American Golf Classic

Tournament information
Location	Akron, Ohio
Established	1961
Course(s)	Firestone Country Club (North Course)
Par	72
Length	7,105 yards (6,497 m)[1][2]
Tour	PGA Tour
Format	Stroke play
Prize fund	US$200,000
Month played	August
Final year	1976
Tournament record score
Aggregate	268Raymond Floyd (1969)
To par	−14David Graham (1976)
Final champion
David Graham
Location map
Firestone CC Location in theUnited States Show map of the United States Firestone CC Location inOhio Show map of Ohio

The American Golf Classic was a tournament on the PGA Tour from1961 to1976 atFirestone Country Club inAkron, Ohio. It was the third event at the storied South course, after theRubber City Open Invitational (1954–1959) and thePGA Championship in1960.^[3]

The final edition in 1976 was played on the North course, with theWorld Series of Golf held the following week on the South course.^[1][4] The World Series of Golf was succeeded by the currentWGC-Bridgestone Invitational, held on the South course.

• 1961:Jay Hebert wins the inaugural version of the tournament by defeatingGary Player on the second hole of a sudden death playoff. To get in the playoff, Hebert had to make a 20-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole.^[5]
• 1963:Johnny Pott leads the second AGC wire to wire. He wins by four shots overArnold Palmer.^[6]
• 1964:Ken Venturi makes the AGC his third triumph for 1964. He finishes five shots ahead ofMason Rudolph.^[7]
• 1965:Al Geiberger wins for the 3rd time ever on the PGA Tour. He finishes four shots ahead of Arnold Palmer. One year later, Geiberger would also win the PGA Championship at the Firestone Country Club.^[8]
• 1967: Arnold Palmer becomes the first and only multiple winner of the AGC. He finishes three shots ahead ofDoug Sanders.^[9]
• 1968:Jack Nicklaus wins in a sudden death playoff overLee Elder andFrank Beard.^[10] Elder, a tour rookie at the time, matched Nicklaus shot for shot for four extra holes before losing on the fifth. The finish of the 1968 American Golf Classic has been called one of the most exciting in televised golf history.^[11]
• 1969:Raymond Floyd shoots a final round 65 to win by four shots overBobby Nichols.^[12]
• 1973:Bruce Crampton wins by three shots overLanny Wadkins,Gay Brewer, andBob Murphy. It is Crampton's 4th win of the year and at the time vaults him to #1 on the money list for the year.^[13]
• 1974:Jim Colbert wins the AGC in a four-way playoff.^[2] He defeats Raymond Floyd, Gay Brewer, andForrest Fezler.^[14]
• 1976:David Graham wins the last edition of the tournament, the only one played on the North course.^[1] He finished four shots ahead ofLou Graham.^[15]

Year	Winner	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1976	David Graham	274	−14	4 strokes	Lou Graham
1975: No tournament
1974	Jim Colbert	281	+1	Playoff	Gay Brewer Forrest Fezler Raymond Floyd
1973	Bruce Crampton	273	−7	3 strokes	Gay Brewer Bob Murphy Lanny Wadkins
1972	Bert Yancey	276	−4	Playoff	Tom Ulozas
1971	Jerry Heard	275	−5	3 strokes	Dale Douglass
1970	Frank Beard	276	−4	2 strokes	Tommy Aaron Bruce Crampton Jack Nicklaus
1969	Raymond Floyd	268	−12	4 strokes	Bobby Nichols
1968	Jack Nicklaus	280	E	Playoff	Frank Beard Lee Elder
1967	Arnold Palmer (2)	276	−4	3 strokes	Doug Sanders
1966: No tournament
1965	Al Geiberger	280	E	4 strokes	Arnold Palmer
1964	Ken Venturi	275	−5	5 strokes	Mason Rudolph
1963	Johnny Pott	276	−4	4 strokes	Arnold Palmer
1962	Arnold Palmer	276	−4	5 strokes	Mason Rudolph
1961	Jay Hebert	278	−2	Playoff	Gary Player

• Tournament results (1970-1976) at GolfObserver.com

• Former PGA Tour events
• Golf tournaments in Ohio
• Sports in Akron, Ohio
• Recurring sporting events established in 1961
• Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1976
• 1961 establishments in Ohio
• 1976 disestablishments in Ohio

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Short description is different from Wikidata