from the Thunderbird Invitational
Thunderbird Invitational
The Thunderbird Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1954 to 1959 and was the direct predecessor of today's Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. It was played in Palm Springs, California.-Winners:*1959 Arnold Palmer*1958 Ken Venturi...

 that was held in Palm Springs from 1954 to 1959. Its format remains unique among PGA Tour events, being played over five days and four different courses. From 1960–62, the tournament was played at Thunderbird Country Club and Tamarisk Country Club, both in Rancho Mirage, California
Rancho Mirage, California
Rancho Mirage is a resort city in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 17,218 at the 2010 census, up from 13,249 at the 2000 census, but the seasonal population can exceed 20,000. In between Cathedral City and Palm Desert, it is one of the eight cities of the Coachella...

; Bermuda Dunes Country Club in Bermuda Dunes, California
Bermuda Dunes, California
Bermuda Dunes is a census-designated place in Riverside County, California. The population was 7,282 at the 2010 census, up from 6,229 at the 2000 census. Bermuda Dunes is located near Indio and east of Palm Springs....

; and Indian Wells Country Club in Indian Wells, California
Indian Wells, California
Indian Wells is a city in Riverside County, California, in the Coachella Valley , in between Palm Desert and La Quinta. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,958....

. Bermuda Dunes has been used every year of the event and Indian Wells every year until 2006, but the roster of courses from which the event has chosen the other two courses to be played has evolved over the years. In 1963, Eldorado Country Club, also in Indian Wells, California
Indian Wells, California
Indian Wells is a city in Riverside County, California, in the Coachella Valley , in between Palm Desert and La Quinta. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,958....

, replaced Thunderbird Country Club. From 1964 until 1968, La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, California
La Quinta, California
La Quinta is a resort city in Riverside County, California, USA, specifically in the Coachella Valley between Indian Wells and Indio. The population was 37,467 at the 2010 census, up from 23,694 at the 2000 census. The Robb Report credits La Quinta as the nation's leading golf destination...

 replaced Tamarisk Country Club, but in 1969 Tamarisk Country Club rejoined the event and alternated annually with Eldorado Country Club until 1986 (Tamarisk Country Club's last turn being in 1985).

An evolution towards courses more suited to modern professionals began in 1987. From 1987 until 1994, and again from 1998 to the present, a course at PGA West in La Quinta, California
La Quinta, California
La Quinta is a resort city in Riverside County, California, USA, specifically in the Coachella Valley between Indian Wells and Indio. The population was 37,467 at the 2010 census, up from 23,694 at the 2000 census. The Robb Report credits La Quinta as the nation's leading golf destination...

 (the TPC Stadium Golf Course in 1987 and the Arnold Palmer Private Course thereafter) became a permanent member of the roster; from 1995–97, Indian Ridge Country Club in Palm Desert, California
Palm Desert, California
Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley, approximately east of Palm Springs. The population was 48,445 at the 2010 census, up from 41,155 at the 2000 census...

 replaced PGA West. To make room for a new permanent member, Eldorado Country Club and La Quinta Country Club alternated from 1987–89 (Eldorado being used in 87 and 89), after which Eldorado Country Club was dropped from the roster. From 1990–2003, Tamarisk Country Club and La Quinta Country Club followed a "1–2" alternating arrangement, where Tamarisk was played the first year and La Quinta CC the next two; this pattern was deviated from when Tamarisk was used in 2004 (a La Quinta CC year by the pattern), although the 2005, 2006 and 2007 events were then played at La Quinta CC.

In early 2005, a local charitable foundation gave its new course, The Classic Club in Palm Desert, California
Palm Desert, California
Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley, approximately east of Palm Springs. The population was 48,445 at the 2010 census, up from 41,155 at the 2000 census...

, an Arnold Palmer-designed track, to the tournament, making the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic the only event on the PGA Tour that owns its own facility; The Classic Club took the place of Indian Wells in 2006. The course was dropped from the Hope course field after the 2008 event, citing players concerns over high winds.

The 2009 course rotation consisted of the Arnold Palmer Private Course and the Nicklaus Private Course (both at PGA West in La Quinta) SilverRock Resort (in La Quinta) and the Bermuda Dunes Country Club. In 2010, La Quinta CC replaced Bermuda Dunes CC.

The tradition of choosing the tournament's "Classic Girls" from among the area's collegians began in those early years, with the earliest tournaments having a celebrity dubbed "Classic Queen." The earliest titleholders included Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds is an American actress, singer, and dancer.She was initially signed at age 16 by Warner Bros., but her career got off to a slow start. When her contract was not renewed, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer gave her a small, but significant part in the film Three Little Words , then signed her to...

, Jane Powell
Jane Powell
Jane Powell is an American singer, dancer and actress.After rising to fame as a singer in her home state of Oregon, Powell was signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer while still in her teens...

 and Jill St. John
Jill St. John
Jill St. John is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Tiffany Case, the lead Bond girl in Diamonds Are Forever.-Early life:...

. The queens of the 1970s included Barbara Eden
Barbara Eden
Barbara Eden is an American film and television actress and singer who is best known for her starring role in the sitcom I Dream of Jeannie.-Early years:...

 and Lynda Carter
Lynda Carter
Lynda Jean Carter is an American actress and singer, best known for being Miss World USA and as the star of the 1970s television series The New Original Wonder Woman and The New Adventures of Wonder Woman ....

.

The Classic's biggest draw, both then and now, was the celebrity Pro-Am competition which attracted some of the era's biggest celebrities. According to the official website, those celebrities included:
  • Bing Crosby
    Bing Crosby
    Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....

  • Burt Lancaster
    Burt Lancaster
    Burton Stephen "Burt" Lancaster was an American film actor noted for his athletic physique and distinctive smile...

  • Kirk Douglas
    Kirk Douglas
    Kirk Douglas is an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. His popular films include Out of the Past , Champion , Ace in the Hole , The Bad and the Beautiful , Lust for Life , Paths of Glory , Gunfight at the O.K...

  • Phil Harris
    Phil Harris
    Harris and Faye married in 1941; it was a second marriage for both and lasted 54 years, until Harris's death. Harris engaged in a fistfight at the Trocadero nightclub in 1938 with RKO studio mogul Bob Stevens; the cause was reported to be over Faye after Stevens and Faye had ended a romantic...

  • Desi Arnaz
    Desi Arnaz
    Desi Arnaz was a Cuban-born American musician, actor and television producer. While he gained international renown for leading a Latin music band, the Desi Arnaz Orchestra, he is probably best known for his role as Ricky Ricardo on the American TV series I Love Lucy, starring with Lucille Ball, to...

     (one of the founders of the aforementioned Indian Wells Country Club)
  • Ray Bolger
    Ray Bolger
    Raymond Wallace "Ray" Bolger was an American entertainer of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of the Scarecrow and Kansas farmworker Hank in The Wizard of Oz.-Early life:...

  • Hoagy Carmichael
    Hoagy Carmichael
    Howard Hoagland "Hoagy" Carmichael was an American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader. He is best known for writing "Stardust", "Georgia On My Mind", "The Nearness of You", and "Heart and Soul", four of the most-recorded American songs of all time.Alec Wilder, in his study of the...

  • Dwight Eisenhower (the first U.S. President to play in the pro-am)


The first tournament was won by Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold 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...

 with a final score of 338, or 22 under par. The record would stand for the next twenty years.

Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...

, who was possibly Hollywood's greatest golfer, added his name to the tournament in 1965 and became the Classic's Chairman of the Board.

The 1970s saw stars like Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...

 make their debuts. Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...

 played his first pro-am in 1977, making him the second former president to play in the tournament.

History was made at the tournament in 1995 when the pro-am team of Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...

, George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Bob Hope and defending champion Scott Hoch
Scott Hoch
Scott Mabon Hoch is an American golfer, who represented his country in the Ryder Cup in 1997 and 2002.Hoch was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. He was a member of the golf team at Wake Forest University before graduating in 1978. He also played on the winning U.S. team in the Eisenhower Trophy...

 teed up for the tournament's opening round. The event marked the first time a sitting president – Clinton – had played during a PGA Tour event and perhaps the first time three presidents had ever played together.

For 2010, the purse and 1st prize are $5.0 million and $900,000 respectively.

Its long history has made the event synonymous with golf in the Coachella Valley. Additionally, the allure of Hope's name, even after his death, has convinced the Hope estate, tournament organizers and corporate sponsor Chrysler to include the legendary entertainer's name on the tournament for as long as a substantial portion of its proceeds are given to charities.

The tournament's format is also a tough sell for many players, such as Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...

, who has never played there. It takes place over five days, four of which include celebrity players. That means rounds take far longer and the presence of so many spectators out to catch a glimpse of their favorite TV, film or music star, can turn even an early round into a far more informal endeavor, which many golfers don't appreciate. The tournament was called the 'Bob Hope Chrysler Classic' until the 2009 tournament, where George Lopez was let go as host and Chrysler dropped their name from the tournament's name, but continue to sponsor the tournament. Instead, the tournament was hosted by the only 5-time winner of the event, Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold 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...

, for the tournament's 50th anniversary. In 2010, baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 Hall of Famer
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...

 Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra
Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra is a former American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...

 served as the first "Classic Ambassador".

It takes place at a similar time to the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship
Abu Dhabi Golf Championship
The Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship is a European Tour golf tournament that was staged for the first time in January 2006. It is played at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club by Sheraton in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates....

.

Winners

Year Player Country Score To par 1st Prize ($
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....

)
Purse ($)
Bob Hope Classic
2011 Jhonattan Vegas
Jhonattan Vegas
Jhonattan Vegas is a Venezuelan professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.Vegas was born in Maturín, Venezuela. He played college golf at the University of Texas....

 
333 -27 900,000 5,000,000
2010 Bill Haas
Bill Haas
William Harlan Haas is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and won the 2011 FedEx Cup. He is the son of former PGA Tour player Jay Haas.-Early life:...

 
330 -30 900,000 5,000,000
2009 Pat Perez
Pat Perez
Patrick P. Perez is an American professional golfer.Perez was born in Phoenix, Arizona and is of Mexican American descent. He experienced his first PGA Tour victory in 2009 at the Bob Hope Classic...

 
327 -33 918,000 5,100,000
Bob Hope Chrysler Classic
2008 D. J. Trahan
D. J. Trahan
Donald Roland "D.J." Trahan, Jr. is an American professional golfer.Trahan was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He moved to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where he attended Hilton Head Island High School. He then moved to Spartanburg, South Carolina where he attended and graduated from Paul M....

 
334 -26 918,000 5,100,000
2007 Charley Hoffman
Charley Hoffman
Charley Lindley Hoffman is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.-Amateur career:Hoffman was born in San Diego, California. He won the California State High School Championship in 1994 and 1995, becoming the first two time winner. He qualified three times for the Buick...

 
343 -17 900,000 5,000,000
2006 Chad Campbell
Chad Campbell
David Chad Campbell is an American professional golfer.-Early years and amateur career:Campbell was born in Andrews, Texas and grew up in west Texas. He was a member of a strong junior college men's golf squad during the years he played at Midland College...

 
335 -25 900,000 5,000,000
2005 Justin Leonard
Justin Leonard
Justin Charles Garrett Leonard is an American professional golfer.Leonard was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He attended Lake Highlands High School and graduated in 1990. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and was the individual NCAA champion in 1994. He was a two-time All-American...

 
332 -28 846,000 4,700,000
2004 Phil Mickelson
Phil Mickelson
Philip Alfred Mickelson is an American professional golfer. He has won four major championships and a total of 39 events on the PGA Tour. He has reached a career high world ranking of 2nd in multiple years. He is nicknamed "Lefty" for his left-handed swing, even though he is otherwise right-handed...

 
330 -30 810,000 4,500,000
2003 Mike Weir
Mike Weir
Michael Richard Weir, CM, O.Ont is a Canadian professional golfer on the PGA Tour. He spent over 110 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 2001 and 2005. He is best known for winning the Masters in 2003....

 
330 -30 810,000 4,500,000
2002 Phil Mickelson
Phil Mickelson
Philip Alfred Mickelson is an American professional golfer. He has won four major championships and a total of 39 events on the PGA Tour. He has reached a career high world ranking of 2nd in multiple years. He is nicknamed "Lefty" for his left-handed swing, even though he is otherwise right-handed...

 
330 -30 720,000 4,000,000
2001 Joe Durant
Joe Durant
Joseph Scott Durant is an American professional golfer.Durant was born in Pensacola, Florida. He attended Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, where he majored in Marketing and graduated in 1987. At Huntingdon, he was a three-time NAIA All-American and won the 1987 NAIA Championship.Durant...

 
324 -36 630,000 3,500,000
2000 Jesper Parnevik
Jesper Parnevik
Jesper Bo Parnevik is a Swedish professional golfer. He spent 38 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings in 2000 and 2001.-Early years:...

 
331 -27 540,000 3,000,000
1999 David Duval
David Duval
David Robert Duval is an American professional golfer and former World No. 1 who competes on the PGA Tour.-Early years:...

 
334 -26 540,000 3,000,000
1998 Fred Couples
Fred Couples
Frederick Steven Couples is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. A former World No. 1, he has won numerous events, most notably the 1992 Masters Tournament. In August 2011 he won his maiden senior major at the Senior Players Championship...

 
332 -28 414,000 2,300,000
1997 John Cook
John Cook (golfer)
John Neuman Cook is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour....

 
327 -33 270,000 1,500,000
1996 Mark Brooks
Mark Brooks (golfer)
Mark David Brooks is an American professional golfer.Brooks was born in Fort Worth, Texas. He attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a three-time All-American as a member of the golf team. He turned professional in 1983.Brooks has seven wins on the PGA Tour, including one major,...

 
337 -23 234,000 1,300,000
1995 Kenny Perry
Kenny Perry
James Kenneth Perry is an American professional golfer who currently plays on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour, for which he became eligible following his 50th birthday.-Early years:...

 
335 -25 216,000 1,200,000
1994 Scott Hoch
Scott Hoch
Scott Mabon Hoch is an American golfer, who represented his country in the Ryder Cup in 1997 and 2002.Hoch was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. He was a member of the golf team at Wake Forest University before graduating in 1978. He also played on the winning U.S. team in the Eisenhower Trophy...

 
334 -26 198,000 1,100,000
1993 Tom Kite
Tom Kite
Thomas Oliver Kite, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1989 and 1994....

 
325 -35 198,000 1,100,000
1992 John Cook
John Cook (golfer)
John Neuman Cook is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour....

 
336 -24 198,000 1,100,000
1991 Corey Pavin
Corey Pavin
Corey Allen Pavin is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour. He spent over 150 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1986 and 1997.-Biography:...

 
331 -29 198,000 1,100,000
1990 Peter Jacobsen
Peter Jacobsen
Peter Erling Jacobsen is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. He has won seven events on the PGA Tour and two events on the Champions Tour, both majors.-Early years:...

 
339 -21 180,000 1,000,000
1989 Steve Jones
Steve Jones (golfer)
Steven Glen Jones is an American professional golfer who is best known for winning the U.S. Open in 1996.- Early life and education :Jones was born in Artesia, New Mexico. He was a semi-finalist at the U.S. Junior Amateur in 1976...

 
343 -17 180,000 1,000,000
1988 Jay Haas
Jay Haas
Jay Dean Haas is an American professional golfer.Haas was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up in Belleville, Illinois. He attended Wake Forest University and was a member of the NCAA Championship team of the middle 1970s with Curtis Strange and Bob Byman that Golf World has called "the...

 
338 -22 180,000 1,000,000
1987 Corey Pavin
Corey Pavin
Corey Allen Pavin is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour. He spent over 150 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1986 and 1997.-Biography:...

 
341 -19 162,000 900,000
1986 Donnie Hammond
Donnie Hammond
Donald William Hammond is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, and Champions Tour....

 
335 -25 108,000 650,000
Bob Hope Classic
1985 Lanny Wadkins
Lanny Wadkins
Jerry 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....

 
333 -27 90,000 555,000
1984 John Mahaffey
John Mahaffey
John Drayton Mahaffey, Jr. is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments including 10 PGA Tour events....

 
340 -20 72,000 433,000
Bob Hope Desert Classic
1983 Keith Fergus
Keith Fergus
Keith Carlton Fergus is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour, the Nationwide Tour and the Champions Tour....

 
335 -25 67,500 408,000
1982 Ed Fiori
Ed Fiori
Edward Ray Fiori is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.Fiori was born in Lynwood, California. As a youth, Fiori would sneak through a barbed wire fence to a nine-hole course near his Downey, California home to practice his game. He attended the...

 
335 -25 50,000 304,500
1981 Bruce Lietzke
Bruce Lietzke
Bruce Alan Lietzke is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level.Lietzke was born in Kansas City, Kansas...

 
335 -25 50,000 304,500
1980 Craig Stadler
Craig Stadler
Craig Robert Stadler is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level....

 
343 -17 50,000 304,500
1979 John Mahaffey
John Mahaffey
John Drayton Mahaffey, Jr. is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments including 10 PGA Tour events....

 
343 -17 50,000 300,000
1978 Bill Rogers
Bill Rogers (golfer)
William Charles Rogers is an American professional golfer who is best known as the winner of the 1981 Open Championship....

 
339 -21 45,000 225,000
1977 Rik Massengale
Rik Massengale
Rik Massengale is a former American professional golfer who played full-time on the PGA Tour from 1970–1982.Massengale was born and raised in Jacksboro, Texas. He developed an interest in golf as a result of his older brother, Don, being a professional golfer. He attended the University of...

 
337 -23 40,000 200,000
1976 Johnny Miller
Johnny Miller
John Laurence Miller is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. He was one of the top players in the world during the mid-1970s; he ranked second in the world on Mark McCormack's world golf rankings in both 1974 and 1975 behind Jack Nicklaus. He is currently the lead golf...

 
344 -16 36,000 180,000
1975 Johnny Miller
Johnny Miller
John Laurence Miller is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. He was one of the top players in the world during the mid-1970s; he ranked second in the world on Mark McCormack's world golf rankings in both 1974 and 1975 behind Jack Nicklaus. He is currently the lead golf...

 
339 -21 32,000 160,000
1974 Hubert Green
Hubert Green
Hubert Myatt Green is an American professional golfer who has won numerous professional golf tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level....

 
341 -19 32,048 160,000
1973 Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold 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...

 
343 -17 32,000 160,000
1972 Bob Rosburg
Bob Rosburg
Robert Reginald "Rossie" Rosburg was an American professional golfer who later became a sports color analyst for ABC television.-Early years, college:Rosburg was born in San Francisco, California...

 
344 -16 29,000 145,000
1971 Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold 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...

 
342 -18 28,000 140,000
1970 Bruce Devlin
Bruce Devlin
Bruce William Devlin is an Australian professional golfer, sportscaster and golf course designer.Devlin was born in Armidale, Australia. He turned pro in 1961 and joined the PGA Tour in 1962 after an amateur career in Australia which included a win at the Australian Amateur in 1959...

 
339 -21 25,000 125,000
1969 Billy Casper
Billy Casper
William Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:...

 
345 -15 20,000 100,000
1968 Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold 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...

 
348 -12 20,000 100,000
1967 Tom Nieporte
Tom Nieporte
Thomas Nieporte is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s.Nieporte grew up in the Cincinnati suburb of North College Hill, Ohio. He attended the Ohio State University and was a distinguished member of the golf team, winning the NCAA Championship in 1951...

 
349 -11 17,600 88,000
1966 Doug Sanders
Doug Sanders
George 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...

 
349 -11 15,000 80,000
1965 Billy Casper
Billy Casper
William Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:...

 
348 -12 15,000 80,000
Palm Springs Golf Classic
1964 Tommy Jacobs
Tommy Jacobs
Keith Thomas Jacobs, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course owner/operator who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour...

 
353 -7 7,500 50,000
1963 Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus
Jack 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...

 
345 -13 9,000 50,000
1962 Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold 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...

 
342 -17 5,300 35,000
1961 Billy Maxwell
Billy Maxwell
Billy Joe Maxwell is an American professional golfer.Maxwell was born in Abilene, Texas. He played college golf at North Texas State College and helped them win four consecutive NCAA Division I team championships . Maxwell also won the U.S. Amateur title in 1951...

 
345 -14 5,300 52,000
Palm Springs Desert Golf Classic
1960 Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold 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...

 
338 -20 12,000 70,000


Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.

Source

Multiple winners

Seven men have won this tournament more than once through 2011.
  • 5 wins
    • Arnold Palmer
      Arnold Palmer
      Arnold 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...

      : 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1973

  • 2 wins
    • Billy Casper
      Billy Casper
      William Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:...

      : 1965, 1969
    • John Cook
      John Cook (golfer)
      John Neuman Cook is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour....

      : 1992, 1997
    • John Mahaffey
      John Mahaffey
      John Drayton Mahaffey, Jr. is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments including 10 PGA Tour events....

      : 1979, 1984
    • Phil Mickelson
      Phil Mickelson
      Philip Alfred Mickelson is an American professional golfer. He has won four major championships and a total of 39 events on the PGA Tour. He has reached a career high world ranking of 2nd in multiple years. He is nicknamed "Lefty" for his left-handed swing, even though he is otherwise right-handed...

      : 2002, 2004
    • Johnny Miller
      Johnny Miller
      John Laurence Miller is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. He was one of the top players in the world during the mid-1970s; he ranked second in the world on Mark McCormack's world golf rankings in both 1974 and 1975 behind Jack Nicklaus. He is currently the lead golf...

      : 1975, 1976
    • Corey Pavin
      Corey Pavin
      Corey Allen Pavin is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour. He spent over 150 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1986 and 1997.-Biography:...

      : 1987, 1991

Tournament highlights

1960: Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold 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...

 wins the inaugural version of the tournament by three shots over Fred Hawkins
Fred Hawkins
Fred Hawkins is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour from the mid 1940s to the mid 1960s.Hawkins was born in Antioch, Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois and the Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy . He turned professional in 1947...

. Joe Campbell
Joe Campbell (golfer)
Joe E. Campbell is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the late 1950s and 1960s.Campbell was born in Anderson, Indiana. He attended Purdue University where he was a member of the golf team as well as a co-captain of the basketball team. He won the 1955 NCAA Championship...

 earned $50,000 in unofficial money for scoring a hole-in-one on the fifth hole of the Tamarisk Country Club.

1963: Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus
Jack 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...

 defeats Gary Player
Gary Player
Gary 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...

 65 to 73 in a 18-hole playoff for the tournament title.

1964: 53-year-old Jimmy Demaret
Jimmy Demaret
James Newton Demaret was an American professional golfer. He won 31 PGA Tour events in a long career between 1935 and 1957, and was the first three-time winner of the Masters....

 who rarely played competitive golf any more finishes regulation play tied for first with Tommy Jacobs
Tommy Jacobs
Keith Thomas Jacobs, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course owner/operator who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour...

 but loses on the second hole of sudden death.

1967: Club professional Tom Nieporte
Tom Nieporte
Thomas Nieporte is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s.Nieporte grew up in the Cincinnati suburb of North College Hill, Ohio. He attended the Ohio State University and was a distinguished member of the golf team, winning the NCAA Championship in 1951...

 birdies the 90th hole to beat Doug Sanders
Doug Sanders
George 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...

 by one shot.

1972: Bob Rosburg
Bob Rosburg
Robert Reginald "Rossie" Rosburg was an American professional golfer who later became a sports color analyst for ABC television.-Early years, college:Rosburg was born in San Francisco, California...

 wins for the first time since the 1961 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am. He beats Lanny Wadkins
Lanny Wadkins
Jerry 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....

 by one shot.

1973: Arnold Palmer wins the tournament for a fifth time by two shots over Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus
Jack 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...

 and Johnny Miller
Johnny Miller
John Laurence Miller is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. He was one of the top players in the world during the mid-1970s; he ranked second in the world on Mark McCormack's world golf rankings in both 1974 and 1975 behind Jack Nicklaus. He is currently the lead golf...

. It is Palmer's final PGA Tour triumph.

1976: Johnny Miller shoots a final round 63 to successfully defend his Bob Hope title. He wins by 3 shots over Rik Massengale
Rik Massengale
Rik Massengale is a former American professional golfer who played full-time on the PGA Tour from 1970–1982.Massengale was born and raised in Jacksboro, Texas. He developed an interest in golf as a result of his older brother, Don, being a professional golfer. He attended the University of...

.

1980: Craig Stadler
Craig Stadler
Craig Robert Stadler is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level....

 wins for the first-time on the PGA Tour. He beats Tom Purtzer
Tom Purtzer
Thomas Warren Purtzer is an American professional golfer who has won tournaments on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour....

 and Mike Sullivan
Mike Sullivan (golfer)
Michael James Sullivan is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour, and currently plays on the Champions Tour.Sullivan was born in Gary, Indiana...

 by 2 shots.

1982: Ed Fiori
Ed Fiori
Edward Ray Fiori is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.Fiori was born in Lynwood, California. As a youth, Fiori would sneak through a barbed wire fence to a nine-hole course near his Downey, California home to practice his game. He attended the...

, expecting to become a first-time father any day, rolls in a 35-foot birdie putt on the second hole of a sudden death playoff to defeat Tom Kite
Tom Kite
Thomas Oliver Kite, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1989 and 1994....

.

1985: Lanny Wadkins plays the last five holes of regulation in five under par to tie Craig Stadler, then goes on to beat him on the fifth hole of a sudden death playoff.

1989: Steve Jones
Steve Jones (golfer)
Steven Glen Jones is an American professional golfer who is best known for winning the U.S. Open in 1996.- Early life and education :Jones was born in Artesia, New Mexico. He was a semi-finalist at the U.S. Junior Amateur in 1976...

 becomes the first golfer since Gil Morgan
Gil Morgan
Gilmer Bryan Morgan II, OD is an American professional golfer.Morgan was born in Wewoka, Oklahoma. He graduated from East Central State College in Ada, Oklahoma in 1968. In 1972, Morgan earned a Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee before turning...

 in 1983 to sweep the first two events of the PGA Tour Schedule. He defeats Paul Azinger
Paul Azinger
Paul William Azinger is an American professional golfer and occasional on air golf analyst. He spent almost 300 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1988 and 1994.-Early years:...

 and Sandy Lyle
Sandy Lyle
Alexander Walter Barr "Sandy" Lyle, MBE is a Scottish professional golfer. Lyle has won two major championships during his career. Along with Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam, he became one of Britain's top golfers during the 1980s...

 on the first hole of a sudden death playoff.

1990: Peter Jacobsen
Peter Jacobsen
Peter Erling Jacobsen is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. He has won seven events on the PGA Tour and two events on the Champions Tour, both majors.-Early years:...

 birdies the 90th hole to win the Hope by one shot over Brian Tennyson and Scott Simpson
Scott Simpson (golfer)
Scott William Simpson is an American professional golfer.Simpson was born in San Diego, California. He attended the University of Southern California, where he was two-time medalist at the NCAA Championship . He turned professional in 1977 and graduated in 1978...

 after NBC golf announcer Johnny Miller talked about how easy it would have been for Jacobsen to choke his second shot to the par-5 finishing hole.

1991: Corey Pavin
Corey Pavin
Corey Allen Pavin is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour. He spent over 150 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1986 and 1997.-Biography:...

 holes a 35-foot wedge shot on the first hole of sudden death to defeat Mark O'Meara
Mark O'Meara
Mark Francis O'Meara is an American professional golfer who was a prolific tournament winner on the PGA Tour and around the world from the mid 1980s to the late 1990s...

.

1992: John Cook
John Cook (golfer)
John Neuman Cook is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour....

 holes a chip shot from 100-feet to defeat Gene Sauers
Gene Sauers
Gene Craig Sauers is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Sauers was born in Savannah, Georgia. His father started him playing golf at the age of 9. He attended Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia...

 in sudden death. The playoff, originally composed of five players, also involved Tom Kite, Mark O'Meara, and Rick Fehr
Rick Fehr
Richard Elliott Fehr is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Fehr was born in Seattle, Washington and grew up in the state of Washington. As a teenager, Fehr won the Washington State Junior and PGA National Junior tournaments in 1979...

.

1993: Tom Kite, who had twice previously lost the tournament in playoffs, shoots 325, a PGA Tour for 90 holes. He beats Rick Fehr by 6 shots.

1999: David Duval
David Duval
David Robert Duval is an American professional golfer and former World No. 1 who competes on the PGA Tour.-Early years:...

 shoots a final round 59 to beat Steve Pate
Steve Pate
Stephen Robert Pate is an American professional golfer who has played on both the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Pate was born in Ventura, California. He attended UCLA and was a member of the golf team; one teammate was Corey Pavin, who joined Pate on the PGA Tour. Pate helped lead the team to...

 by one shot.

2003: Mike Weir
Mike Weir
Michael Richard Weir, CM, O.Ont is a Canadian professional golfer on the PGA Tour. He spent over 110 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 2001 and 2005. He is best known for winning the Masters in 2003....

 birdies the final three holes to win by two shots over Jay Haas
Jay Haas
Jay Dean Haas is an American professional golfer.Haas was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up in Belleville, Illinois. He attended Wake Forest University and was a member of the NCAA Championship team of the middle 1970s with Curtis Strange and Bob Byman that Golf World has called "the...

.

2009: Pat Perez
Pat Perez
Patrick P. Perez is an American professional golfer.Perez was born in Phoenix, Arizona and is of Mexican American descent. He experienced his first PGA Tour victory in 2009 at the Bob Hope Classic...

 shoots 124 to set a new PGA Tour record for the first 36 holes of a tournament. He goes on to win the Hope by three shots over John Merrick
John Merrick (golfer)
John Sampson Merrick is an American professional golfer.Merrick was born and raised in Long Beach, California. He grew up playing Recreation Park municipal golf course, a classic layout by William F. Bell. He attended Wilson Classical High School where he won the Moore League High School...

.

Records

  • Low 18-Hole record 59 – David Duval
    David Duval
    David Robert Duval is an American professional golfer and former World No. 1 who competes on the PGA Tour.-Early years:...

     (1999)
  • Low 36-Hole record 123 – Steve Stricker
    Steve Stricker
    Steven Stricker is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He has won 11 tournaments on the PGA Tour including the 2001 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and two FedEx Cup playoff events. His most successful season on tour came in 2009, when he had three tournament victories...

     (2009)
  • Low 54-Hole record 193 – Joe Durant
    Joe Durant
    Joseph Scott Durant is an American professional golfer.Durant was born in Pensacola, Florida. He attended Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, where he majored in Marketing and graduated in 1987. At Huntingdon, he was a three-time NAIA All-American and won the 1987 NAIA Championship.Durant...

     (2001), Joe Ogilvie
    Joe Ogilvie
    Norman Joseph Ogilvie is an American professional golfer.Ogilvie was born in Lancaster, Ohio and graduated from Duke University. He currently plays on the PGA Tour and picked up his first win on tour at the U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee in 2007...

     (2005)
  • Low 72-Hole record 259 – Joe Durant
    Joe Durant
    Joseph Scott Durant is an American professional golfer.Durant was born in Pensacola, Florida. He attended Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, where he majored in Marketing and graduated in 1987. At Huntingdon, he was a three-time NAIA All-American and won the 1987 NAIA Championship.Durant...

     (2001)
  • Low 90-Hole record 324 – Joe Durant
    Joe Durant
    Joseph Scott Durant is an American professional golfer.Durant was born in Pensacola, Florida. He attended Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, where he majored in Marketing and graduated in 1987. At Huntingdon, he was a three-time NAIA All-American and won the 1987 NAIA Championship.Durant...

     (2001) (PGA Tour record)
  • High winning score 349 – Doug Sanders
    Doug Sanders
    George 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...

     (1966), Tom Nieporte
    Tom Nieporte
    Thomas Nieporte is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s.Nieporte grew up in the Cincinnati suburb of North College Hill, Ohio. He attended the Ohio State University and was a distinguished member of the golf team, winning the NCAA Championship in 1951...

     (1967)
  • High finish by winner 72 – Billy Casper
    Billy Casper
    William Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:...

     (1965)
  • Low finish by winner 59 – David Duval
    David Duval
    David Robert Duval is an American professional golfer and former World No. 1 who competes on the PGA Tour.-Early years:...

     (1999)
  • Low start by winner 63 – Jay Haas
    Jay Haas
    Jay Dean Haas is an American professional golfer.Haas was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up in Belleville, Illinois. He attended Wake Forest University and was a member of the NCAA Championship team of the middle 1970s with Curtis Strange and Bob Byman that Golf World has called "the...

     (1988)
  • High start by winner 76 – Tom Nieporte
    Tom Nieporte
    Thomas Nieporte is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s.Nieporte grew up in the Cincinnati suburb of North College Hill, Ohio. He attended the Ohio State University and was a distinguished member of the golf team, winning the NCAA Championship in 1951...

     (1967), Steve Jones
    Steve Jones (golfer)
    Steven Glen Jones is an American professional golfer who is best known for winning the U.S. Open in 1996.- Early life and education :Jones was born in Artesia, New Mexico. He was a semi-finalist at the U.S. Junior Amateur in 1976...

     (1989)
  • Largest victory margin 6 strokes – Rik Massengale
    Rik Massengale
    Rik Massengale is a former American professional golfer who played full-time on the PGA Tour from 1970–1982.Massengale was born and raised in Jacksboro, Texas. He developed an interest in golf as a result of his older brother, Don, being a professional golfer. He attended the University of...

     (1977), Tom Kite
    Tom Kite
    Thomas Oliver Kite, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1989 and 1994....

     (1993)
  • Low cut 273 – 15-under-par (2009) (PGA Tour record)
  • Wire to wire winners – Rik Massengale
    Rik Massengale
    Rik Massengale is a former American professional golfer who played full-time on the PGA Tour from 1970–1982.Massengale was born and raised in Jacksboro, Texas. He developed an interest in golf as a result of his older brother, Don, being a professional golfer. He attended the University of...

     (1977), Bruce Lietzke
    Bruce Lietzke
    Bruce Alan Lietzke is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level.Lietzke was born in Kansas City, Kansas...

     (1981)
  • Best turn around – Jonathan Kaye
    Jonathan Kaye
    Jonathan Andrew Kaye is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.-Biography:Kaye was born in Denver, Colorado. He graduated from the University of Colorado in 1993 and turned pro that same year...

     (1999) 2nd – 83 3rd – 62

Television broadcast and cable history

From the mid-1960s through 1988, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...

 broadcast the fourth and fifth rounds of the tournament. ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...

 took over the coverage in 1999 through 2002 and 2004 through 2006, with CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...

 covering the tournament in 2003. Beginning in 2007, the Golf Channel showed all five rounds on cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...

.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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