Golf tournament on the PGA Tour
Golf tournament
TheAtlanta Classic was agolf tournament on thePGA Tour, a regular stop in suburbanAtlanta for over four decades. It was founded in1967, although previous events dating to 1934 are included in the PGA Tour's past winners list.AT&T was the last title sponsor of the tournament.
From 1967 to1996, it was played at theAtlanta Country Club inMarietta, northwest of Atlanta. From1997 to2008, it was played over the Stables and Meadows nines atTPC at Sugarloaf inDuluth, northeast of Atlanta.
For most of its years, the Atlanta tournament was usually held in May. From1999 to2006, it was moved to early April, the week before theMasters. Its final two editions were in mid-May, a week after thePlayers Championship (which was moved from late March). The tournament was cancelled after the 2008 season.[2]
This event is not to be confused with theAT&T Champions Classic played inValencia, California, a Champions Tour (nowPGA Tour Champions) tournament which bore the "AT&T Classic" name in2006, prior to AT&T's acquisition of BellSouth. It was cancelled after the2009 season.
TPC Sugarloaf currently hosts an annual PGA Tour Champions event, theMitsubishi Electric Classic, which debuted in2013.
Tournament highlights
[edit]- 1967:Bob Charles wins the first modern era PGA Tour event played in Atlanta. He finishes two shots ahead ofGardner Dickinson,Tommy Bolt, andRichard Crawford.[3]
- 1968;Bob Lunn is victorious for the second straight week on the PGA Tour. He wins by three shots overLee Trevino.[4]
- 1970: Georgia nativeTommy Aaron wins by one shot overDan Sikes.[5]Tom Weiskopf came to the 72nd hole tied with Aaron but closed with a double bogey.
- 1972: Bob Lunn becomes the tournament's first repeat winner. He beatsGary Player by two shots.[6]
- 1977:Hale Irwin becomes the first Atlanta champion to successfully defend his title. He beatsSteve Veriato by two shots.[7]
- 1979:Andy Bean shoots a third round 61 on his way to an 8-stroke victory overJoe Inman.[8]
- 1980: GeorgianLarry Nelson wins by seven shots overDon Pooley and defending champion Andy Bean.[9]
- 1983:Calvin Peete shoots a final round 63, including a hole out for birdie from a bunker on the 71st hole. He wins by two shots overChip Beck,Jim Colbert, and Don Pooley.[10]
- 1986:Bob Tway shoots a final round 64 to win by two shots overHal Sutton.[11]
- 1988: Larry Nelson birdies the 72nd hole to become a two-time winner of the tournament. He edges Chip Beck by one shot.[12]
- 1990:Wayne Levi birdies the 72nd hole in near darkness to earn his first PGA Tour win in five years. He finishes one shot ahead ofNick Price,Keith Clearwater, andLarry Mize.[13]
- 1992:Tom Kite begins the final round bogey-bogey before making six consecutive birdies on his way to a three shot victory overJay Don Blake.[14] AmateurDavid Duval, a junior atGeorgia Tech held the 54 hole lead[15] by two strokes before shooting a final round 79 to finish T13.[16]
- 1994:John Daly wins by one shot overBrian Henninger and defending championNolan Henke. Afterwards Daly says "This is the first tournament I've won on the PGA Tour in a sober fashion."[17]
- 1996: Sixth alternatePaul Stankowski birdies the first sudden death playoff hole to defeatBrandel Chamblee.[18]
- 1998:Tiger Woods notches his only victory of the year in Atlanta. He finishes one shot ahead of Jay Don Blake.[19]
- 2000:Phil Mickelson wins for the first time in Atlanta. He birdies the first hole of a sudden death playoff to defeatGary Nicklaus.[20]
- 2003:Ben Crane shoots a final round 63 to win by four shots over Bob Tway.[21]
- 2006: Mickelson dominates the field, using two drivers in preparation for the Masters the following week. He concluded with an eagle on the 72nd hole to post a score of 28-under-par, a career best. Mickelson won by 13 strokes overJosé María Olazábal andZach Johnson, and would go on to win the Masters the next week.
- 2007:Zach Johnson seems to like playing golf in Georgia. His third career PGA Tour victory like his first two, the 2004 BellSouth Classic and the2007 Masters Tournament take place in the state. He defeatsRyuji Imada on the first hole of a sudden death playoff.[22]
- 2008: The last version of the tournament sees Ryuji Imada win in a sudden death playoff overKenny Perry.[23]
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin of
victory | Runner(s)-up | Winner's
share ($) |
|---|
| AT&T Classic |
|---|
| 2008 |  Ryuji Imada | 273 | −15 | Playoff |  Kenny Perry | 990,000 |
| 2007 | Zach Johnson (2) | 273 | −15 | Playoff | Ryuji Imada | 972,000 |
| BellSouth Classic |
|---|
| 2006 | Phil Mickelson (3) | 260 | −28 | 13 strokes | Zach Johnson
 José María Olazábal | 954,000 |
| 2005 | Phil Mickelson (2) | 208 | −8 | Playoff |  Arjun Atwal
Rich Beem
Brandt Jobe
José María Olazábal | 900,000 |
| 2004 | Zach Johnson | 275 | −13 | 1 stroke |  Mark Hensby | 810,000 |
| 2003 | Ben Crane | 272 | −16 | 4 strokes | Bob Tway | 720,000 |
| 2002 |  Retief Goosen | 272 | −16 | 4 strokes |  Jesper Parnevik | 684,000 |
| 2001 | Scott McCarron (2) | 280 | −8 | 3 strokes |  Mike Weir | 594,000 |
| 2000 | Phil Mickelson | 205 | −11 | Playoff | Gary Nicklaus | 504,000 |
| 1999 | David Duval | 270 | −18 | 2 strokes | Stewart Cink | 450,000 |
| 1998 | Tiger Woods | 271 | −17 | 1 stroke | Jay Don Blake | 324,000 |
| 1997 | Scott McCarron | 274 | −14 | 3 strokes | David Duval
Brian Henninger
Lee Janzen | 270,000 |
| 1996 | Paul Stankowski | 280 | −8 | Playoff | Brandel Chamblee | 234,000 |
| 1995 | Mark Calcavecchia | 271 | −17 | 2 strokes | Jim Gallagher Jr. | 234,000 |
| 1994 | John Daly | 274 | −14 | 1 stroke | Nolan Henke
Brian Henninger | 216,000 |
| 1993 | Nolan Henke | 271 | −17 | 2 strokes | Mark Calcavecchia
 Nick Price
Tom Sieckmann | 216,000 |
| 1992 | Tom Kite (2) | 272 | −16 | 3 strokes | Jay Don Blake | 180,000 |
| BellSouth Atlanta Golf Classic |
|---|
| 1991 | Corey Pavin | 272 | −16 | Playoff | Steve Pate | 180,000 |
| 1990 | Wayne Levi (2) | 275 | −13 | 1 stroke | Keith Clearwater
Larry Mize
Nick Price | 180,000 |
| 1989 | Scott Simpson | 278 | −10 | Playoff | Bob Tway | 162,000 |
| Georgia-Pacific Atlanta Golf Classic |
|---|
| 1988 | Larry Nelson (2) | 268 | −20 | 1 stroke | Chip Beck | 126,000 |
| 1987 | Dave Barr | 265 | −23 | 4 strokes | Larry Mize | 108,000 |
| 1986 | Bob Tway | 269 | −19 | 2 strokes | Hal Sutton | 90,000 |
| 1985 | Wayne Levi | 273 | −15 | Playoff | Steve Pate | 90,000 |
| 1984 | Tom Kite | 269 | −19 | 5 strokes | Don Pooley | 72,000 |
| 1983 | Calvin Peete | 206 | −10 | 2 strokes | Chip Beck
Jim Colbert
Don Pooley | 72,000 |
| 1982 | Keith Fergus | 273 | −15 | Playoff | Raymond Floyd | 54,000 |
| Atlanta Classic |
|---|
| 1981 | Tom Watson | 277 | −11 | Playoff | Tommy Valentine | 54,000 |
| 1980 | Larry Nelson | 270 | −18 | 7 strokes | Andy Bean
Don Pooley | 54,000 |
| 1979 | Andy Bean | 265 | −23 | 8 strokes | Joe Inman | 54,000 |
| 1978 | Jerry Heard | 269 | −19 | 2 strokes | Lou Graham
Bob Murphy
Tom Watson | 40,000 |
| 1977 | Hale Irwin (2) | 273 | −15 | 1 stroke | Steve Veriato | 40,000 |
| 1976: No tournament |
| 1975 | Hale Irwin | 271 | −17 | 4 strokes | Tom Watson | 45,000 |
| 1974:Atlanta Country Club hosted theTournament Players Championship |
| 1973 | Jack Nicklaus | 272 | −16 | 2 strokes | Tom Weiskopf | 30,000 |
| 1972 | Bob Lunn (2) | 275 | −13 | 2 strokes |  Gary Player | 26,000 |
| 1971 | Gardner Dickinson | 275 | −13 | Playoff | Jack Nicklaus | 25,000 |
| 1970 | Tommy Aaron | 275 | −13 | 1 stroke | Dan Sikes | 25,000 |
| 1969 | Bert Yancey | 277 | −11 | Playoff | Bruce Devlin | 23,000 |
| 1968 | Bob Lunn | 280 | −8 | 3 strokes | Lee Trevino | 23,000 |
| 1967 |  Bob Charles | 282 | −6 | 2 strokes | Tommy Bolt
Richard Crawford
Gardner Dickinson | 22,000 |
| 1948–1966: No tournament |
| Atlanta Open |
|---|
| 1947 |  Toney Penna | 281 | −3 | 1 stroke |  Jimmy Demaret | 2,000 |
| Atlanta Invitational |
|---|
| 1946 | Lew Worsham | 279 | −9 | 1 stroke | Jimmy Demaret | 2,200 |
| Atlanta Open |
|---|
| 1945 | Byron Nelson | 263 | −13 | 9 strokes | Sammy Byrd | 2,000 |
| 1935–1944: No tournament |
| 1934 | Ky Laffoon | 286 | +6 | 6 strokes | Johnny Golden | 500 |
33°59′53″N84°06′32″W / 33.998°N 84.109°W /33.998; -84.109
