Champions Golf Club
Encyclopedia
The Champions Golf Club is a golf club located in Houston, Texas
. The club was founded in 1957 by Jack Burke, Jr. and Jimmy Demaret
. In 1959 the Cypress Creek Course was opened for play, designed by Ralph Plummer. This course has hosted tournaments such as the 1967 Ryder Cup
, the 1969 U.S. Open
, multiple Tour Championship
s, the U.S. Amateur, and the Houston Champions International, which was a PGA Tour
event.
There are two courses, Cypress Creek, and Jackrabbit. While Jackrabbit is used in qualifying rounds for the various USGA Championships the club has hosted, the Cypress Creek course is the primary tournament venue.
The competitive course record on the Cypress Creek course is held by Chad Campbell
, who shot a round of 10-under-par 61 en route to winning the 2003 The Tour Championship
at Champions.
Tournaments held at Champions, and their winners, include:
The club also hosts the Champions Cup Invitational, one of the premiere two-man best-ball amateur events, since 1961.
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. The club was founded in 1957 by Jack Burke, Jr. and 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....
. In 1959 the Cypress Creek Course was opened for play, designed by Ralph Plummer. This course has hosted tournaments such as the 1967 Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
, the 1969 U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
, multiple Tour Championship
The Tour Championship
The Tour Championship was historically the final event of golf's PGA Tour season. Since 2007, it has been the final event of the FedEx Cup, the competition for the first official championship trophy for the PGA Tour season. From 1987 to 1996, several courses hosted the event...
s, the U.S. Amateur, and the Houston Champions International, which was a PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
event.
There are two courses, Cypress Creek, and Jackrabbit. While Jackrabbit is used in qualifying rounds for the various USGA Championships the club has hosted, the Cypress Creek course is the primary tournament venue.
The competitive course record on the Cypress Creek course is held by 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...
, who shot a round of 10-under-par 61 en route to winning the 2003 The Tour Championship
The Tour Championship
The Tour Championship was historically the final event of golf's PGA Tour season. Since 2007, it has been the final event of the FedEx Cup, the competition for the first official championship trophy for the PGA Tour season. From 1987 to 1996, several courses hosted the event...
at Champions.
Tournaments held at Champions, and their winners, include:
- 1966 Houston Champions International - 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...
- 1967 Houston Champions International - Frank Beard
- 1967 Ryder Cup1967 Ryder CupThe 17th Ryder Cup Matches were held at the Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas.The United States team won the competition by a record score of 23½ to 8½ points. To date it remains the largest defeat that a British/European team has ever suffered at the hands of a United States team.-Format:The...
- U.S. team defeated Great Britain 23½ to 8½ - 1968 Houston Champions International - Roberto De Vicenzo
- 1969 U.S. OpenU.S. Open (golf)The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
- Orville MoodyOrville MoodyOrville James Moody was an American professional golfer who won numerous tournaments in his career. He won the 1969 U.S. Open, the last champion in the 20th century to win through local and sectional qualifying.... - 1970 Houston Champions International - Gibby GilbertGibby GilbertC.L. "Gibby" Gilbert II is an American professional golfer who has won tournaments on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour....
- 1971 Houston Champions International - Hubert GreenHubert GreenHubert Myatt Green is an American professional golfer who has won numerous professional golf tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level....
- 1973 Southern AmateurSouthern AmateurThe Southern Amateur is an amateur golf tournament. It has been played since 1902 and is organized by the Southern Golf Association. From1902 to 1963, it was played at match play...
- Ben CrenshawBen CrenshawBen Daniel Crenshaw is an American professional golfer.Crenshaw was born in Austin, Texas. He attended and played golf at Austin High School and the University of Texas, where he won three NCAA Championships from 1971 to 1973... - 1980 Southern AmateurSouthern AmateurThe Southern Amateur is an amateur golf tournament. It has been played since 1902 and is organized by the Southern Golf Association. From1902 to 1963, it was played at match play...
- Bob TwayBob TwayRobert Raymond Tway IV is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments including eight PGA Tour victories. He spent 25 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings in 1986-87.... - 1990 Nabisco ChampionshipThe Tour ChampionshipThe Tour Championship was historically the final event of golf's PGA Tour season. Since 2007, it has been the final event of the FedEx Cup, the competition for the first official championship trophy for the PGA Tour season. From 1987 to 1996, several courses hosted the event...
- Jodie MuddJodie MuddJoseph Martin "Jodie" Mudd is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour.Mudd was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He attended Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia, where he developed into an honored amateur golfer.Mudd won four PGA Tour events during his career... - 1993 U.S. Amateur - John HarrisJohn Harris (golfer)John Richard Harris is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.Harris was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and grew up in Roseau, Minnesota, near the Canadian border. He attended the University of Minnesota, where he distinguished himself in both golf and...
- 1997 The Tour ChampionshipThe Tour ChampionshipThe Tour Championship was historically the final event of golf's PGA Tour season. Since 2007, it has been the final event of the FedEx Cup, the competition for the first official championship trophy for the PGA Tour season. From 1987 to 1996, several courses hosted the event...
- David DuvalDavid DuvalDavid Robert Duval is an American professional golfer and former World No. 1 who competes on the PGA Tour.-Early years:... - 1998 U.S. Women's Mid-AmateurU.S. Women's Mid-AmateurThe U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur is one of thirteen United States Golf Association national championships. First played in 1987, it provides amateur women over the age of 25 an opportunity to compete for a national championship. Entrants must have a handicap index of 9.4 or lower.The major amateur...
- Virginia Derby Grimes - 1999 The Tour ChampionshipThe Tour ChampionshipThe Tour Championship was historically the final event of golf's PGA Tour season. Since 2007, it has been the final event of the FedEx Cup, the competition for the first official championship trophy for the PGA Tour season. From 1987 to 1996, several courses hosted the event...
- Tiger WoodsTiger WoodsEldrick 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... - 2001 The Tour ChampionshipThe Tour ChampionshipThe Tour Championship was historically the final event of golf's PGA Tour season. Since 2007, it has been the final event of the FedEx Cup, the competition for the first official championship trophy for the PGA Tour season. From 1987 to 1996, several courses hosted the event...
- Mike WeirMike WeirMichael 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.... - 2003 The Tour ChampionshipThe Tour ChampionshipThe Tour Championship was historically the final event of golf's PGA Tour season. Since 2007, it has been the final event of the FedEx Cup, the competition for the first official championship trophy for the PGA Tour season. From 1987 to 1996, several courses hosted the event...
- Chad CampbellChad CampbellDavid 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...
The club also hosts the Champions Cup Invitational, one of the premiere two-man best-ball amateur events, since 1961.