TheFedEx St. Jude Classic was a professionalgolf tournament held inMemphis, Tennessee, as a regular event on thePGA Tour. The tournament was held annually from 1958 through 2018, and was played in June atTPC Southwind (since1989).
The tournament debuted 67 years ago in May 1958 as theMemphis Open and was played annually atColonial Country Club in Memphis through1971, then at the club's new home inCordova through1988. The late Vernon Bell, a Memphis restaurateur, co-founded the tournament and served as its general chairman for 22 years.[7] He is also the father of the lateChris Bell.[8]
In 1969, entertainerDanny Thomas (1912–1991) agreed to lend his name to the tournament in exchange for hisSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital becoming the tournament's charity. Accordingly, the tournament changed its name the following year to theDanny Thomas Memphis Classic.
In1977,PresidentGerald Ford, who had left office in January, made ahole-in-one during the tournament's celebrity pro-am while playing with Thomas andBen Crenshaw.[9][10] Two days later,Al Geiberger shot a PGA Tour record 59 (−13) in the second round with eleven birdies and an eagle.[11][12] He needed a rally on Sunday to win by three strokes at 273 (–15).[13]
Since partnering with the tournament, more than $66 million has been raised for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.[14]
In1986, Memphis-based courierFederal Express became the title sponsor. For the first three years of their sponsorship, FedEx increased the purse one dollar for each package they shipped on the Friday of the tournament.[15][16][17] The purses went from $500,000 to $605,912 in 1986, from $600,000 to $724,043 in 1987, and from $750,000 to $953,842 in 1988.
The event's final edition at Colonial Country Club in Cordova was 37 years ago in1988. It moved to its present location atTPC Southwind in Memphis in 1989.
The purse in2018 was $6.6 million, with a winner's share of $1.188 million.
1965:Jack Nicklaus, who played in Memphis very infrequently, beatsJohnny Pott on the first hole of a sudden death playoff.[22]
1966:Bert Yancey wins by five shots overGene Littler but only after nearly missing his Sunday tee time. A last moment phone call from his caddy kept Yancey from being disqualified.[23]
1967:Dave Hill goes wire-to-wire for his first Memphis win. He defeats Johnny Pott by two shots.[24]
1973: Dave Hill earns his 4th and final Memphis win. He beatsAllen Miller and Lee Trevino by one shot.[27]
1977:Al Geiberger shoots a second round 59 (the first 59 in a PGA Tour event), then holds on to win the tournament by three shots overGary Player andJerry McGee.[28]
1980: Lee Trevino triumphs in Memphis for the third and final time. He beatsTom Purtzer by one shot.[29]
1981: After making a birdie on the 72nd hole to win by two shots overTom Kite andBruce Lietzke,Jerry Pate leaps into the lake adjoining the 18th green.[30]
1986:Mike Hulbert birdies the 72nd hole for his first ever PGA Tour win. He wins by one shot over his roommate for the week,Joey Sindelar.[31]
1987: Mike McGee becomes one of just eight PGA Tour players with an 18-putt round. Despite the feat, McGee missed the cut.[32]
2003:David Toms shoots a final round 64 to get his first of back-to-back Memphis titles. He beatsNick Price by three shots.[37]
2005:Justin Leonard ties the record for the highest final round score by a Memphis winner, a 73, on his way to a one-shot victory overDavid Toms.[38]
2010:Lee Westwood defeatsRobert Karlsson andRobert Garrigus in a sudden-death playoff after Garrigus comes to the 72nd hole with a three-shot lead before finishing with a triple bogey.[39]
2011: After 13 years and 355 starts,Harrison Frazar won his first PGA Tour event after beatingRobert Karlsson in a playoff. Frazar was playing on a medical extension after hip surgery and was actually considering retirement before his win. Karlsson lost in a playoff for the second consecutive season.
Dustin Johnson
