Gatlin Brothers-Southwest Golf Classic
Encyclopedia
The Gatlin Brothers-Southwest Golf Classic was a PGA Tour
event played at Fairway Oaks Golf & Racquet Club in Abilene, Texas
, from 1981 to 1988 (the facility was renamed Fairway Oaks Country Club in 1999).
The event had been known as the LaJet Classic when it began in 1981 and again in 1982. In 1983, the event was known as the LaJet Coors Classic and in 1984 it was known as the LaJet Golf Classic. From 1985 to 1987 it was known as the Southwest Golf Classic. In 1988, the tournament event was hosted by Larry Gatlin
& The Gatlin Brothers, and was known as the Gatlin Brothers-Southwest Golf Classic.
In 1989, the event became a Senior PGA Tour event, and was renamed the Gatlin Brothers Southwest Senior Classic
.
Southwest Golf Classic
LaJet Golf Classic
LaJet Coors Classic
LaJet Classic
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
event played at Fairway Oaks Golf & Racquet Club in Abilene, Texas
Abilene, Texas
Abilene is a city in Taylor and Jones counties in west central Texas. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat of Taylor County...
, from 1981 to 1988 (the facility was renamed Fairway Oaks Country Club in 1999).
The event had been known as the LaJet Classic when it began in 1981 and again in 1982. In 1983, the event was known as the LaJet Coors Classic and in 1984 it was known as the LaJet Golf Classic. From 1985 to 1987 it was known as the Southwest Golf Classic. In 1988, the tournament event was hosted by Larry Gatlin
Larry Gatlin
Larry Wayne Gatlin is an American country music singer/songwriter. He is perhaps best known for teaming up with his brothers Steve and Rudy in the late 1970s, becoming one of country music's most successful acts of the 1970s and 1980s. Gatlin has had a total of 33 Top 40 singles...
& The Gatlin Brothers, and was known as the Gatlin Brothers-Southwest Golf Classic.
In 1989, the event became a Senior PGA Tour event, and was renamed the Gatlin Brothers Southwest Senior Classic
Gatlin Brothers Southwest Senior Classic
The Gatlin Brothers Southwest Senior Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1989 to 1990. It was played in Abilene, Texas at the Fairway Oaks Country Club.The purse for the 1990 tournament was US$300,000, with $45,000 going to the winner....
.
Winners
Gatlin Brothers-Southwest Golf Classic- 1988 Tom PurtzerTom PurtzerThomas Warren Purtzer is an American professional golfer who has won tournaments on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour....
Southwest Golf Classic
- 1987 Steve PateSteve PateStephen 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...
- 1986 Mark CalcavecchiaMark CalcavecchiaMark John Calcavecchia is an American professional golfer and a former PGA Tour member. During his professional career, he has won thirteen PGA Tour events, including the 1989 Open Championship. Calcavecchia currently plays on the Champions Tour.-Early years:Calcavecchia was born in Laurel,...
- 1985 Hal SuttonHal SuttonHal Evan Sutton is an American professional golfer.Sutton was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. A promising golfer at the Centenary College of Louisiana, he was named Golf Magazines 1980 College Player of the Year...
LaJet Golf Classic
- 1984 Curtis StrangeCurtis StrangeCurtis Northrup Strange is an American professional golfer. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He spent over 200 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between their debut in 1986 and 1990.-Early years through college:Strange and his...
LaJet Coors Classic
- 1983 Rex CaldwellRex CaldwellRex Allen Caldwell is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour and Champions Tour.Caldwell was born in Everett, Washington. He attended San Fernando Valley State College. He turned professional in 1972....
LaJet Classic
- 1982 Wayne LeviWayne LeviWayne John Levi is an American golfer.Levi was born in Little Falls, New York and attended high school in Herkimer, New York. He enrolled at Oswego State University for two years and then the University of South Florida briefly, before turning professional in 1973.Levi went on to win 12 times on...
- 1981 Tom WeiskopfTom WeiskopfThomas Daniel Weiskopf is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. His most successful decade was the 1970s, and he won 16 PGA Tour titles between 1968 and 1982. After winding down his tournament career, Weiskopf has become a noted golf course...
Tournament highlights
- 1981: Tom WeiskopfTom WeiskopfThomas Daniel Weiskopf is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. His most successful decade was the 1970s, and he won 16 PGA Tour titles between 1968 and 1982. After winding down his tournament career, Weiskopf has become a noted golf course...
wins the inaugural version of the tournament. He finishes two shots ahead of Gil MorganGil MorganGilmer 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...
. - 1982: Wayne LeviWayne LeviWayne John Levi is an American golfer.Levi was born in Little Falls, New York and attended high school in Herkimer, New York. He enrolled at Oswego State University for two years and then the University of South Florida briefly, before turning professional in 1973.Levi went on to win 12 times on...
shoots a first round 64 on his way to a wire to wire victory by six shots over Thomas Gray. Raymond FloydRaymond FloydRaymond Loran "Ray" Floyd is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour....
, who was engaged in a tight battle with Craig StadlerCraig StadlerCraig Robert Stadler is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level....
for that year's leading spot on the money list, left Abilene after shooting 146 for the first 36 holes thinking he would miss the cut. By the time Floyd learned he had not missed the cut, he had already returned to his home in Florida. Unable to make airline connections to meet his Saturday tee time, Floyd was forced to withdraw. - 1986: Future 13-time winner and 1989 Open Champion1989 Open ChampionshipThe 1989 Open Championship was the 118th Open Championship held 20-23 July at the Royal Troon Golf Club in Troon, Scotland. Mark Calcavecchia won his first major championship by winning in a four-hole playoff over Greg Norman and Wayne Grady...
Mark CalcavecchiaMark CalcavecchiaMark John Calcavecchia is an American professional golfer and a former PGA Tour member. During his professional career, he has won thirteen PGA Tour events, including the 1989 Open Championship. Calcavecchia currently plays on the Champions Tour.-Early years:Calcavecchia was born in Laurel,...
notches his first PGA Tour title. He finishes three shots ahead of Tom ByrumTom ByrumThomas Elliott Byrum is an American professional golfer.Byrum was born in Onida, South Dakota. He attended the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University before turning professional in 1984. He has played over five hundred events on the PGA Tour, his sole victory coming at the 1989...
. - 1988: Tom PurtzerTom PurtzerThomas Warren Purtzer is an American professional golfer who has won tournaments on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour....
wins the last version of the tournament. He shoots a final round 64 before defeating Mark BrooksMark 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,...
on the first hole of a sudden death playoff.