Thunderbird Invitational
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location |
Rancho Mirage, California, U.S. |
| Established | 1952, 1954 (72-hole) |
| Course(s) | Thunderbird Country Club |
| Par | 71 |
| Length | 6,680 yards (6,108 m)[1] |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play - 72 holes |
| Prize fund | $15,000 |
| Month played | January |
| Final year | 1959 |
| Final champion | |
 Arnold Palmer | |
The Thunderbird Invitational was a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, played from 1952 to 1959 in Rancho Mirage, California.[2][3][4] Held in late January at Thunderbird Country Club, the tournament's purse was a modest $15,000; it was the direct predecessor of today's CareerBuilder Challenge, which began in 1960. Thunderbird hosted the Ryder Cup in 1955.[5][6]
Arnold Palmer, 29, was the event's final champion in 1959;[1][4] he won the next year at the first edition of the "Palm Springs Desert Classic," which had a $100,000 purse and a winner's share of 12,000, his largest tour check to date.[7]
Ken Venturi, 26, won the 1958 event and was awarded a $1,500 check and a $4,500 automobile.[8] He backed it up with another win the following week at Phoenix.[9]
Jimmy Demaret won the event three times; his first was a 54-hole midweek event in 1953,[10][11] and the last was an 18-hole playoff on Monday in 1957 for consecutive titles.[12][13]
Winners
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Winner's share ($) | Notes and refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Arnold Palmer | 266 | −18 | 1,500 | [1][4] |
| 1958 | Ken Venturi | 269 | −15 | 1,500 | [8] |
| 1957 | Jimmy Demaret | 273 | −11 | 2,000 | 18-hole playoff[12][13] |
| 1956 | Jimmy Demaret | 269 | −15 | 2,000 | [14] |
| 1955 | Shelley Mayfield | 270 | −18 | 2,000 | second playoff hole[15] |
| 1954 | Fred Haas | 268 | −20 | 2,000 | [3] |
| 1953 | Jimmy Demaret | 201 | −15 | 1,500 | 54 holes, midweek[10][11] |
| 1952 | Dutch Harrison | 1,000 | 36 holes, midweek[16][17] |
References
- 1 2 3 "Palmer wins Thunderbird on 62 for 266". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. January 26, 1959. p. 3, part 4.
- ↑ Spicer, Judd (December 28, 2010). "Before the Hope". Palm Springs Life. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
- 1 2 "Fred Haas wins". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). United Press. February 1, 1954. p. 2B.
- 1 2 3 "Palmer victor in Thunderbird". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 26, 1959. p. 2B.
- ↑ "Ryder Cup kept by U.S.; Briton tops Middlecoff". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. November 7, 1955. p. 10.
- ↑ "U.S. retains Ryder Cup golf trophy by 8-4". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. November 7, 1955. p. 26.
- ↑ "Palmer wins title". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. February 8, 1960. p. 3B.
- 1 2 "Ken Venturi 'Bird winner". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 27, 1958. p. 3B.
- ↑ "Venturi, finishes strong, takes Phoenix golf crown". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. February 3, 1958. p. 2B.
- 1 2 "Demaret wins at Thunderbird". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). United Press. January 22, 1953. p. 2B.
- 1 2 "Prize goes to Demaret". Ellensburg Daily Record. (Washington). Associated Press. January 22, 1953. p. 8.
- 1 2 "Souchak holes 40-foot putt for Thunderbird triple tie". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 28, 1957. p. 10.
- 1 2 "Demaret wins golf playoff". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 29, 1957. p. 3B.
- ↑ "Thunderbird tourney won by Demaret". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 30, 1956. p. 3B.
- ↑ "Mayfield wins golf playoff on extra hole". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. February 1, 1955. p. 2, sec. 3.
- ↑ "Ferrier leading at Palm Springs". Ellensburg Daily Record. (Washington). Associated Press. January 22, 1952. p. 8.
- ↑ "Harrison takes top money in California golf". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. January 23, 1952. p. 3, sec. 3.
External links
Coordinates: 33°45′22″N 116°25′48″W / 33.756°N 116.43°W