Atlanta Classic

The Atlanta Classic was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour, a regular stop in suburban Atlanta for over four decades. It was founded in 1967, 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.

Atlanta Classic
Tournament information
LocationDuluth, Georgia
Established1967 (1934)
Course(s)TPC at Sugarloaf
Par72
Length7,311 yards (6,685 m)[1]
Tour(s)PGA Tour
FormatStroke play
Prize fund$5.5 million
Final year2008
Tournament record score
Aggregate260 Phil Mickelson (2006)
To par−28 as above
Final champion
Ryuji Imada
Duluth
Location in the United States
Duluth
Location in Georgia

From 1967 to 1996, it was played at the Atlanta Country Club in Marietta, northwest of Atlanta. From 1997 to 2008, it was played over the Stables and Meadows nines at TPC at Sugarloaf in Duluth, northeast of Atlanta.

For most of its years, the Atlanta tournament was usually held in May. From 19992006, it was moved to early April, the week before the Masters. Its final two editions were in mid-May, a week after the Players Championship (which was moved from late March). The tournament was cancelled after the 2008 season.[2]

This event is not to be confused with the AT&T Champions Classic played in Valencia, California, a Champions Tour (now PGA Tour Champions) tournament which bore the "AT&T Classic" name in 2006, prior to AT&T's acquisition of BellSouth. It was cancelled after the 2009 season.

TPC Sugarloaf currently hosts an annual PGA Tour Champions event, the Mitsubishi Electric Classic, which debuted in 2013.

Winners

YearWinnerCountryScoreTo parMargin
of victory
Runner(s)-upWinner's
share ($)
AT&T Classic
2008Ryuji Imada Japan273−15Playoff Kenny Perry990,000
2007Zach Johnson (2) United States273−15Playoff Ryuji Imada972,000
BellSouth Classic
2006Phil Mickelson (3) United States260−2813 strokes Zach Johnson
José María Olazábal
954,000
2005Phil Mickelson (2) United States208−8Playoff Arjun Atwal
Rich Beem
Brandt Jobe
José María Olazábal
900,000
2004Zach Johnson United States275−131 stroke Mark Hensby810,000
2003Ben Crane United States272−164 strokes Bob Tway720,000
2002Retief Goosen South Africa272−164 strokes Jesper Parnevik684,000
2001Scott McCarron (2) United States280−83 strokes Mike Weir594,000
2000Phil Mickelson United States205−11Playoff Gary Nicklaus504,000
1999David Duval United States270−182 strokes Stewart Cink450,000
1998Tiger Woods United States271−171 stroke Jay Don Blake324,000
1997Scott McCarron United States274−143 strokes David Duval
Brian Henninger
Lee Janzen
270,000
1996Paul Stankowski United States280−8Playoff Brandel Chamblee234,000
1995Mark Calcavecchia United States271−172 strokes Jim Gallagher Jr.234,000
1994John Daly United States274−141 stroke Nolan Henke
Brian Henninger
216,000
1993Nolan Henke United States271−172 strokes Mark Calcavecchia
Nick Price
Tom Sieckmann
216,000
1992Tom Kite (2) United States272−163 strokes Jay Don Blake180,000
BellSouth Atlanta Golf Classic
1991Corey Pavin United States272−16Playoff Steve Pate180,000
1990Wayne Levi (2) United States275−131 stroke Keith Clearwater
Larry Mize
Nick Price
180,000
1989Scott Simpson United States278−10Playoff Bob Tway162,000
Georgia-Pacific Atlanta Golf Classic
1988Larry Nelson (2) United States268−201 stroke Chip Beck126,000
1987Dave Barr Canada265−234 strokes Larry Mize108,000
1986Bob Tway United States269−192 strokes Hal Sutton90,000
1985Wayne Levi United States273−15Playoff Steve Pate90,000
1984Tom Kite United States269−195 strokes Don Pooley72,000
1983Calvin Peete United States206−102 strokes Chip Beck
Jim Colbert
Don Pooley
72,000
1982Keith Fergus United States273−15Playoff Raymond Floyd54,000
Atlanta Classic
1981Tom Watson United States277−11Playoff Tommy Valentine54,000
1980Larry Nelson United States270−187 strokes Andy Bean
Don Pooley
54,000
1979Andy Bean United States265−238 strokes Joe Inman54,000
1978Jerry Heard United States269−192 strokes Lou Graham
Bob Murphy
Tom Watson
40,000
1977Hale Irwin (2) United States273−151 stroke Steve Veriato40,000
1976No tournament. The U.S. Open was played at nearby Atlanta Athletic Club (Highlands Course)
1975Hale Irwin United States271−174 strokes Tom Watson45,000
1974No tournament. Instead, the Atlanta Country Club hosted the first-ever Players Championship
1973Jack Nicklaus United States272−162 strokes Tom Weiskopf30,000
1972Bob Lunn (2) United States275−132 strokes Gary Player26,000
1971Gardner Dickinson United States275−13Playoff Jack Nicklaus25,000
1970Tommy Aaron United States275−131 stroke Dan Sikes25,000
1969Bert Yancey United States277−11Playoff Bruce Devlin23,000
1968Bob Lunn United States280−83 strokes Lee Trevino23,000
1967Bob Charles New Zealand282−62 strokes Tommy Bolt
Richard Crawford
Gardner Dickinson
22,000
Previous events recognized by the PGA Tour

Atlanta Open

Atlanta Invitational

Atlanta Open

Tournament highlights

  • 1967: Bob Charles wins the first modern era PGA Tour event played in Atlanta. He finishes two shots ahead of Gardner Dickinson, Tommy Bolt, and Richard Crawford.[3]
  • 1968; Bob Lunn is victorious for the second straight week on the PGA Tour. He wins by three shots over Lee Trevino.[4]
  • 1970: Georgia native Tommy Aaron wins by one shot over Dan 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 beats Gary Player by two shots.[6]
  • 1977: Hale Irwin becomes the first Atlanta champion to successfully defend his title. He beats Steve Veriato by two shots.[7]
  • 1979: Andy Bean shoots a third round 61 on his way to an 8-stroke victory over Joe Inman.[8]
  • 1980: Georgian Larry Nelson wins by seven shots over Don 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 over Chip Beck, Jim Colbert, and Don Pooley.[10]
  • 1986: Bob Tway shoots a final round 64 to win by two shots over Hal 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 of Nick Price, Keith Clearwater, and Larry Mize.[13]
  • 1992: Tom Kite begins the final round bogey-bogey before making six consecutive birdies on his way to a three shot victory over Jay Don Blake.[14] Amateur David Duval, a junior at Georgia 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 over Brian Henninger and defending champion Nolan Henke. Afterwards Daly says "This is the first tournament I've won on the PGA Tour in a sober fashion."[17]
  • 1996: Sixth alternate Paul Stankowski birdies the first sudden death playoff hole to defeat Brandel 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 defeat Gary 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 over José María Olazábal and Zach 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 the 2007 Masters Tournament take place in the state. He defeats Ryuji 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 over Kenny Perry.[23]

References

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