| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Palm Desert, California La Quinta, California |
| Established | 1960 |
| Course(s) | PGA West Nicklaus Course PGA West Palmer Course La Quinta Country Club SilverRock Resort |
| Par | 72 (all courses) |
| Length | 6,924 yards (PN) 6,930 yards (PP) 7,060 yards (LQ) 7,403 yards (SR) |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | $5,000,000 |
| Month played | January |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 324 Joe Durant (2001) |
| To par | -36 Joe Durant (2001) |
| Current champion | |
| Jhonattan Vegas | |
The Humana Challenge, formerly known as the Bob Hope Classic, is a professional golf tournament played each January in California's Coachella Valley. Part of the PGA Tour's 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 competition.
Contents |
Founded as the Palm Springs Golf Classic in 1960, the tournament evolved from the Thunderbird Invitational 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; Bermuda Dunes Country Club in Bermuda Dunes, California; and Indian Wells Country Club in Indian Wells, California. 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, replaced Thunderbird Country Club. From 1964 until 1968, La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, California 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 (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 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, 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.[1]
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.[1] 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, Jane Powell and Jill St. John. The queens of the 1970s included Barbara Eden and Lynda Carter.
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:
The first tournament was won by Arnold Palmer with a final score of 338, or 22 under par. The record would stand for the next twenty years.
Bob Hope, 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 make their debuts. Gerald Ford 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, George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Bob Hope and defending champion Scott Hoch 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 $900,000 respectively.
Its long history has made the event synonymous with golf in the Coachella Valley. Additionally, the allure of Hope's name, even after his death, has convinced the Hope estate, tournament organizers and corporate sponsor Chrysler to include the legendary entertainer's name on the tournament for as long as a substantial portion of its proceeds are given to charities.
The tournament's format is also a tough sell for many players, such as Tiger Woods, who has never played there. It takes place over five days, four of which include celebrity players. That means rounds take far longer and the presence of so many spectators out to catch a glimpse of their favorite TV, film or music star, can turn even an early round into a far more informal endeavor, which many golfers don't appreciate. The tournament was called the 'Bob Hope Chrysler Classic' until the 2009 tournament, where George Lopez was let go as host and Chrysler dropped their name from the tournament's name, but continue to sponsor the tournament. Instead, the tournament was hosted by the only 5-time winner of the event, Arnold Palmer, for the tournament's 50th anniversary. In 2010, baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra served as the first "Classic Ambassador".[2]
| Year | Player | Country | Score | To par | 1st Prize ($) | Purse ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Hope Classic | ||||||
| 2011 | Jhonattan Vegas | Venezuela | 333 | -27 | 900,000 | 5,000,000 |
| 2010 | Bill Haas | United States | 330 | -30 | 900,000 | 5,000,000 |
| 2009 | Pat Perez | United States | 327 | -33 | 918,000 | 5,100,000 |
| Bob Hope Chrysler Classic | ||||||
| 2008 | D. J. Trahan | United States | 334 | -26 | 918,000 | 5,100,000 |
| 2007 | Charley Hoffman | United States | 343 | -17 | 900,000 | 5,000,000 |
| 2006 | Chad Campbell | United States | 335 | -25 | 900,000 | 5,000,000 |
| 2005 | Justin Leonard | United States | 332 | -28 | 846,000 | 4,700,000 |
| 2004 | Phil Mickelson | United States | 330 | -30 | 810,000 | 4,500,000 |
| 2003 | Mike Weir | Canada | 330 | -30 | 810,000 | 4,500,000 |
| 2002 | Phil Mickelson | United States | 330 | -30 | 720,000 | 4,000,000 |
| 2001 | Joe Durant | United States | 324 | -36 | 630,000 | 3,500,000 |
| 2000 | Jesper Parnevik | Sweden | 331 | -27 | 540,000 | 3,000,000 |
| 1999 | David Duval | United States | 334 | -26 | 540,000 | 3,000,000 |
| 1998 | Fred Couples | United States | 332 | -28 | 414,000 | 2,300,000 |
| 1997 | John Cook | United States | 327 | -33 | 270,000 | 1,500,000 |
| 1996 | Mark Brooks | United States | 337 | -23 | 234,000 | 1,300,000 |
| 1995 | Kenny Perry | United States | 335 | -25 | 216,000 | 1,200,000 |
| 1994 | Scott Hoch | United States | 334 | -26 | 198,000 | 1,100,000 |
| 1993 | Tom Kite | United States | 325 | -35 | 198,000 | 1,100,000 |
| 1992 | John Cook | United States | 336 | -24 | 198,000 | 1,100,000 |
| 1991 | Corey Pavin | United States | 331 | -29 | 198,000 | 1,100,000 |
| 1990 | Peter Jacobsen | United States | 339 | -21 | 180,000 | 1,000,000 |
| 1989 | Steve Jones | United States | 343 | -17 | 180,000 | 1,000,000 |
| 1988 | Jay Haas | United States | 338 | -22 | 180,000 | 1,000,000 |
| 1987 | Corey Pavin | United States | 341 | -19 | 162,000 | 900,000 |
| 1986 | Donnie Hammond | United States | 335 | -25 | 108,000 | 650,000 |
| Bob Hope Classic | ||||||
| 1985 | Lanny Wadkins | United States | 333 | -27 | 90,000 | 555,000 |
| 1984 | John Mahaffey | United States | 340 | -20 | 72,000 | 433,000 |
| Bob Hope Desert Classic | ||||||
| 1983 | Keith Fergus | United States | 335 | -25 | 67,500 | 408,000 |
| 1982 | Ed Fiori | United States | 335 | -25 | 50,000 | 304,500 |
| 1981 | Bruce Lietzke | United States | 335 | -25 | 50,000 | 304,500 |
| 1980 | Craig Stadler | United States | 343 | -17 | 50,000 | 304,500 |
| 1979 | John Mahaffey | United States | 343 | -17 | 50,000 | 300,000 |
| 1978 | Bill Rogers | United States | 339 | -21 | 45,000 | 225,000 |
| 1977 | Rik Massengale | United States | 337 | -23 | 40,000 | 200,000 |
| 1976 | Johnny Miller | United States | 344 | -16 | 36,000 | 180,000 |
| 1975 | Johnny Miller | United States | 339 | -21 | 32,000 | 160,000 |
| 1974 | Hubert Green | United States | 341 | -19 | 32,048 | 160,000 |
| 1973 | Arnold Palmer | United States | 343 | -17 | 32,000 | 160,000 |
| 1972 | Bob Rosburg | United States | 344 | -16 | 29,000 | 145,000 |
| 1971 | Arnold Palmer | United States | 342 | -18 | 28,000 | 140,000 |
| 1970 | Bruce Devlin | Australia | 339 | -21 | 25,000 | 125,000 |
| 1969 | Billy Casper | United States | 345 | -15 | 20,000 | 100,000 |
| 1968 | Arnold Palmer | United States | 348 | -12 | 20,000 | 100,000 |
| 1967 | Tom Nieporte | United States | 349 | -11 | 17,600 | 88,000 |
| 1966 | Doug Sanders | United States | 349 | -11 | 15,000 | 80,000 |
| 1965 | Billy Casper | United States | 348 | -12 | 15,000 | 80,000 |
| Palm Springs Golf Classic | ||||||
| 1964 | Tommy Jacobs | United States | 353 | -7 | 7,500 | 50,000 |
| 1963 | Jack Nicklaus | United States | 345 | -13 | 9,000 | 50,000 |
| 1962 | Arnold Palmer | United States | 342 | -17 | 5,300 | 35,000 |
| 1961 | Billy Maxwell | United States | 345 | -14 | 5,300 | 52,000 |
| Palm Springs Desert Golf Classic | ||||||
| 1960 | Arnold Palmer | United States | 338 | -20 | 12,000 | 70,000 |
Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Source[3]
Seven men have won this tournament more than once through 2011.
1960: Arnold Palmer wins the inaugural version of the tournament by three shots over Fred Hawkins.[4] Joe Campbell earned $50,000 in unofficial money for scoring a hole-in-one on the fifth hole of the Tamarisk Country Club.[5]
1963: Jack Nicklaus defeats Gary Player 65 to 73 in a 18-hole playoff for the tournament title.[6]
1964: 53-year-old Jimmy Demaret who rarely played competitive golf any more finishes regulation play tied for first with Tommy Jacobs but loses on the second hole of sudden death.[7]
1967: Club professional Tom Nieporte birdies the 90th hole to beat Doug Sanders by one shot.[8]
1972: Bob Rosburg wins for the first time since the 1961 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am. He beats Lanny Wadkins by one shot.[9]
1973: Arnold Palmer wins the tournament for a fifth time by two shots over Jack Nicklaus and Johnny Miller.[10] 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.[11]
1980: Craig Stadler wins for the first-time on the PGA Tour. He beats Tom Purtzer and Mike Sullivan by 2 shots.[12]
1982: Ed Fiori, 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.[13]
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.[14]
1989: Steve Jones becomes the first golfer since Gil Morgan in 1983 to sweep the first two events of the PGA Tour Schedule. He defeats Paul Azinger and Sandy Lyle on the first hole of a sudden death playoff.[15]
1990: Peter Jacobsen birdies the 90th hole to win the Hope by one shot[16] over Brian Tennyson and Scott Simpson 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.[17]
1991: Corey Pavin holes a 35-foot wedge shot on the first hole of sudden death to defeat Mark O'Meara.[18]
1992: John Cook holes a chip shot from 100-feet to defeat Gene Sauers in sudden death. The playoff, originally composed of five players, also involved Tom Kite, Mark O'Meara, and Rick Fehr.[19]
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.[20]
1999: David Duval shoots a final round 59 to beat Steve Pate by one shot.[21]
2003: Mike Weir birdies the final three holes to win by two shots over Jay Haas.[22]
2009: Pat Perez shoots 124 to set a new PGA Tour record for the first 36 holes of a tournament.[23] He goes on to win the Hope by three shots over John Merrick.[24]
From the mid-1960s through 1988, NBC broadcast the fourth and fifth rounds of the tournament. ABC took over the coverage in 1999 through 2002 and 2004 through 2006, with CBS covering the tournament in 2003. Beginning in 2007, the Golf Channel showed all five rounds on cable television.